Los Angeles' 6th Street Bridge gets farewell party before it is torn down

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Hundreds of people gathered on the 6th Street Bridge on Saturday
The 3,500 ft structure connects downtown Arts District to Boyle Heights
Has featured in movies, music videos, commercials and video games
But due to danger of it falling down, it will be demolished in January
A replacement bridge will be built in $428million project and open in 2019

Published: 15:55 EST, 25 October 2015 | Updated: 05:43 EST, 26 October 2015

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An iconic Los Angeles bridge made famous by a host of blockbuster movies, including Terminator 2, Drive and Gone in 60 Seconds, received a farewell party before it is torn down.

Hundreds of people gathered on the 6th Street Bridge – a 3,500ft concrete overpass that connects downtown Arts District to Boyle Heights – to celebrate the structure and say goodbye on Saturday.

Almost as famous as any Los Angeles resident, the bridge’s credits also include music videos, such as Pharrell’s hit Happy, as well as video games like Grand Theft Auto.

The iconic 6th Street bridge in Los Angeles bridge made famous by a host of blockbuster movies received a farewell party on Saturday before it is torn down

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Edward Furlong made the bridge famous when they shot scenes for Terminator 2

Hundreds gathered on the bridge on Saturday to say goodbye in a farewell festival that featured live music, street food and art exhibits

The structure will be demolished next year because a chemical reaction threatens to destabilize the concrete, according to the LA Times.

It is feared the bridge, which opened in 1932, won’t be able to withstand the next big earthquake.

A new bridge is set to open in 2019 and its design will imitate the recognizable arches of the original.

The current structure is planned to be demolished in January next year and a $428million project will see a new one built. Work is expected to take at least three years to complete.

The bridge has appeared in a number of movies. It is seen in a shot from the Fast and the Furious (pictured)

The bridge has featured in a number of movies, including Gone in 60 Seconds (pictured) in 2000

A scene from 1978's Grease starring John Travolta featured the bridge in a racing scene

Once finished, the four-lane road will be framed by curving arches inspired by the path of a stone skipping across a pond.

It will have equal space for pedestrians, cyclists and cars. Underneath the bridge, there are plans for walkways to be connected to a performance venue, parks and other amenities.

And on Saturday, residents from the very different communities the bridge connects – the affluent Arts District and low-income Boyle Heights - gathered to share their fond memories.

They enjoyed live music, art exhibits and street food across the expanse of the structure.

The 3,500ft concrete overpass, which connects downtown Arts District to Boyle Heights, is in danger of falling down due to a chemical reaction that threatens to destabilize the concrete

The structure is planned to be demolished in January and a $428million project will see a new one built by 2019

Residents from the very different communities the bridge connects – the affluent Arts District and low-income Boyle Heights - gathered to share their fond memories

Marcus Fuentes, who owns Papi’s Pizzeria in downtown LA with his wife Angelica, came to see the bridge one last time together.

Daisy Smith, who works in the film industry, waited hours for a free screen-printed shirt bearing an image of the bridge.

‘It’s sad,’ she told the Times. ‘It’s a beautiful piece of history, It’s unique to LA, but it could almost be anywhere.’

Visitors came to honor the original structure featured in numerous movies and commercials and enjoyed live musical performances

A new bridge (pictured, an artist's rendering of the design) is set to open in 2019 and its design will imitate the recognizable arches of the original