La Loma Bridge
Why it's listed
La Loma Bridge carries La Loma Road across the Arroyo Seco in Pasadena. Completed in 1914 by the firm Munoz and Munoz from plans by the Los Angeles County Surveyor, it is a reinforced concrete bridge with twin 101-foot open-spandrel arches, a total length of 379 feet, and a width of 42 feet including cantilevered sidewalks. Classical details include capitals and bases on the spandrel columns, arched girders linking them, and decorative brackets under the sidewalks. It replaced an 1898 steel truss toll-road bridge that had deteriorated, and the City and County shared the cost equally. The bridge was listed for its role in carrying automobile traffic and opening the western Arroyo neighborhoods to Pasadena. It is also valued as an example of City Beautiful design, and contemporaries called it the little sister of the Colorado Street Bridge. A 1962 rebuilding removed the original balustrade and lamps, but the main structure remains intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination finds it locally significant under Criterion A for transportation, because it met Pasadena's need to carry automobile traffic across the Arroyo and opened up the western neighborhoods. Under Criterion C it is an excellent example of a Neoclassical open-spandrel concrete arch bridge and reflects the City Beautiful movement in Pasadena. It is the second oldest bridge over the Arroyo and was called the 'little sister' of the Colorado Street Bridge.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 04000680, listed July 14, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Crossing the Arroyo Seco at La Loma Broad, Pasadena |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Listed | July 14, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000680 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1914 |
| Architect / builder | Munoz and Munoz, Builders; Los Angeles County Surveyor, Designer |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & Early 20th Century Revival: Neo-classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The deck was rebuilt by the City of Pasadena in 1962, removing the original concrete balustrade and cast iron lighting standards. The bridge otherwise retains its integrity and still carries road traffic. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Pasadena Arroyo Parks and Recreation District |
| Coordinates | 34.13407, -118.16676 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 04000680.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15241131
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.