Hospitals Concerned About 405 Freeway Closure

June 24, 2011 8:22 AM

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LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Next month’s shutdown of the 405 Freeway is prompting concerns about patient safety at local hospitals.

Posie Carpenter of Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center says there is a serious gap in the planning and preparation for the closure, which could cause delays for employees and endanger the lives of patients.

“They really have no idea what the situation is going to be,” Carpenter says. “It could be like the Olympics and everybody stays home and all goes well. But I sure wouldn’t want to stake the life of my mother or father on that.”

Carpenter told KNX 1070 she’s “very concerned” about what the shutdown would do to limit access to the hospital.

“Each shift during the course of the closure — which there are six shifts — we require about 1,500 physicians and staff to care for our patients and to provide for emergency care for those patients who would be brought to us,” said Carpenter.

On July 15, Caltrans will close the 405 Freeway for 53 hours while workers demolish a bridge.

Southbound lanes will be closed for four miles between the 101 Freeway and Getty Center Drive. Northbound lanes will be closed for 10 miles between Interstate 10 and the 101 Freeway.

Ramps are set to begin shutting down on Friday, July 15, at 7 p.m. Later that night, between 9 p.m. and midnight, all freeway lanes will close.

Caltrans believes it will complete the work on Monday, July 18, at 5 a.m.

California Highway Patrol and Caltrans say that drivers should expect delays during that time.

Hospitals Concerned About 405 Freeway Closure

http://losangelesforme.com/2011/06/hospitals-concerned-about-405-freeway-closure/ Hospitals Concerned About 405 Freeway Closure | Los Angeles for Me

[...] Warnings that next month’s weekend freeway closure will be a travel nightmare have hospitals concerned that workers won’t be able to get to work. More from: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com… [...]
NoBigDeal

Holy cow you morons, there are other routes! The world is round just so you know.
Wow, dorks on parade.

HMMM

REALLY…There’s other routes??? WOW thanks for letting us all know! I thought there was only one route and the world was flat.

NoBigDeal

Read the articles, dipstick, that’s essentially what people are believing. My company is freakin practically shutting down on that Monday. Pay attention in the future, son.

Nameless Person

There are other ways to get around the closure. It’s just gonna require them (the workers) to leave for work about a good 2-3 hours prior to their shift (IF it’s as bad as they are making this out to be). So glad my husband decided to take the weekend off.
LA’s the place

If they work in a hospital can’t arrangements be made for some people to sleep there? If not then don’t people have co-workers, friends or relatives that can put them up close by? Sheesh this is not rocket science. I know hospitals are important but not more important than other people who also work hard for a living
Phiilip

Cal Trans planned this a full year ago. They have been saturating the media non-stop since. I took the time off from work in January so I wouldn’t have to deal with it. But here we are two weeks off and the hospitals are now worried? Gimme a break! Maybe they can file an injunction based on potential civil rights violations or something…
j

Why is everyone complaining about the hospitals? Its the fools at caltrans that are creating the nightmare. If my child or parent were sick and couldn’t get the best care due to a widening of a freeway I’d be livid. And to phillip and la’s the place. Yes doctors are more important then most peoples jobs. They save lives constantly. No one needs someone from the dmv to help them after a disaster or the movie exec. They work more hours than most professions and yes they can sleep at the hospital, but it’s unsafe to make doctors perform for 72 hours straight. Doctors do sleep at the hospital when they are on call and live far away, but this is more about protocol in case something major happens. If theirs too much risk just leave the damn freeway alone. We can all deal w an extra twenty minutes if it would help save a persons life.

Karen

Good comments j. You took the words out of my mouth.

j

thank you karen

diosdado1001

It is just the freeway that will be closed!!! Besides, employees don’t have to wait to the last minute to get to work. Hospital employees are not the only ones, everybody is planning ahead how to go around. You are just like the other morons complaining about the closure. And doctors don’t work more than other professionals, they just get a clipboard, walk fast just to make others believe they work harder and longer hours.

j

who complained? thank you dios. what was i thinking? you really opened my eyes. especially now that you’ve explained to me what doctors do. i guess those multimillion dollar machines they have are never used or the research they conduct doesn’t benefit you. you should open your own hospital. i mean how much are a couple of clipboards and running shoes? you could be a millionaire you genius man.

henryii

are they trying to say all the workers live in the valley?
locals can figure out what to do….peeps who do not have a map or can’r read one …..stay home.
BikeRider

Ok, so everybody will have had 1-2 months to prepare for this. If you have to work in the affected areas, as stated above, make the necessary preparations. Let’s say worst case, you took the 5 through downtown and deal with that headache… an extra 1-2 hours of your life, which you (again) will have had 1-2 months to prepare for… DEAL WITH IT! It’s going to happen. Quit P***ing and moaning like you’re doing some good for humanity!

Mike

Yes i think we will just sue and get injunction preventing city from closing the freeway. Quick and easy.

Lisalisa

It’ll make a great movie
Lisalisa

Titled, ” The end of the 405″ only for a weekend. We are so spoiled!
sgag

Holy sh, you guys can’t live without your beloved freeway for 53 hours?
Mike

I encourage everyone to drive on that Sat & Sun. Lets make it a weekend la officials will never forget.
bill burns

Hope the coloreds don’t riot over this.
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/06/30/lapd-enlists-celebrities-to-tweet-about-405-shutdown/ LAPD Enlists Celebrities To ‘Tweet’ About 405 Shutdown « CBS Los Angeles

[...] << Hospitals Concerned About 405 Freeway Closure [...]
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/07/01/air-show-canceled-due-to-scheduled-405-closure/ Air Show Canceled Due To Scheduled 405 Closure « CBS Los Angeles

[...] Midsummer’s Weekend Nightmare’ » Signs Warning Of Upcoming 405 Closure May Be Causing Delays » Hospitals Concerned About 405 Freeway Closure Share this article No comments [...]