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Obama, Rain Could Snarl L.A. Rush Hour Traffic

Tracy Bloom |
February 15, 2012 | 1:09 p.m. PST

Deputy Editor

(photo courtesy creative commons)
(photo courtesy creative commons)
Call it the perfect traffic storm: President Barack Obama visiting Los Angeles on a cold, wet rainy day. That's exactly what will happen Wednesday, as the president pays another scheduled visit to the Southland to fundraise for his re-election campaign.

Like previous visits (this is his ninth one to L.A. since he was elected), Obama's motorcade will lead to some street closures which, combined with the timing - the president is scheduled to land at LAX in the middle of the afternoon, right around the start of rush hour - plus the inclement weather (even the slightest bit of rain, as we know, can be daunting for drivers in L.A. and throw them into "near-panic") are expected to lead to some traffic delays.

According to The Huffington Post, Obama is scheduled to land in Los Angeles International Airport at 3 p.m. From there, he will take a helicopter to the VA Hospital in West L.A. A motorcade will then take him through Beverly Hills to a fundraiser in Holmby Hills.

ABC 7 reported that the motorcade through Beverly Hills is expected to lead to traffic congestion, "specifically eastbound traffic on Wilshire, Santa Monica and Sunset boulevards."

However, as ABC 7 noted, traffic turned out to not be a major issue during the president's last visit to L.A. back in October. According to ABC 7: "The Secret Service used what they called 'soft closures,' shutting down and reopening streets as the motorcade passed through. They are planning to do the same thing Wednesday, which should ease congestion."

Obama will be attending a major fundraiser at the estate of Bradley and Colleen Bell. The event includes a concert fundraiser the Foo Fighters, as well as a $35,800 per person dinner fundraiser. (HuffPost report that tickets are still available for the Foo Fighters concert at the residence, and for a paltry-in-comparison $1,500 to boot!) Will Ferrell and his wife Vivica are co-hosting the event.

The proceeds from Wednesday evening's fundraiser will go to a joint fundraising committee operated by the Democratic National Committee and the Obama campaign, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Obama's Southern California visit will continue with a stop in the Newport Beach neighborhood of Corona Del Mar at another fundraiser, this one hosted at the home of Jeff and Nancy Stack.

According to KPCC, the list of streets and freeways that could potentially be affected in the early hours Thursday includes:

  • 405 between West L.A. and Costa Mesa/Irvine
  • 73 between 405 and Newport Coast Drive
  • Newport Coast Drive
  • Jamboree Road
  • Macarthur Boulevard
  • San Joaquin Hills Road
  • Pacific Coast Highway

Following the early morning fundraiser, Obama will head back to L.A., where he will fly out of LAX. He will then spend the rest of the day up in San Francisco before heading to the Seattle area for more fundraisers over the weekend.



 

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