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MY L.A. - Los Angeles’ shining landmark, the 6th Street Bridge, best known as the “Ribbon of Light” because its twenty luminous arches reflect the city’s promise and challenges, is shining no more. Thieves have put out the lights by stealing seven miles of copper wire to illicitly net about $11,000 dollars. Now, the city must spend $2.5 million to assess and repair the damage.
The darkening of this architecture masterpiece has incensed me personally, casting a weighty shadow in my heart. When the bridge was being built it was plagued by delays and cost overruns and Mayor Eric Garcetti asked me, in May 2018, to get involved and rescue it. I had earlier helped the mayor with another troubled project, the widening of the 405 freeway, also in a volunteer capacity.
A hindering dispute between the contractor and the engineering designer had drastically hampered construction, placing it behind schedule and increasing project costs. In my book, “The Making of Modern Los Angeles,” I detail the reasons that led to incompetent work and a lack of trust among the Public Works Department, the contractor, and the consultants, and how the issues were resolved.
This phenomenon is not unique, and it is a symptom of a city "adrift", as characterized by Austin Beutner who is running for mayor of Los Angeles. Our city is on a perilous course afflicted with lack of leadership and malaise. We desperately need leaders to provide a moral compass by acting with integrity and a strong sense of purpose, making decisions that consider the common good, and modeling ethical behavior for others. This involves a commitment to values like honesty, fairness, and compassion, and the courage to act on them even it`s difficult, which builds trust and fosters a culture of ethical conduct to be emulated.
The 3,500-foot-long bridge is the most expensive project of its kind in the city’s history, costing an estimated $588 million. Its initial project budget was $482 million.
The original bridge, built in 1932, was diagnosed with alkali-silica reaction and judged to be structurally deficient and in danger of failure in a 7.3 magnitude earthquake. This deterioration was attributed to the concrete used in its construction utilizing sand collected from the Los Angeles River.
The City of Los Angeles’ Bureau of Engineering and the California Department of Transportation suggested constructing a standard utilitarian bridge, but Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa had his own vision and instructed that the builders should “dream big and make the new bridge an iconic and lasting landmark for Los Angeles.” He demanded that the city conduct an international design competition.
Designed by famous architect Michael Maltzan, the new bridge was immediately called a stunning architectural success and seen as a Los Angeles gateway which would showcase the city during the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
To keep Los Angeles bright, city and county officials must quickly deal with this new modern malady—wire thievery. The rising price of copper has led to an increase in thefts from electrical facilities, with thieves becoming bolder and taking bigger risks. Copper is essential for delivering electricity and providing grounding systems that protect the public and utility workers. Its theft undermines these safety measures.
One of the causes of the rampant robberies of all kinds is the lenient justice system. In addition, the career politicians are always acting only after the problem has become epidemic.
Assemblyman Mark Gonzalez has introduced belatedly, considering the wire thefts have been occurring since the bridge opened over two years ago, AB 476 to tackle copper wire theft in California by requiring junk dealers and recyclers to keep detailed records and verify sellers' identities and ownership of metals. The bill bans possession of certain scrap metal without documentation and has support from state leaders who stress the importance of stronger laws for protecting infrastructure and public safety.
On Monday, October 6, Los Angeles leaders, from public safety to city council and the business community, gathered below the darkened Sixth Street Bridge to urge Governor Gavin Newsom to sign AB 476 to bring stricter penalties and enforcement to those paying for stolen metal.
Pasadena has moved again ahead of many cities to implement measures to combat copper wire theft. It has established a $20,000 reward program to encourage the public to report thefts and help catch the culprits. The reward pool is split between L.A. County and Pasadena, with the cost passed on to taxpayers.
The city is also sealing utility boxes with construction adhesives to prevent thieves from accessing wires, a measure taken to mitigate the impact of the thefts on traffic signals and streetlights.
For Los Angeles, robust city leadership, must emerge to increase effective governance by promoting interagency collaboration and initiating sound and effective programs to deal with wire thievery. Only through effective and competent leadership are city resources managed efficiently, and sound strategies implemented to curb outrageous actions, such as the darkening of our beloved city.
(Nick Patsaouras is a Los Angeles-based electrical engineer and civic leader whose firm has shaped projects across commercial, medical, and entertainment sectors. A longtime public advocate, he ran for Mayor in 1993 with a focus on rebuilding L.A. through transportation. He has served on major public boards, including the Department of Water and Power, Metro, and the Board of Zoning Appeals, helping guide infrastructure and planning policy in Los Angeles. He is the author of the book "The Making of Modern Los Angeles.")
