Los Angeles’ 1932 Sixth Street Viaduct has officially closed ahead of its forthcoming demolition, allowing work to begin on a replacement which will better connect the city’s eastern and western districts and create a new large-scale arts and leisure realm.

US practice Michael Maltzan Architecture have designed the US$449m (€411.2m, £311.2m) “transformative infrastructure project”, which centres around a 3,500ft (1,000m) long, ten-arch ‘Ribbon of Light Bridge’ spanning the Los Angeles River and connecting the city’s downtown with the Boyle Heights neighbourhood.

The bridge – which will be illuminated at night – will provide transport links for motor vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians, while five stairways along its length will allow people to descend to newly-created urban parks on the ground plane.

An Arts Plaza will be located at the terminus of the viaduct in the heart of the city’s Arts District and close to a new riverside pathway. It is being partly funded by developer and television producer Leonard Hill, who has donated US$1.9m (€1.7m, £1.3m) for its design, construction and artistic programming.

“It takes vision and leadership to create a legacy,” said LA Mayor Eric Garcetti. “This incredible gift will give future generations of Angelenos a beautiful place to connect with the outdoors, their communities, and each other.”

The existing 84-year old Sixth Street Viaduct suffers from a chemical deterioration of its concrete and is beyond repair. A nine-month demolition programme will begin on 5 February. Construction of the new viaduct will be completed in late 2019, and the Arts Plaza will be built after that.

Michael Maltzan Architecture won the tender for the project after winning an international design competition run by the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering. The engineer on the project is HNTB and the contractors are Skanska and Stacy and Witbeck.

The majority of the funding comes from the US Federal Highway Bridge Program.