An Elevated Los Angeles Freeway Reopens Ahead of Schedule
An elevated Los Angeles freeway closed for more than a week due to an arson fire has reopened ahead of schedule, providing relief to commuters. The closure, caused by a blaze on November 11, had caused significant traffic congestion in the area.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expressed her excitement on social media, stating, "The 10 is BACK!" The mayor was referring to Interstate 10, which is commonly known by its nickname. The reopening of this stretch of the freeway was a welcome development for residents and commuters alike.
Initially, officials had estimated that the repairs would take weeks to complete, but due to significant progress made by repair crews, the reopening was moved up to Monday. All lanes were expected to be fully operational by Tuesday, but recent safety inspections deemed the span safe to open on Sunday evening.
During a news conference, Governor Gavin Newsom assured the public that safety was a top priority. He stated, "It wasn't just speed that we were after. We wanted to make sure this thing was safe." Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, and Mayor Karen Bass joined Governor Newsom in the announcement.
Officials had initially said it could take about 250 workers between three and five weeks to shore up the span after the blaze burned about 100 support columns.
"This is a great day in our city," Bass said Sunday. "Let me thank everyone who worked 24 hours to make this effort happen."
There will be periodic closures in the coming weeks or months as repairs continue, officials said. An estimated 300,000 vehicles a day use the freeway, which runs east-west across the heart of the metropolis and connects with other major highways.
Padilla estimated the initial repairs, which are expected to be covered by federal funds, would cost $3 million.
State investigators repeatedly identified fire and safety hazards at a leased storage space under an elevated Los Angeles freeway before it burned in the fire, documents show.
The California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, released the documents Friday. Investigators said Saturday they're seeking help locating a "person of interest" and released two photos in a "crime alert notification" on social media showing a man in his 30s with a brace on his right knee and apparent burn injuries on his left leg.
The photographs were released by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection — Cal Fire— and the State Fire Marshal, whose office is investigating the blaze but didn't say how he was identified.
Long history of issues at the fire site
While investigators haven't said how the fire was set, the blaze was fed by pallets, cars, construction materials, hand sanitizer and other items being stored under the freeway under a little-known program that's now under scrutiny. Newsom has said the state will reassess the practice of leasing land under roads to bring in money for mass transportation projects.
Apex Development Inc. has leased the land under I-10 since 2008. Although one condition of the contract stipulated that it not allow the storage of flammable or hazardous materials there, state inspectors have visited the site six times since early 2020 and flagged problematic conditions for years.
Owners of two of the companies that subleased the property said they also had warned of a fire danger and other hazards related to homeless people living under the freeway. Newsom previously said that while subleasing can be legal if the company received permission from state and federal regulators, Apex did not.
In September, state officials filed a lawsuit against Apex saying it owes $78,000 in unpaid rent. A hearing is scheduled next year.
The state's most recent spot inspection, a little more than a month before the Nov. 11 fire, found "numerous lease violations," but the documents released Friday didn't elaborate.
Caltrans has informed Apex Development of the need to address violations, particularly those that pose safety hazards, according to a statement from the agency.
Mainak D'Attaray, an attorney for Apex Development, stated on Wednesday that the company is not responsible for the fire. He added that the company has been unable to access the premises since October.
"Apex rented and improved the rundown yard and made significant capital investments during the time it had possession of the yard," D'Attaray's statement read. "Caltrans inspected the premises periodically, at least once a year, and CalTrans was fully aware of the sublessees and their operations. Even the State of California's Fire Marshall inspected the premises."
D'Attaray did not respond to a request for comment on Saturday.
Izzy Gordon, a spokesperson for the governor, disagreed last week with D'Attaray's statement that Apex is not to blame. Gordon stated that Cal Fire believes the fire was caused by arson in a fenced-off area that Apex was responsible for maintaining while they continued to assert rights under the lease.
Brandon Richards, another Newsom spokesperson, reiterated the governor's directive for Caltrans to conduct a comprehensive review of all leased sites under the state's freeways. Richards did not address whether anyone at Caltrans is facing discipline.
