Photo Feature: Band-Aid for the Bluff

This story was also published in The Lion

Those who live in, drive through or stay up to date with the neighborhood of Playa Vista may have noticed the familiar bluff beneath LMU’s campus acquired a new look.

According to LMU, the beloved bluff has fallen victim to Los Angeles’ increased and extended periods of rainfall over the last two years.

After some heavy rains compromised the hillside foundations beneath the famed letters, the university began the work to rebuild damaged sections with temporary wooden elements.

The letters were then covered in plastic, in an attempt to prevent further damage.

As the regional rains persisted and the bluff continued to erode and slide, the decision was made to cover the rest of the bluff in the protective plastic to preserve its structural integrity.

The plastic sheeting will continue to act as a bandage for the bluff’s eroded surface until the extent of the damages can be assessed, safety can be ensured and the required repair efforts can be determined.

Recent assessments showed that repairs to the bluff will be neither quick nor easy.

Stabilizing the hillside will require a complete, coordinated multi-year plan.

Only once this plan is complete, will efforts to truly repair the bluff-side letters begin.