A Waymo self-driving car on a freeway near downtown Los Angeles on Friday, Dec. 19.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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Topline:
Whether you love Waymo’s self-driving cars, or love to hate them, the vehicles are becoming more and more common throughout the Los Angeles area — including on freeways.
We teamed up to take a roundtrip Waymo ride from downtown to the Arlington Heights neighborhood of L.A.
Why now: Waymo announced last month that it would offer select freeway trips in L.A.’s 120-square-mile service area. Freeways are actually easier for self-driving cars to maneuver than surface streets, according to Rahul Jain, professor and director of the USC Center of Autonomy and AI.
Read on ... for more of LAist's freeway route review.
Whether you love Waymo’s self-driving cars, or love to hate them, the vehicles are becoming more and more common throughout the Los Angeles area — including on freeways.
Admittedly, I’ve been nervous about trusting the autonomous tech, especially at higher speeds and merging in our region’s infamous traffic.
But freeways are actually easier for self-driving cars to maneuver than surface streets, according to Rahul Jain, professor and director of the USC Center of Autonomy and AI.
“City driving is more challenging because there are pedestrians and bicyclists and lights and stop signs and whatnot,” Jain told LAist. “On a freeway, it's relatively unencumbered.”
The set up
We teamed up to take a roundtrip Waymo ride from downtown to the Arlington Heights neighborhood of L.A.
According to the company, riders who have opted into Waymo’s freeway list on the app will be matched with those routes when they’re “meaningfully faster,” so we chose destinations with the guidelines in mind.
A side view of a Waymo car from March 2023.
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Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Getty Images North America
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We called the first ride shortly after 10 a.m. on a Friday to take us from downtown’s Sante Fe Avenue to the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Bronson Avenue in Arlington Heights. The Waymo took about 6 minutes to arrive and cost a little more than $17.
We called the second ride back downtown shortly after 10:30 a.m. The car took 7 minutes to arrive and cost a little more than $15, which was both quicker and cheaper than our test rides from downtown to Koreatown last year.
The positives
Our Waymo got on the 10 Freeway in downtown almost immediately, speeding up to a smooth 34 mph to merge into flowing traffic.
Waymo then moved a few lanes over to the left as it accelerated to 55 mph, squeezing between human-driven cars — and using its blinker every time.
“A lot of people could take notes,” Kevin said during the ride.
The autonomous car made some driving decisions like a seasoned Angeleno, using thru-traffic lanes around freeway off-ramps to bypass stalled traffic.
Kevin, who takes that route often, said Waymo picked the "absolute safest way” to go.
As we exited the freeway onto a packed off-ramp, Waymo was able to merge into the turning lane (although, it did cut a line of cars).
Once we were back on city streets, I was curious how Waymo would handle a run-in with emergency vehicles, especially after one of the cars drove toward a police standoff in downtown L.A. last month. A video shows a Waymo, with a passenger inside, turning toward a man lying on the ground in front of a line of officers with guns drawn and lights flashing.
But our car slowed to a stop until the ambulance, its siren blaring, passed by in the opposite direction.
The negatives
Waymo topped out around 55 mph for the first leg of our freeway trip, which was noticeably slower than other cars that passed us on the right.
But, as Kevin pointed out during the ride, maybe Waymo’s technology was seeing something we couldn’t. Traffic tightened up less than a mile ahead, and dropping back down to 25 mph felt like a smooth transition.
The biggest snafu was when Waymo seemed to get a bit confused by the freeway lanes toward the end of our trip. The car suddenly jerked to the left as if it was trying to merge before retreating back into the far right lane.
“ What is going on,” I said, several times.
“ Thinking with its steering wheel, it seems like,” Kevin replied.
It repeated the move two more times, without any obvious hazards or obstacles ahead.
Final thoughts
Overall, we were pleasantly surprised with the Waymo freeway rides.
Kevin noted there were a couple of hiccups, including the sudden steering, but the driving was generally smooth and the car seemed to adjust to the various conditions we encountered.
I felt like Waymo handled the stop-and-go traffic better than I would’ve behind the wheel, and both Kevin and I agreed it felt like the autonomous technology has made notable improvements since our last test ride.
“ When it can take me on the Arroyo Seco through Highland Park, then, then I will give everything to our robot overlords,” I joked during the ride. “If it can do the stop sign on-ramp onto 60 miles per hour of that freeway … I'll never drive again.”
20-year journey to set 'Fireman's Prayer' to music
By Karl T. Wright
Published August 9, 2026 5:00 AM
The orchestra performing "The Fireman's Prayer" in Los Angeles in July.
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Courtesy The Fireman's Prayer project
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Topline:
Composer Charles-Henri Avelange has spent nearly 20 years trying to find a way to honor firefighters with music.
Why now: In July, that longtime dream took shape when dozens of Hollywood orchestral musicians gathered at Sony Pictures Studios to record the "Fireman's Prayer."
