Vermont Street Pedestrian Bridge
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 The first bridge connecting
Hillcrest’s
Vermont Street to University Heights
was built in 1916. Development was expanding following the 1915
Panama-California Exposition in Balboa Park. The bridge shortened the
walk between the residences in the two neighborhoods and the streetcar
lines running along University Avenue. The trolley line along
University was a primary transportation link in San Diego for 61 years,
from 1888 to 1949. Automobiles were also becoming a more common form of
transportation as buses replaced the streetcars. Sears Roebuck and Company opened a store south of the bridge in 1953. Sears was one of the first stores to abandon downtown and did well in uptown until the malls in Mission Valley offered even greater convenience and selection. The wooden trestle bridge was in use until November 30, 1978. The rotting trestle was destroyed in the spring in 1979. Before its closure it was estimated that at least 400 people were using the bridge on a daily basis. The Sears building was razed in 1988. Various uses for the twelve-acre site were proposed including the location of a new San Diego Central Library. The Uptown District opened in 1990. The present modern steel bridge was opened in 1995. Local residents concerned about original proposals by CalTrans played a major role in shaping the design. City engineers hired the firm Stone Paper Scissors to develop public art installation at bridge. Artists Lynn Susholtz, Aida Mancillas and Gwen Gomez created 32 lasercut panels which include pictographs and quotations about everyday life. Additionally, the bridge surface is etched with multiple definitions of “bridge.” Seek. Find. Enjoy! HillQuest Bridge Inventory Hillcrest History |
How To Get There:The pedestrian bridge connects
Vermont Street
(two blocks north of University Avenue). From the south: turn north on Vermont
Street from University Avenue.You will pass the Joyce Beers Community
Center and Terra Restaurant on the right and the bridge is ahead on the
right.
From the north: from the neighborhood of
University Heights, take Lincoln to Vermont Street, then turn south.
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| “There were
many small but special moments that occurred that day. The inclusion of two senior citizens in the ribbon cutting ceremony showed that this was indeed a people’s bridge. The cars honking as they drove under it and the people waving at us from passing cars made Lynn and me feel terrific. When the bridge opened, it was officially passed on to the community. Now it has a life of its own. The Vermont Street Bridge is much more than a walkway. It’s a place to visit. Engineers tell us that it’s the biggest piece of artwork in the state.” |
<— Aida Mancillas
(one of the three artists)
Hillcrest Highlights
February, 1995 |
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