California Incline (You Know You Missed It) Set To Reopen Thursday

SANTA MONICA (CBLA.com) — On Wednesday night, all is calm.

But Thursday morning, the California Incline -- the slanted stretch of road that connects cars from Santa Monica to Pacific Coast Highway -- will reopen.

The short link between the bluffs along Ocean Boulevard closed for repairs in April 2015.

The road has undergone a 17-month, $17 million makeover. It was widened to make it safer. It also now includes a bike and pedestrian trail.

The Sunset Trail as it was once called was built in 1929. It's become a piece of California history, used during O.J. Simpson's torch run in the 1984 summer Olympic games here in Los Angeles.

And the old pedestrian footbridge now looks like a work of art.

Aurelia and Fabio Alzate are anxious to try it out.

"We're happy. It's coming back. It's amazing. It's really a nice place to walk," says Aurelia. "We missed it."

He concurred.

"A lot of people will be enjoying it," he said. "I will be enjoying it."

A few people couldn't resist an early test run or snapping a few last pictures before the big day.

"I can't believe it," said Tikki Goldberg.

She has lived in Santa Monica for 20 years and admits the growing pains in the form of traffic backups has been tough but worth it.

"It's been horrendous. And the traffic backed up from San Vicente to the PCH? It can take a half hour," she says, "to get on PCH."

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the incline will only be open to foot traffic.

At 5 p.m., the incline will again open to vehicular traffic.