The shuttle will head out from LAX around 2 a.m. next Friday. (Flickr via gogoninja)
The Endeavour space shuttle will begin its L.A. tour next week, as it rolls out from LAX and heads on a two-day trip to the California Science Center in Exposition Park. The shuttle is scheduled to leave the airport around 2 a.m. on October 12, and arrive at the museum by 9 p.m. the next day.
One of the largest objects ever to be transported across the city's streets, the Endeavour is expected to draw throngs of viewers along its route and at its two scheduled stops; one at the parking lot of the Forum in Inglewood, and the other at the intersection of Crenshaw and Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards. LAPD and LAFD officials are encouraging residents to wait and see the shuttle once its arrived at the science center or at one of the designated locations to help minimize traffic and travel delays in the area surrounding the shuttle's route.
"Building Endeavour was a marvel of ingenuity and engineering,” said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “Moving Endeavour will also be a marvel of ingenuity and engineering. Every step of the way, we have worked to mitigate the concerns of the community. "
While multiple trees, light fixtures and other roadway obstacles had to to be removed to make way for the 170,000-pound-Endeavour, the Science Center has promised to plant four trees for every one tree that was removed, as well as maintaining these trees for at least two years.
The police department has released an estimated timeline of the shuttle's travels but said to expect rolling street and sidewalk closures as well. Streets affected by the shuttle's transit on Friday, October 12 include:
- Lincoln Boulevard between Sepulveda Boulevard and Manchester Avenue
- Westchester Parkway between Sepulveda Boulevard and Airport Boulevard
- La Tijera between Sepulveda Boulevard Manchester Avenue
- Manchester Avenue between La Tijera Boulevard and Crenshaw Drive (City of Inglewood)
and on Saturday October 13 include:
- Manchester Boulevard between (Inglewood Forum) and Crenshaw Drive
- Crenshaw Drive between Manchester Boulevard and Crenshaw Boulevard
- Crenshaw Boulevard between Manchester Boulevard and Martin Luther King Boulevard
- Martin Luther King Boulevard Between Crenshaw Boulevard Figueroa Avenue
For a complete timeline of the shuttle's trip visit KPCC.org.