Back story: The poem was written by Wichita firefighter Alvin William "Smokey" Linn, inspired by a 1958 apartment fire in which three children died — words that firefighters have recited ever since.
What's next: Thanks to private donations, Avelange recorded with the Los Angeles Children's Chorus and the Los Angeles Master Chorale in May, then returned last month with Grammy-winning conductor Grant Gershon and dozens of Hollywood's best musicians — some of them survivors of the Eaton and Palisades fires — to record the orchestral portion. He is still fundraising to add the California Professional Firefighters Pipes & Drums Corps.
Composer Charles-Henri Avelange has wanted to find a way to honor firefighters with music since the 9/11 attacks.
Last month, that longtime dream started to take shape when over 85 orchestral musicians working in Hollywood gathered at a Sony Pictures Studio soundstage to record the “Fireman's Prayer.”
The poem, written by Alvin William “Smokey” Linn, was inspired by an apartment fire in 1958 in which three children died. It’s something every firefighter learns to recite.
Not long after moving to the U.S., Avelange found the Fireman’s Prayer inscribed on the wall of a firehouse in 2006 — and began singing a melody.
Avelange asked the firefighters whether the piece was already set to music. “Because to me, this is not just a prayer, it's an anthem,” he said.
Twenty-four hours later, he had written the first draft of the anthem.
Charles-Henri Avelange.
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Courtesy The Fireman's Prayer project
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A $100,000 vision, and no idea how to pull it off
Avelange’s vision was to have 200 to 250 musicians, including a children's choir, full adult choir, full orchestra and a 56-piece drum and bagpipe corps for the recording, which costs nearly $100,000. All proceeds from the song would go to firefighters.
“Everybody who knows me eventually always heard about the Fireman's Prayer,” he said. “I have no idea how or when it will get done.”
Composer Charles-Henri Avelange has set the poem, The Fireman's Prayer, to music.
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The Fireman's Prayer project
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Then the January 2025 fires hit Los Angeles. Avelange and his wife found themselves just blocks from a Palisades Fire evacuation zone. They could see the firefighters protecting homes on their street.
“My wife, Jennifer … looked at me and she said, ‘Well, if this is not a sign, Charles, this thing is needed. It is really time.’”
Thanks to private donations, Avelange recorded with the Los Angeles Children’s Choir and the Los Angeles Master Chorale in May. He is still fundraising to record the Pipes and Drums of California Professional Firefighters performing.
Last month, he was joined by Grammy-winning conductor Grant Gershon and many of Hollywood’s best musicians — some are survivors of the Eaton and Palisades fires — to record the orchestral portion of an anthem he had heard only as digital samples for nearly 20 years.
How to support the 'Fireman's Prayer' anthem
The recording is being funded through the nonprofit, Los Angeles County Fire Museum. Learn more on how you can help.
Joining them in the audience were members of the firefighting community.
“When I heard them playing, it sounded exactly the way it's supposed to and actually even better,” he said. “It was quite a magical moment.”
East Los Angeles will undergo months of soil testing and excavation after May’s crude oil spill, with the cleanup expected to continue into early 2027, according to county officials.
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Andrew Lopez
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Boyle Heights Beat
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Topline:
Two months after a pipeline rupture sent more than 25,000 gallons of crude oil onto East Los Angeles streets and into storm drains, many businesses along the Cesar E. Chavez Avenue corridor are still waiting to be paid back for their losses.
Why now: Reimbursement from pipeline operator Pacific Pipeline System has been slow, said Kelly LoBianco, director of the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity. As of Tuesday, 19 businesses had filed claims and only one had been approved.
The backstory: The May spill forced weeklong street closures near East Cesar E. Chavez and Eastern avenues, prompting restaurants, barbershops and bike shops to cancel appointments, delay deliveries or close entirely. A survey of nearly 50 businesses found a 70% to 75% loss in revenue following the spill.
Two months after an oil spill shut down streets in East Los Angeles and disrupted businesses along the Cesar E. Chavez Avenue corridor, many owners are still waiting for reimbursement.
The May spill forced street closures after crews punctured an underground pipeline, sending more than 25,000 gallons of crude oil onto nearby streets and into storm drains. Along the commercial corridor, owners of restaurants, barbershops and bike shops had to cancel appointments, delay deliveries or close their doors for a week as cleanup crews worked in the area.
What the spill cost businesses
In the days following the spill, a survey of nearly 50 businesses near the intersection of East Cesar E. Chavez and Eastern avenues found a 70% to 75% loss in revenue, according to Kelly LoBianco, director of the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity.
“You know how the barbershop gets on a Friday. … We lost a lot of business that week,” said Barber Avila, owner of Brooklyn Lab Barbershop. Avila preferred not to share his first name for this story.
For the past month, Avila has been working with LA County and pipeline operator Pacific Pipeline System (PPS) to submit documents – including tax records, sales reports and expenses – to show how the spill affected his business and file a claim for reimbursement.
