Dive summary:

• When an 8,500-gallon tank truck hit a guardrail and then crashed and caught fire in a Southern California highway tunnel last month, the heat damaged pretty much everything, including the supporting structure.
• Now, California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) officials have their repair plan drawn, and they plan to start in October and reopen the connection between the Glendale and Golden State freeways by Christmas.
• The taxpayers will bear the $16.5 million cost for now as the department pays from its emergency fund, but it hopes to get some reimbursement from the federal government and maybe from the trucking company, though that is likely a task that will make the repair work look speedy and simple.

From the article:

The heat from the ensuing fire was so intense that pretty much everything in the tunnel was severely damaged – including the pavement, walls, and support structures. ...