 Los Angeles commuters are starting their workweek with a major traffic headache on November 13 as a downtown stretch of the heavily-transited Santa Monica freeway remained closed until further notice after a weekend fire charred the columns supporting the overpass, about 300,000 vehicles used the freeway daily, California Governor Gavin Newsom said on November 12, and the area is often clogged even under normal circumstances. Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in Los Angeles County in order to expedite repairs and he toured the damage on Sunday, vowing to get the freeway reopened as quickly as possible.A section of freeway, also known as the East-West Interstate 10 where the 10 in local parlance is shut in both directions at a point between Interstate's 5 and 110, two other major freeways that are vital to LA's car culture. The closure was likely to last several days, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bays said. It's of significant consequence to the economy. The traffic is going to be horrendous, it's going to really impact Los Angeles.