Airing on Wednesday, June 17, 2015: In our installment of “The Weak Link,” Marketplace explores the 710 gap — a five-mile stretch of highway in LA that has been fought over for almost 60 years. Issues surrounding the highway include NIMBY-ism, bureaucratic tangles, haves vs. have nots, regional politics and lots and lots of money. Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal explains. Plus: as a part of "The Weak Link" series, we also take a look at the aging cast iron water pipes under the streets of Los Angeles. Many are corroding and they're dangerously vulnerable in big earthquakes. Turns out they're installing earthquake-resistant pipes just a couple blocks from our studios here. Quake-prone Japan has been manufacturing and installing them for 40 years now but they're rare in the U.S. The L.A. Department of Water and Power is now trying them out as part of a pilot project. Reporter Sarah Gardner walked over to the installation site to see what all the fuss is about.
Airing on Wednesday, June 17, 2015: In our installment of “The Weak Link,” Marketplace explores the 710 gap — a five-mile stretch of highway in LA that has been fought over for almost 60 years. Issues surrounding the highway include NIMBY-ism, bureaucratic tangles, haves vs. have nots, regional politics and lots and lots of money. Marketplace’s Kai Ryssdal explains. Plus: as a part of “The Weak Link” series, we also take a look at the aging cast iron water pipes under the streets of Los Angeles. Many are corroding and they’re dangerously vulnerable in big earthquakes. Turns out they’re installing earthquake-resistant pipes just a couple blocks from our studios here. Quake-prone Japan has been manufacturing and installing them for 40 years now but they’re rare in the U.S. The L.A. Department of Water and Power is now trying them out as part of a pilot project. Reporter Sarah Gardner walked over to the installation site to see what all the fuss is about.
