Just curious…
Why all the intersecting roads at the end of these LAX runways? (between runways & ocean)
Is this a ‘park’?
Serve an aviation related utilitarian purpose?
Or just ‘business as usual’?
Thanks!
Wooo Hooo! Member since 2006 with 25 posts!
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The are the former Surfridge neighborhood, situated on the dunes overlooking the Pacific. The expansion of LAX caused a series of purchases and condemnations of the homes there during the late 60’s and 70’s… All that’s left are roads and the palms.
Leftovers from when there were homes there. Take a look just north of there…
Until Sept 11, Sandpiper Street crossed the dunes from Pershing to Vista Del Mar. It is closed now, due to security, but I really miss it.
The street looked down over the airport, just a few hundred feet north of the Localizer equipment for the airport’s North side. It was a beautiful spot, even had a bus stop. I saw all sorts of fun goings on up there. A great place to “park”, shall we say. The street sometimes was littered with all sorts of interesting debris.
The plane watching was beyond spectacular, especially during east traffic with some low clouds or fog. Planes would pop out of the clouds right there next to you, since they land heavies on the longer north runway. Or, sometimes you could hear the aircraft and never see them, and you could see the clouds shuffle around due to wake turbulence…( I only saw that a couple of times). On a clear day after a strong storm, with all of LA spread out before you, it was another spectacular sight. With a telescope and a scanner one afternoon I spotted a friend’s Southwest plane dropping in over the Banning Pass, about 90 or so miles away. Behind us to the west we could see the entire Moorpark arrival out past Ventura and watch the entire pattern across Santa Monica, Downtown LA, until they base turn.
Did I mention I miss it?
Nice post Pthomas.
Thanks for sharing!