Hollywood vs. Reality: Did LA Really Blast Subway Tunnels Under Wilshire?

In this Hollywood vs. Reality segment, we revisit the 1997 film Volcano and its dramatic depiction of lava erupting along Wilshire Boulevard. But did Los Angeles actually use blasting to build subway tunnels beneath the Miracle Mile? We separate movie myth from real-world engineering and explain how LA Metro safely tunneled under one of the city’s most complex corridors.

Visit: The Knowledge: The Long Track Back

Related Links:

• LA Metro – D Line (Purple Line) Extension Overview
  
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  Engineering News-Record: Tunneling Through Gas and Tar Beneath Los Angeles
  
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  Los Angeles Times Archive: Methane Risks and Subway Construction
  
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  U.S. Geological Survey: Geology and Hazards of the Los Angeles Region
  
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  IMDb: Volcano (1997) – Film Details