Curtain call: 'World's most cinematic bridge' in LA is no more after 220ft section is ripped down to make way for new roadway

A Los Angeles bridge dubbed the most cinematic in the world after appearing in more than 80 music videos and dozens of movies is no more.

A 220ft section of the 6th Street Viaduct was ripped down by construction workers earlier today to make way for a new roadway.

While there is still another 3,300ft of bridge left to take down, today's demolition marks the beginning of the end for the iconic structure.  

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End of an era: Heavy machinery moves in to help demolish the famous Sixth Street Bridge in Los Angeles, which has featured in countless movies, TV shows and music videos 

The demolition marks the beginning of the end for the 3,500ft iconic structure, which is being demolished due to safety reasons

The 84-year-old bridge, which soars over the concrete-lined Los Angeles River, has appeared in countless Hollywood movies, including Grease and Terminator 2

GREASE

The Sixth Street Viaduct is instantly recognizable from the movie, as the legendary setting for Danny Zuko's race against a rival gang for his group of friends the T-Birds.

The boys turn up at the scene in LA and Kenickie, who is the driver, bangs his head, forcing best friend Danny (John Travolta) to take the wheel.

There is an action-packed race with some dirty tricks, but Danny edges in front and finishes at the same place the race starts - underneath the viaduct. 

Grease Lightning: John Travolta, as Danny Zuko, raced underneath the Sixth Street Viaduct in the 1978 classic movie, and since then it has made regular appearances on the silver screen

The beginning: It is instantly recognizable from the scene, as the racers start underneath it and then turn around and race back towards it

The 84-year-old bridge, which soars over the concrete-lined Los Angeles River, has appeared in countless Hollywood movies, including Grease and Terminator 2. 

Scores of music videos from the likes of Madonna and Kanye West have also been shot around the famous bridge. 

It is part of a $449million construction project that will see it replaced by a new, more functional viaduct to take its place by 2019. 

Traffic was diverted away from a section of U.S. 101 that was shut down while crews demolished part of the viaduct today, but is flowing again this evening.

Traffic woes: A 2.5-mile stretch of the Hollywood (101) Freeway in the Boyle Heights area was closed for 40 hours to accomodate demolition of the Sixth Street Viaduct

The $449 million project to build a replacement bridge, designed by architect Michael Maltzan, is expected to be completed by 2019 at the earliest

Debris from the bridge is piled up ready to be removed after the crossing started to be demolished over the weekend 

Mary Nemick of the city Public Works Department said that thanks to quick work by demolition crews, the freeway reopened at 10 a.m. Sunday - four hours ahead of schedule.

It's Hollywood heritage was proven when John Travolta, as Danny Zuko, raced underneath it in 1978 classic Grease, and since then it has made regular appearances on the silver screen.

The viaduct is also the scene of the legendary motorcycle chase scene in Terminator 2 (1991), involving Arnold Schwarzenegger on a Harley Davidson.

Schwarzenegger also starred in another movie set in LA, Last Action Hero (1993) which features the bridge.  

Construction workers began tearing down the 6th Street Viaduct in Los Angeles today - an iconic bridge that has featured in more than 80 music videos and dozens of films

Crews ripped down a 220ft section of the 3,500ft bridge, which will be replaced by a new roadway by 2019

Superstar: Made famous by classic films such as Grease and Terminator 2, and music videos from the likes of Madonna and Kanye West, the Sixth Street Viaduct has become iconic in LA

Fantastic setting: The Sixth Street Viaduct is in Los Angeles, the home of the world's biggest movie stars

Progress: It is making way for a new viaduct - a $450million project which is due to open in 2019. Above is a model of what the new viaduct will look like but whether it will appear in any movies like its predecessor remains to be seen

MUSIC VIDEOS - KANYE WEST, MADONNA AND FOO FIGHTERS

The bridge isn't just in Hollywood blockbusters, it has also become prominent in music videos, lying in the home of many California-based stars.

It plays a leading role in the Kanye West video for Jesus Walks, and the Foo Fighters filmed the video for Walk by the viaduct.

Madonna's video for Borderline features the iconic cinematic scene, and Kid Rock has also filmed a video nearby.

The Second Coming: The Los Angeles bridge features in Kanye West's video for single Jesus Walks

Rock legend: Foo Fighters lead singer Dave Grohl walking along the viaduct in the video to Walk 

Pop icon: Madonna's video for Borderline features the iconic cinematic scene in the background, and Kid Rock has also filmed a video in which it features

ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY

The bridge isn't quite so instantly recognizable in the Will Ferrell comedy classic, but it is part of one of the movie's best known scenes.

