Good news for Los Angeles commuters: A crucial part of the 10 Freeway south of downtown L.A. is set to open Sunday night and will be ready for the busy morning commute. Early projections had indicated that the reopening might take much longer, but due to outstanding work by Caltrans and union construction crews, the freeway is now set to be fully operational. This comes after a fire broke out below this section of the freeway almost two weeks ago. Despite initial expectations and fears of widespread gridlock in the city, the freeway’s closure did not cause significant issues except for traffic in some parts of the city, causing longer commutes for hundreds of thousands of Angelenos. However, the closure was beneficial in prompting more individuals to take public transit, based on preliminary data from transportation officials.
Thanks to the combined efforts of crews, local officials, and the White House, the expedited repair of the 10 Freeway is now ready for the busy morning commute on Monday. The reopening clearly demonstrates California’s ability to make deliver on ambitious targets. The fire that led to the freeway closure is being investigated as an arson, and Caltrans had been previously been made aware of the conditions under the freeway contributing to the fire. Despite the reopening, structural repair work remains to be done, with some potential closures expected in the future. Overall, this will be welcome news for Angelenos who have had to deal with longer commutes in the past week.
