California Incline
 The California Incline, facing north | |
| Former name(s) | Sunset Trail |
|---|---|
| Part of | California Avenue |
| Namesake | California |
| Type | Slanted road |
| Owner | City of Santa Monica |
| Maintained by | California Department of Transportation |
| Length | 1,400 ft (400 m) |
| East end | Ocean Avenue |
| West end | Pacific Coast Highway |
| Construction | |
| Completion | 1896 |
The California Incline is a slanted road in Santa Monica, California, connecting Ocean Avenue with Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). It technically runs along California Avenue, a major east-west street in Santa Monica.
History and overview
The California Incline was originally a walkway known as Sunset Trail, which was cut through the bluffs to provide beach access to pedestrians in 1896.[1] The current structure was built in 1930 and is 1,400 feet in length.[2] It is a vital street in Santa Monica, linking PCH with Ocean Avenue, and California Avenue, bisecting Palisades Park. It begins at an intersection with Ocean Avenue and California Avenue, at the top of the palisades, extending to PCH at the base of the bluffs.
Future
Operated by the City of Santa Monica and primarily the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the California Incline has been identified as structurally deficient.[3][4] A project will reconstruct the bridge portion of the incline to meet current seismic standards. At a cost of $2.5 million, the new bridge will consist of a pile-supported reinforced concrete slab structure with a width of 51' 8" (an increase of 5' 8" over the existing structure). The new structure will include wider sidewalks and bicycle lanes. Construction began in 2015 and will take approximately one year to complete.[5][6]
Popular culture
The California Incline has been featured in various films, including It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) and Knocked Up (2007).
References
- ↑ Jenn Garbee, Nancy Gottesman, Margery L. Schwartz (2007). Hometown Santa Monica: The Bay Cities Book. Prospect Park Publishing. ISBN 0975393928. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
- ↑ "California Incline Bridge Replacement Project" (PDF). Retrieved April 14, 2013.
- ↑ "California Incline Bridge Replacement Project (Revised)" (PDF). Retrieved April 14, 2013.
- ↑ Kurt Orzeck. "SM Has 3 'Structurally Deficient' Bridges". Santa Monica Patch. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
- ↑ "Yearlong California Incline Closure, Construction Project Is Underway in Santa Monica". KTLA. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
- ↑ Parimal M. Rohit. "California Incline In Santa Monica To Close Next Fall For Reconstruction". Santa Monica Mirror. Retrieved April 14, 2013.