UPDATE, 4:29 PM: Vice-President Joe Biden has now landed at LAX and is on his way downtown to the Stand Up To Cancer event this evening at the Walt Disney Concert Hall – which means that freeways and road closures have gone into effect. Which, if you take a look at the Secret Service and LAPD security measures below, means stay the Hell out of downtown L.A.
A number of streets directly around the Frank Gehry designed hall were already shut down around 1 PM today but now the net has widened to include the 105 East, the 110 Freeway and more of downtown. There will be additional closures tonight from around 6 – 7 PM both downtown and on some freeways. On the flipside, the Veep is heading out of town and back East almost right after the live SU2C TV special so this Bidenjam won’t overly affect your weekend.
PREVIOUSLY, 6: 16 AM: Hillary Clinton is back in town next week for more fundraisers and her running mate Sen. Tim Kaine is in L.A. after the Emmys for some big-ticket shindigs himself. But neither will bring the motorcade muscle of Vice President Joe Biden — as we’ll see again today. To avoid the latest Bidenjam, check out the full list of the LAPD’s announced road closures below (note to the wise, avoid the 110 Freeway and downtown come Friday afternoon).
With the Secret Service’s net coming down and those closures going into effect, the Veep will be here this afternoon to participate in the live Stand Up To Cancer special being shot at the Walt Disney Concert Hall downtown. Having lost his son Beau to the disease last year, Biden has been leading the Obama administration’s cancer “moonshot” initiative. Flying into LAX on Friday from campaign events in the Midwest, Biden will be on the ground only for a few hours before red-eyeing back to the East Coast after the SU2C special, which goes live at 5 PM PT. The Veep is scheduled to take the stage at the Disney Hall around 5:40 PM.
Executive produced by Bradley Cooper and airing on ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and a slew of cable stations including HBO and Showtime, the fifth biennial one-hour SU2C special has an A-list lineup and will feature performances by Celine Dion and Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley and Little Big Town performing David Bowie’s classic “Heroes.” Among those also set to appear on the fundraising special are Sully star Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Captain America himself Chris Evans, Kevin Hart, Will Arnett, Lena Dunham, Kathy Bates, Eva Longoria, Shannen Doherty, Anna Kendrick, Ben Affleck, Emma Stone, Jon Hamm, Josh Gad, Ken Jeong, Kristen Wiig, Matthew McConaughey and America’s Got Talent judge Mel B.
The last time the Vice President was in town was July 13 to attend the ESPY Awards. Biden traveled to the Microsoft Theater downtown to present the Jimmy V Perseverance Award to Turner Sports’ Craig Sager, who has continued to work NBA coverage while battling leukemia. Like today’s visit to L.A., Biden didn’t stay overnight that night earlier.
Here are the road closures and restrictions from the LAPD for the VP’s visit today:
The area around Pershing Drive between Westchester Parkway and Imperial Highway from
3:45p.m. – 4:30p.m.
The area around Imperial Highway between Vista Del Mar & California Street from
4:30p.m. – 4:45p.m.
The area around 105 East Freeway between California Street & South Broadway from
4:45p.m. – 5:00p.m.
The area around 110 Freeway between West 117th Street & West 1st Street from
5:00p.m. – 5:15p.m.
The area around 3rd Street between Huntley Drive Street & South Hope Street from
5:15p.m. – 5:30p.m.
The area around South Figueroa Street between West 5th Street & West Temple Street from
5:00p.m. – 5:15p.m.
The area around 1st Street between South Beaudry Avenue & South Olive Street from
5:15p.m. – 5:30p.m.
The area around Hope Street between West Temple Street & West 3rd Street from
5:30p.m. – 5:45p.m.
The area around South Figueroa Street & West 5th Street.
6:00p.m. – 7:00p.m.
The area around South Hope Street between 2nd Street & 5th Street.
6:00p.m. – 7:00p.m.
The area around Grand Street between 3rd Street & 7th Street.
6:00p.m. – 7:00p.m.
The area around Grand Street between Olive Street & Figueroa Street.
6:00p.m. – 7:00p.m.
The area around 110 Freeway between West 1st Street & West 117th Street from
6:00p.m. – 7:00p.m.
The area around 105 West Freeway between South Broadway & California Street from
6:30p.m. – 7:00p.m.
The area around Imperial Highway between California Street & Vista Del Mar from
6:30p.m. – 7:00p.m.
The area around Pershing Drive between Imperial Highway & Westchester Parkway from
6:30p.m. – 7:00p.m.
CLOSURES / RESTRICTIONS (no bus routes impacted by the hard closures)
Downtown Los Angeles
East and westbound 1st Street between Hope Street and Grand Avenue; east and westbound 2nd Street between Hope Street and Grand Avenue; north and southbound Hope Street between 1st Street and 2nd Street; north and southbound Grand Avenue between 1st Street and 2nd Street will be closed from 1:00p.m. – 6:30p.m.
