LAX TRAFFIC ADVISORY FOR OCT. 11-12, 2012 — SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR DEPARTS LAX OCTOBER 11-12, 2012; TRAFFIC DELAYS ANTICIPATED IN COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING AIRPORT

2012-10-11 — /travelprnews.com/ — As the Space Shuttle Endeavour begins its two-day trek from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to the California Science Center, passengers, visitors, airport workers, and ground transportation providers driving to/from LAX are advised to plan ahead and travel alternative routes to avoid possible traffic delays due to full and intermittent street closures in communities north and northeast of LAX beginning Thursday night through Friday afternoon.  Airport officials also recommend that during this period, ALL motorists — including those driving from areas south and east of LAX — add extra time to their drive in anticipation of traffic delays.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will close both directions of Lincoln Boulevard between Manchester and Sepulveda boulevards from 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 11, through 6 a.m. on Friday, October 12.

In addition, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) will begin closing streets as early as 10 p.m. on Thursday, October 11, to prepare for the transport of the Space Shuttle Endeavour.  LADOT anticipates that traffic in the areas surrounding the shuttle route will be negatively impacted, and drivers should expect delays.  Below are approximate closure times in areas adjacent to LAX:

Closed from 10 p.m. on Thursday, October 11 to 6 a.m. on Friday, October 12:

• Northside Parkway from Westchester Parkway to Lincoln Boulevard
• Westchester Parkway from Loyola Boulevard to La Tijera Boulevard
• La Tijera Boulevard from Westchester Parkway to Sepulveda Boulevard

Closed from 10 p.m. on Thursday, October 11 to 5 a.m. on Friday, October 12:

• Sepulveda Eastway from Westchester Pkwy to 87^th Street

Closed from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, October 12:

• La Tijera Boulevard from Sepulveda Boulevard to Manchester Avenue

Closed from 12 noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, October 12:

• Manchester Avenue from Sepulveda Boulevard to Aviation Boulevard

The Endeavour is scheduled to remain at a private parking lot located near the intersection of La Tijera and Sepulveda boulevards from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m, when it will resume transporting through Westchester onto Manchester Boulevard to the City of Inglewood.

There are no designated public viewing sites along the route through Westchester.  The public is advised that due to public safety reasons, as the Endeavour moves through this area, much of the shuttle route will require closing streets and sidewalks to vehicles and pedestrians.  The Los Angeles Police Department warns these street closures will likely result in significant traffic congestion.

Motorists driving to LAX from West Los Angeles, Santa Monica and other beach communities north of LAX are encouraged to use the following alternative routes during the Endeavour movement:

• Westbound Jefferson Boulevard or Culver Boulevard to southbound Pershing Drive to eastbound Imperial Highway to northbound Sepulveda Boulevard
• I-405 San Diego Freeway to westbound Century Boulevard
• I-405 San Diego Freeway to westbound Imperial Highway to northbound Sepulveda Boulevard
• I-405 San Diego Freeway to westbound I-105 Century Freeway to northbound Sepulveda Boulevard

Because traffic congestion north of LAX often extends south of the airport, motorists driving to LAX from south of the airport are encouraged to use the following alternative routes:

• I-405 San Diego Freeway to westbound Century Boulevard
• I-405 San Diego Freeway to westbound I-105 Century Freeway

The public is strongly encouraged to visit the Endeavour at the California Space Center, which is considered the best place to see and experience Endeavour, when it opens to the public on October 30 in the Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Pavilion.  Although the Space Shuttle Endeavour exhibition is free of charge, it is recommended that the general public reserve a timed ticket online at www.californiasciencecenter.org for $3, or $2 for Science Center members.

While flight operations at LAX are expected to be normal this weekend, passengers are always advised to check with their airlines to ensure their flights are on time before coming to the airport.  Real-time flight status can be found at LAX’s Internet website at www.lawa.org/fsw and on many airlines’ websites.  Real-time traffic conditions in and around LAX can be found at

http://trafficinfo.lacity.org/html/lax.html

and on the airport’s Twitter site @LAX_Official

and Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LAInternationalAirport.

Contact: Nancy Suey Castles
(424) 646-5260

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