Pallet Fire Under I-10 Causes Indefinite Closure

[Alps]

What would be nice if they rebuilt it with modern standards and added shoulders.

For a quick rebuild, they will have to use the bridge construction plans they used to build the last incarnation (original plans and any modifications).  Meaning no widenings.

Plus just widening shoulders on a bridge does nothing.

Bull fucking shit

It does very little for day to day capacity. It will only contribute to a modest decrease in crashes.

[webny99]

What would be nice if they rebuilt it with modern standards and added shoulders.

For a quick rebuild, they will have to use the bridge construction plans they used to build the last incarnation (original plans and any modifications).  Meaning no widenings.

Plus just widening shoulders on a bridge does nothing.

Bull fucking shit

It does very little for day to day capacity. It will only contribute to a modest decrease in crashes.

Lack of shoulders also encourages drivers to slow down/brake which can add to congestion approaching the bridge.

[ZLoth]

This is going to get interesting. The landlord is "Ahmad Anthony Nowaid", and apparently he owns both Apex Development Inc and Prime Point Contracting, Inc. plus eighteen other companies either currently operating or has discontinued operations. .

[Quillz]

Sounds like two more will be discontinuing operations soon.

[ZLoth]

[Scott5114]

And now certain people are only going to see the word "immigrant" and now decide exactly what happened and why. When the real issue is the business illegally doing a secondary lease, and the negligence on the part of Caltrans.

Yup. The scumbag landlord needs to be the one on the hook here—they were allowing dangerous uses of the property against the terms of their agreement with the state. Caltrans gets dinged for not checking the property, but to be fair to them, when you rent an apartment, how often does ownership come by and check that you're following the lease when you're living in it?

[The Ghostbuster]

What do all of you make of this story from The Associated Press?: https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-california-interstate-10-freeway-fire-975b89dc7ba8af576e42f0c99538b48d.

[kalvado]

And now certain people are only going to see the word "immigrant" and now decide exactly what happened and why. When the real issue is the business illegally doing a secondary lease, and the negligence on the part of Caltrans.

Yup. The scumbag landlord needs to be the one on the hook here—they were allowing dangerous uses of the property against the terms of their agreement with the state. Caltrans gets dinged for not checking the property, but to be fair to them, when you rent an apartment, how often does ownership come by and check that you're following the lease when you're living in it?

As far as I understand, such structures are subject to annual inspections where inspector should be checking everything from arms reach distance.
If the folks who had "offices" there believe this was years in the making.. well, bridge inspections do not cover those lease conditions. Maybe.

[davewiecking]

What do all of you make of this story from The Associated Press?: https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-california-interstate-10-freeway-fire-975b89dc7ba8af576e42f0c99538b48d.

The lead picture shows them shoring up the freeway adjacent some columns. Seems like they've decided the columns can be repaired while the freeway is live.

[jeffandnicole]

What do all of you make of this story from The Associated Press?: https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-california-interstate-10-freeway-fire-975b89dc7ba8af576e42f0c99538b48d.

The lead picture shows them shoring up the freeway adjacent some columns. Seems like they've decided the columns can be repaired while the freeway is live.

Where did we hear of such a scenario where the highway would reopen way sooner than predicted...say in Philly?

Politicians know when they can sound good.

[Occidental Tourist]

Let's not downplay Caltrans's responsibility on this.  If this was a neighbor landlord of yours negligently ignoring the squatters that had moved into his house and were ruining the neighborhood as a result, the ire would likely be as strong for the landlord as for the squatters.  Also, there's this.

And it's not like Caltrans's reputation of late is one of conducting its operations diligently.  Earlier this year, there was a news report about how 40 percent of the lights on freeways in LA County didn't work because of copper thefts where Caltrans hadn't bothered making repairs and were, in fact, cutting back on the use of electricians.  And even local legislators couldn't get answers from District 7 on why they weren't making repairs and were cutting electricians.

Caltrans dropping the ball on a timely unlawful detainer action against a deadbeat tenant, and knowing the dangerous state of their own property but not doing anything about it, are unfortunately not shocking behaviors.  But even in a state where government accountability seems all but gone, this effects enough taxpaying commuters that I imagine one of the preening class up in Sacramento will want to make some news holding committee hearings on this.

[Rothman]

Pfft.  Regarding lighting, it's one of the more annoying elements to get funded.  Masts are ridiculously expensive.  A lot of standalone element projects are not cost-effective in the current market.  If there are plans for a project along then segment with bad lighting, best to wait to incorporate such elements into that project.

Sounds like the information in your post comes from a more-than-usual biased source.

[kalvado]

Pfft.  Regarding lighting, it's one of the more annoying elements to get funded.  Masts are ridiculously expensive.  A lot of standalone element projects are not cost-effective in the current market.  If there are plans for a project along then segment with bad lighting, best to wait to incorporate such elements into that project.

Sounds like the information in your post comes from a more-than-usual biased source.

