Looking east on PCH toward the Colony Plaza Center, this backup of cars is typical of the massive traffic jams in almost every direction that have resulted from the closure of Civic Center Way, forcing traffic onto PCH.
Also typical are the comments of the photographer, Cary Orefice, who shot the front-page picture this week.
“I live on DeVille Way right off of Civic Center Way. Everyday I watch cars screech U-turns at the roadblock and then take the sharp turn onto PCH. Some whip U-turns illegally in front of other cars, which has happened many times as I’m returning home. I hear honking all the time now as people try to merge onto PCH going up a steep hill into heavy traffic. An accident is only a matter of time.
“The traffic created by the roadblock is getting worse. That is why last Friday I walked up Civic Center Way and shot some photos of the traffic created by this closure. I watched cars stacking up at the traffic light at PCH all the way back to the Civic Center intersection. Also I shot the gridlock at the Web Way light. This will end up biting the city in the #&* if they don’t open the road ASAP.”