Neighbors Rejoice As Laurel Canyon Reopens Following Landslide

HOLLYWOOD HILLS (CBSLA.com) — Following a dangerous rock slide that occurred last month, all lanes of Laurel Canyon Boulevard in the Hollywood Hills were reopened Saturday, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation announced.

City crews began work at 6 a.m. to remove K-rails and repair and clean the roadway. Laurel Canyon was fully reopened just before 2 p.m.

According to the office of Los Angeles City Councilor David Ryu, LADOT with have to wait until Tuesday morning to re-stripe the lanes due to Saturday's wet conditions.

Laurel Canyon Boulevard was fully closed on Jan. 11 after part of the foundation and patio of a home in the 8100 block of West Gould Avenue gave way, causing a mudslide.

While crews worked to clear it and clean it over the last month, drivers dealing with detours from Studio City to Hollywood could sum up their plight in one word.

"Frustrated," Bonnie Plonowski said.

Local traffic only allowed drivers to pass  Mulholland on Laurel Canyon. Those who weren't really local found a dead end at Kirkwood and were turned around to head back up the hill.  The shutdown was inconvenient for drivers, but devastating for Lida Alfie who says her business at Laurel Canyon cleaners took a huge hit. Down 80 percent.

"The people couldn't get here," Alfie said.

Now they can. On Saturday work crews finished up and broke down the barriers.

"Thank God, so very very happy," Vicky Sarro said.

Workers patched things up and Ryu helped pull the pylons.  Ryu said the city has picked up the tab so far, but the person who owns this property is legally responsible and it's in the city attorney's hands.

The southbound lanes were reopened on Jan. 16, but the northbound lanes have remained closed with a detour ever since.

"City agencies have worked around the clock to provide safeguards to hillside neighborhoods due to unprecedented rainstorms," Ryu said in a statement. "This has been a priority for the City and we have moved with speed and caution to ensure that we could safely reopen Laurel Canyon to both commuters and residents."

For most who live here like Art Weeks.  Things are back to normal

"We are so excited, yeah.  We don't have to go to studio city to get our food and stuff," Weeks said.

For more information on the closure, click here.

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