There will be negative bias against the agency given the situation.
And if stories of retail crime in CA are at least somewhat true, and if CA policies are anywhere close to NY's catch-and-release - there will be no easily available copper on any highway pretty soon.

What's more interesting for me is the lease. What were the original terms of use? Did they have things reviewed by fire authorities?

[ZLoth]

What's more interesting for me is the lease. What were the original terms of use? Did they have things reviewed by fire authorities?

As far as I can determine from posted news sources... CalTrans leased it to "Ahmad Anthony Nowaid" under Apex Development Inc. Per one of the articles:

Caltrans also alleged that the company had subleased its spaces in violation of its rental agreement. Apex sublet parts of the 10 Freeway property to at least six other companies, according to the lawsuit.

The companies included one that stored wooden pallets, a mechanic, and one that sold wire hangers and other materials to businesses in the nearby Garment District.

(text deleted)

The rental agreement states the 48,000 square foot space shall not be used "for any storage of flammable materials, explosives or other materials."

The agreement also states, "The Premises shall be used and occupied by Tenant only and exclusively for the purpose of parking of operable vehicles and open storage." It states Apex needed permission from Caltrans and the concurrence of the Federal Highway Administration to use it for any other purposes.

It's unclear if Apex obtained that permission. Apex had been renting the site since 2008.

It makes me speculate that the CalTrans leasing office consists of three exiled and very disgruntled CalTrans Engineers whose office computers are still running Windows XP. I'm probably exaggerating though.

[kalvado]

What's more interesting for me is the lease. What were the original terms of use? Did they have things reviewed by fire authorities?

As far as I can determine from posted news sources... CalTrans leased it to "Ahmad Anthony Nowaid" under Apex Development Inc. Per one of the articles:

Caltrans also alleged that the company had subleased its spaces in violation of its rental agreement. Apex sublet parts of the 10 Freeway property to at least six other companies, according to the lawsuit.

The companies included one that stored wooden pallets, a mechanic, and one that sold wire hangers and other materials to businesses in the nearby Garment District.

(text deleted)

The rental agreement states the 48,000 square foot space shall not be used "for any storage of flammable materials, explosives or other materials."

The agreement also states, "The Premises shall be used and occupied by Tenant only and exclusively for the purpose of parking of operable vehicles and open storage." It states Apex needed permission from Caltrans and the concurrence of the Federal Highway Administration to use it for any other purposes.

It's unclear if Apex obtained that permission. Apex had been renting the site since 2008.

It makes me speculate that the CalTrans leasing office consists of three exiled and very disgruntled CalTrans Engineers whose office computers are still running Windows XP. I'm probably exaggerating though.

So OK for open storage, but not ok for any storage?

[Occidental Tourist]

Sounds like the information in your post comes from a more-than-usual biased source.

The LA Times and KCBS? 🤣 

Some would consider those to be less biased than where most of my information about District 7 usually comes from - - the LA office of Caltrans's legal department housed in District 7's HQ.

[bing101]

Well the good news is that it shouldn't take long to reopen.

This structure must be pretty old now and nearing the end of its lifespan. I wonder when a full rebuild will happen.

Wait until the Next 6.9 earthquake to find out.

[Occidental Tourist]

More biased reporting about Caltrans.  It's really unfair that they can't seem to get a fair shake.

[kalvado]

More biased reporting about Caltrans.  It's really unfair that they can't seem to get a fair shake.

well, probably those leases  weren't too high in the priority list for anyone

[kkt]

Checking on the property is one of the jobs of a property owner.  Doesn't seem unfair to expect Caltrans to follow up if they find the tenant isn't following the rules set up for the safety of the road.

[The Ghostbuster]

There could be a person of interest in the Interstate 10 fire: https://abcnews.go.com/US/person-interest-sought-connection-10-freeway-fire-los/story?id=105006373.

[kalvado]

Checking on the property is one of the jobs of a property owner.  Doesn't seem unfair to expect Caltrans to follow up if they find the tenant isn't following the rules set up for the safety of the road.

A paper posted above describes the situation as CalTrans doing - or trying to do due diligence - but the other side didn't play along, e.g. denying inspector access to some sites.
Now CalTrans has to play by the book and tries to be nice on top of that when the other side doesn't care. Years of eviction moratorium, probably coupled with reduced court bandwidth and relaxed DA attitude left CalTrans toothless in terms of any enforcement.

[bing101]

Here is the picture of the person of interest.

[Scott5114]

Did the eviction moratorium apply to businesses?

I can imagine that a big part of the problem here is the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing at Caltrans—an engineer sent out to inspect the bridge is not necessarily going to know what the terms of the airspace lease are (why would they? They're paid to know how to tell if a bridge is failing, not know the details of real estate contracts) or know who the right person in the organization is to contact if a tenant is doing something unsafe with the property.

[pderocco]

Here is the picture of the person of interest.

Interesting person.

Oops. Is that considered a slur?