The decommissioned space shuttle Endeavour is here (at LAX), but now it's got to get there (the California Science Center in Exposition Park). So starting October 12 it'll set out on a two-day trip on a special transport through Westchester, Inglewood, and South LA--and if the total citywide freakout over its flyover a few weeks ago is a good indication, people are going to be pretty damn excited. Well, too bad: "If it was up to the people moving the Endeavour, they would have the streets absolutely empty," an LAPD lieutenant tells the LA Times. It's not going to be quite that dire, but the LAPD will be closing off the sidewalks along the route, "making it difficult, if not impossible, for the public to see the shuttle go by," so this will not be a fun all-access block party like the night the giant LACMA rock rolled through town.
As a consolation, "the cities are urging residents to attend two shuttle 'celebrations' that are taking place along the route--one at the Forum in Inglewood and one at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Mall. The two venues can hold a total of 17,000 people, way fewer than are expected to actually come out. In fact, "organizers are already cutting back on publicity for the [mall] event because of fears of overcrowding."
Meanwhile, the communities on the shuttle route have lost hundreds of trees in service of the trip and they're going to have to deal with screwed up traffic throughout the move.
Anyway, if you want to see the shuttle trip, best to find a friend's house or business along the route.
· South L.A. shuttle boosters are feeling jettisoned [LAT]
· Route and Rendering Revealed For Cross-LA Space Shuttle Trip [Curbed LA]
Loading comments...