Ron's (Ferrell's) news team take on a rival news crew in a brutal fight, with weapons - but it's a slapstick affair.

There is an all-star cast, with Ferrell starring alongside Paul Rudd, David Koechner and Steve Carrell as his on-screen colleagues. Their opponents include Vince Vaughn and Luke Wilson. 

Kind of a big deal: The viaduct can be seen in the background of Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy, when (left to right) Paul Rudd, Will Ferrell, David Koechner and Steve Carrell fight a rival news crew

It has appeared in other chase scenes, including moments of Nicholas Cage's Gone In 60 Seconds in 2000.

The bridge made an appearance in cult comedy Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy, in which Will Ferrell's news team fight a rival news crew in its shadow.

It also made an appearance in 1984 American comedy classic Repo Man, directed by Alex Cox and starring Harry Dean Stanton and Emilio Estevez. 

But the bridge isn't just in Hollywood blockbusters, it has also become prominent in music videos, lying in the home of many California-based stars.

It plays a leading role in the Kanye West video for Jesus Walks, and the Foo Fighters filmed the video for Walk by the viaduct.

Madonna's video for Borderline features the iconic cinematic scene, and Kid Rock has also filmed a video nearby.

The bridge also plays a prominent role in the controversial video game Grand Theft Auto, LA Noire, in which players launch a one-man crime spree in the city.

Tomorrow, the city closed Route 101 for two days so it can demolish the viaduct - which is not technically a bridge as it crosses a railway, not just a river.

Officials say that it needs to be replaced because of chemical deterioration, which meant that by the early 2000s, it had a 70 per cent chance of collapsing during the next major earthquake.

SCHWARZENEGGER MOVIES

The 84-year-old viaduct is also believed to be the scene of the legendary motorcycle chase scene in Terminator 2 (1991), involving Arnold Schwarzenegger on a Harley Davidson.

Schwarzenegger also starred in another movie set in LA, Last Action Hero (1993) which features a car crashing through the bridge and onto the ground below.

But Schwarzenegger, who later became a governor of California, did not oppose the demolition of the bridge, which officials say is now unsafe due to chemical erosion over the years.

Last Action Hero: Arnold Schwarzenegger crashes through the bridge during an action packed scene in the 1993 movie, and it is believed to have also featured in 1991 film Terminator 2: Judgement Day

In 2012, the city announced it would be replacing it, and the new $449million structure - called The Ribbon Of Light - and is part of a wider Bridge Improvement Plan in LA.

The city said some sentimental farewells to the bridge, with the mayor arranging a screening of Grease for the public one night, and on Tuesday, hundreds of people and cars gathered to say goodbye.

But it is hoped that the new bridge will be more functional than the old one, and the construction project will create jobs in the city. 

Architects Michael Maltzan Architecture said: 'The structure’s generous spans create large areas of open space below that will become new recreational green spaces.

REPO MAN

The viaduct featured in the race scene in Repo Man, the 1984 American comedy classic Repo Man, directed by Alex Cox and starring Harry Dean Stanton and Emilio Estevez.

It has appeared in other chase scenes, including moments of Nicholas Cage's Gone In 60 Seconds in 2000.

But it is famous for more than chase scenes, with some of its first appearances featuring in Film Noire movies.

It appeared in Without Warning, a 1952 movie about a serial killer who murders women to reassemble into his estranged wife - then dumps their bodies under the bridge.

In Roadblock, in 1951, a corrupt insurance agent meets his end under on the stretch underneath the viaduct. 

Fast and funny: It also made an appearance in 1984 American comedy classic Repo Man, directed by Alex Cox and starring Harry Dean Stanton and Emilio Estevez

'There will be 5 pedestrian stairways along the length of the 3,500 foot Viaduct connecting the bridge level with the ground below. This strategy enables a more significant degree of connectivity with the ground plane and a less prescriptive approach to landscape that will allow for expanded flexibility overtime.

'A wide range of public activities and open space will be created under the eastern portion of the viaduct in what was an industrial zone.

'There are also two bike ramps for cyclists, with one ramp to the west and the Arts District, and one to the east and Boyle Heights.

'A new sloping River Gateway path will link the River to a future Arts Plaza at the terminus of the viaduct in the heart of the Arts District.'