Avila said his claim was approved this week and he is now awaiting payment.
Reimbursement has been slow
Many other businesses are seeking reimbursement from PPS, but the process has been slow, LoBianco said.
As of Tuesday, 19 businesses had filed claims. Only one had been approved, while three others were close to approval, LoBianco said. She did not have details on the amount reimbursed.
Veronica Ramos, co-owner of Ramos Industries, a commercial and residential glass and aluminum contractor, said she was reimbursed by PPS a week after submitting a claim. The spill caused contracted jobs to be canceled and deliveries to be rescheduled for a fee because trucks could not access the shop.
Ramos said her business had a bookkeeper who was able to quickly gather the required documents but she worries her neighbors may struggle to provide the needed records for a claim.
A PPS spokesperson said claims are still being accepted and processed. A third-party claims administrator has been helping businesses with the filing process in English and Spanish, the company said.
“We understand how important a timely resolution is for those affected and remain committed to working through each claim as efficiently as possible,” PPS said.
Cleanup could stretch into 2027
What lies ahead are months of soil testing and excavation to remove contaminated soil from the site of the spill, which county officials say could continue into January 2027. Neither Avila nor Ramos knew about the remaining work and worried about how additional street closures could affect their business again.
“It’s good to keep it in mind,” Ramos said.
Was your business affected by the oil spill?
Anyone who believes they were impacted by the oil spill can still contact the PPS claims line at 1-877-817-5465 to be connected to a third-party administrator who can guide them through the process in English and Spanish, PPS said. There is currently no deadline to submit a claim.
The Department of Economic Opportunity’s Office of Small Business (OSB) is continuing to provide guidance on claim preparation, documentation requirements, and submission for affected businesses. To book a one-on-one appointment, businesses can:
Call OSB at (844) 432-4900,
Visit OSB’s East LA Entrepreneurship Center located at 4716 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave., or;
Email osb@opportunity.lacounty.gov.
All impacted businesses seeking assistance should indicate that their request is related to the East LA oil spill.
How to avoid scams:
Rafael Carbajal, director of the LA County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) said bad actors may prey upon communities during environmental disasters like the oil spill including contractors and legal services providers.
Carbajal said the DCBA office is helping residents verify contractors, legal services providers and is providing information on their website on how to recognize scams.
Residents who have concerns or questions can call the DCBA hotline at (800) 593-8222.
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Updated August 8, 2026 7:03 PM
Published August 8, 2026 5:14 PM
The Walnut Fire burning in Burbank.
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Screengrab from AlertCalifornia video feed.
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Topline:
A brush fire burning in Wildwood Canyon above Burbank has prompted evacuation orders for DeBell Restaurant and Golf Course and Stough Canyon Nature Center, according to the city of Burbank.
What we know so far: The Walnut Fire broke out Saturday afternoon near the intersection East Harvard Road and Wildwood Canyon Road.
Read on ... for more on evacuations and weather conditions.
This is a developing story and will be updated. For the most up-to-date information about the fire you can check:
Evacuation orders for DeBell Restaurant and Golf Course and Stough Canyon Nature Center remain in place for a fire burning in Wildwood Canyon above Burbank.
Evacuation warnings for Churches Ct. and Country Club Drive were lifted at 6:20 p.m.
As of 5:55 p.m., the fire had burned 40 acres and 70% contained, according to Burbank.
The Walnut Fire broke out Saturday afternoon near the intersection East Harvard Road and Wildwood Canyon Road.
Hiking trails around the area are closed. The Starlight Bowl concert scheduled for tonight has been canceled.
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Jacob Margolis, LAist's science reporter, examines the new normal of big fires in California.
The unemployment rate dipped to 4.1%, but only because more than 260,000 people dropped out of the workforce.
It was the second month in a row that the monthly jobs tally came in weaker than forecasters had expected.
"We are increasingly hearing from workers that they are anxious about their job security and they are frustrated by the fact that they are stuck in roles that are not necessarily good for them," said Daniel Zhao, chief economist at the job search website Glassdoor. "And that's on top of workers who are not in a job right now and feel frozen out of the job market."
Glassdoor's worker confidence index slumped in July to a record low.
The Fed's job gets harder
Restaurants and retailers cut thousands of jobs last month, and local government also saw large job losses. Healthcare continued to add workers, but at a more modest pace than earlier in the year.
The softening job market may complicate the Federal Reserve's job, since it's also battling stubborn inflation. The Fed may be more cautious about raising interest rates at a time when the labor market appears less stable.
For people who are working, average wages have risen 3.2% in the last 12 months. That's likely not enough to keep pace with inflation, however, so workers' paychecks don't stretch as far as they used to.
"Part of the reason that workers are feeling bad about today's job market," Zhao says, is that "a lot of those wage gains have been eaten up by rising energy prices."
