Settling Up
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — In February of 2001 Angels Flight had the fatal accident that's kept it sidelined ever since. The legal actions have been flying back and forth for five years now, but it looks like everything is finally wrapping up. In this report to City Council (PDF) the CRA says that the various parties have come to a settlement on who's responsible for what percentages of the money that had to be paid out.
The agency will be getting reimbursed $450,000 of the $875,000 it had previously paid. The major chunk of the money coming back will be from by the construction company (or its insurers) that had been responsible for renovating the funicular.
I don't know that any of this has anything to do with when Angels Flight will finally return to operation, but I imagine it can't hurt to get all the old bad air cleared out.
Dana Gabbard on June 07, 2006, at 09:37AM – #1
Following my rule to always when possible get the actual documents, not rely on media coverage alone, I obtained the NTSB report on the accident--which can be read in PDF here:
http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2003/RAR0303.pdf
What surprised me was the swip taken at the L.A. Conservancy, a angle I never saw reflected in any of the local newspapers.
Overall the feds place blame on just about everyone--the CRA, contractors, and even (by default) the non-profit that is responsible for Angels Flight. And of course the great tragedy is someone died due to this fumbling.
Tim Quinn on June 07, 2006, at 10:24AM – #2
Welcome to the age of incompetence and denial of responsibility. This is the result when ignorance is the best defense against liability.
Nobody knows anything anymore.
Scott on June 10, 2006, at 12:37AM – #3
So when IS the thing coming back on line? There was a banner on the station on Hill Street saying Spring 2006, then I think they changed it to Fall 2006.
Anyone wanna start a pool?