Freeway Project in Deep Water

Widening of the Ventura Freeway from Calabasas to Studio City has been in progress for several years, causing daily inconvenience to motorists on one of the most heavily traveled roads in the state. It is still going on--but barely.

The project was originally scheduled to be finished in the beginning of 1992 and reportedly was on schedule during 1991. Then came a heavier-than-normal rainy season, which exposed the inability of the freeway’s drainage system to cope with that kind of downpour.

For months, construction appeared to be limited to taking emergency measures to deal with the water problem. Motorists plowed through deep water, sending cascades clear across the center divider.

Lanes were closed, the center divider punctured in numerous places and the agony of creeping traffic continued.

For the taxpayers, this resulted in what appears to be a major shelling-out of additional funds, and for the motorists, what appears to be an indefinite waste of time and contribution to pollution created by the idling engines. For the contractor, however, it may have been the best thing that could happen.

The work (when anything is done) is carried out by the Sylmar-based Tutor-Saliba Corp. This is the same company that the Los Angeles Business Journal of Sept. 28 reported as being audited for ringing up many millions in extra charges in connection with work on Metro Rail and Caltrans projects.

There have been several news reports about the final completion of this project. An article several months ago forecast the opening of the last stretch would come in “two to three weeks,” which has come and gone several times.

But, perhaps we are looking at this in too negative a manner. After all, if the completion keeps being delayed, it means that someone is kept working, which is sobering in view of the rising unemployment. The new freeway signs have been completed for months and are stored along the freeway, to the delight of the graffiti artists who are having a field day.

And maybe the greatest benefit is that we have come full circle to another rainy season. Maybe it is actually better that we don’t open the new lane until we have tested the drainage system for one more season. That way the contractor can modify the construction next spring, more people can be kept out of the unemployment office and more change orders can be presented to the taxpayer.

EBBE VIDERIKSEN, Woodland Hills