Sure glad I checked the local headlines

[Gone in 60]

I mentioned in another thread about the unfortunate burning of one of our WW2 era Tustin Hangars, one of the most historic landmarks in the county and one of the largest wooden structures ever built. I’ve been riding to work through the haze of its smoke for the past few days. Turns out the area schools have been closed since the fire due to the amount of asbestos that was released into the smoky air. So we have that goin for us.

Just checked this evening and am reading about a massive pallet fire under the 10 freeway downtown on my commute route to the museum.
Glad I checked, as the freeway is closed until the extent of the damage is determined.

The 10 is an elevated freeway. I think it’s best depiction is a scene in the movie Point Blank, where Lee Marvin destroys a Chrysler Imperial by slamming it into the support columns under the freeway in an attempt to extract information from a mob informant. I’m sure that scene is on YouTube.

These days, the underside of the freeway is largely homeless camps and apparently a massive wooden pallet and crate storage yard. Reeeeaaaly good thinking to put combustible wood under one of the most heavily traveled freeways in the city.

At least I checked before visor down tomorrow morning and the expectation of a nice, quiet Sunday morning commute. Good thing there are other freeways to get me there that aren’t on fire.

[pdedse]

Well, that bites having to see / smell fire do what it does. Around here it's the forest fires. I have had several eastern OR trips shortened or have had to simply endure the smoke...puts a real damper on the riding.

[GoldOxide_imp]

An arguable positive about L.A. - There are alternative freeway routes.

[Gone in 60]

The Governer and Mayor held a press conference yesterday, announcing that this won't be a quick fix, and from the photos showing crumbling support columns, it's pretty clear that a large section of the freeway will have to be torn down and rebuilt. Just as I was thinking about it, the mayor said "We endured a section of this freeway collapsing during the 1994 earthquake, we got through it then, and we'll have to get through it again" or something to that effect.

I remember the sheer pandemonium that resulted from a section of this freeway being rebuilt in '94, just a few miles from this section. Back then, we were planning our re-routing with Thomas Guide map books of the city, and listening to AM radio traffic reports. It will be interesting to see how modern day technology with live traffic apps will mitigate the mayhem.

And still seeing smoke wafting from the hangar even this morning on the way to work. Been six days now, surprised to see that.

[KiowaEagle_imp]

We had a similar situation in Philly with a burning fuel truck under I-95 back in June. They managed to get it partially open just twelve days later but I just heard full repairs were just completed.

[Gone in 60]

I remember seeing that on the news, Kiowa.

Thinking back to '94, I remember that the contractor who was hired to repair the freeway was paid a massive bonus for every day that they came in ahead of schedule. I drove on that part of the freeway a day or two after it reopened, and I'd swear part of it was plywood, but by gosh, it was open.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Crazy, Gone ...





https://youtu.be/EMvoxhtPXXA

[Gone in 60]

Ha! Thanks for the Way Back Machine, GO. I LOVE Escape From New York. I tolerated Escape From L.A.

They do play on some fun stereotypes, particularly using the Santa Ana winds to hang glide from Long Beach to Malibu, or something like that.

So, speaking of the contractor who fixed the collapsed section of this freeway back in '94, during the press conference, the mayor or the governer (didn't pay attention to which) said that the same contractor will fix the freeway now, and it's supposed to take five weeks max. I believe these guys can do it, even if it is plywood for a few months.

[GoldOxide_imp]

... five weeks sounds like a deal, Gone.

I wish anything would take five weeks in Toronto.

[Obleo]

Heard on NPR maybe within 2 weeks.