After being closed due to an arson fire since November 11, the 10 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles is now expected to reopen sooner than initially anticipated, as announced by officials.

During a press conference on Sunday morning, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and Vice President Kamala Harris revealed that the 10 Freeway is set to reopen in time for Monday morning’s commute, with the possibility of some lanes opening as early as Sunday night.

This announcement follows Newsom’s initial suggestion that it might take months before the section of the 10 Freeway affected by the arson fire could be reopened, Fox News reported.

Subsequently, facing resistance from LA residents, Governor Newsom provided an updated timeline, stating it could take weeks instead of months. In a third update, Newsom indicated that the roads might reopen as early as Tuesday.

Newsom has commended the efforts of the workers and contracting company, asserting that a total of 10,000 hours of labor were dedicated to swiftly reopening the freeway in just eight days.

Additionally, on Saturday, Cal Fire released photos and provided a description of a person of interest related to the arson fire.

Written by B.C. Begley