The agency had previously announced free service on the Orange Line busway and the Red and Purple line subway on the weekend of July 16-17, when the 405 will be closed over the Sepulveda Pass for the partial demolition of the Mulholland Bridge.
In addition, the Metro Board of Directors last month gave Metro CEO Art Leahy the discretion to add other free service. Leahy has chosen to add 26 bus lines which should greatly help riders move between the San Fernando Valley and the Westside — as well as provide an alternative to freeways that are expected to be clogged that weekend.
Many Source readers have asked about 761 Rapid Bus service between the Valley and the Westside. Now we have an answer: the bus will continue to use Sepulveda Boulevard as it normally does over the Sepulveda Pass. Sepulveda Boulevard will only be open to local traffic and 761 riders should expect much longer travel times than usual, due to congestion in the area.
Here is the news release from Metro:
In addition to providing free rides on the Metro Orange, Red and Purple Lines, The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) today announced that it will make 26 additional Metro Bus Lines free the weekend of July 16-17 when the I-405 will be closed between the I-10 and U.S. 101 for Mulholland Bridge demolition work.
Metro selected bus lines for free fares that operate on major Westside and San Fernando Valley streets in areas most affected by the closure. Free rides on the selected bus lines are intended to help mitigate congestion during the closure weekend. Free fares are being offered on the following Metro bus lines:
- 2 Downtown LA-Pacific Palisades via Sunset Bl
- 4 Downtown LA-West Hollywood-Santa Monica via Santa Monica Bl
- 20 Downtown LA-Santa Monica via Wilshire Bl
- 33 Downtown LA – Santa Monica via Venice Bl
- 150 Canoga Park-Universal City Station via Ventura Bl
- 152 Woodland Hills-North Hollywood Station via Fallbrook Av
- 155 Sherman Oaks-Burbank Station via Riverside Dr, Olive Av
- 156 Van Nuys-Hollywood-Panorama City
- 158 Chatsworth Station – Sherman Oaks via Devonshire St, Woodman Av
- 161 Thousand Oaks Transit Center-Warner Center
- 183 Sherman Oaks-Glendale Station via Magnolia Bl
- 224 Sylmar Station – Universal City Station via San Fernando Rd & Lankershim Bl
- 230 Sylmar-Studio City via Laurel Canyon Bl
- 233 Lake View Terrace-Sherman Oaks via Van Nuys Bl
- 234 Mission College-Sherman Oaks via Sepulveda Bl & Brand Bl
- 236 Sylmar Station-Encino via Glenoaks Bl & Balboa Bl
- 240 Northridge via Reseda Bl
- 242 Porter Ranch-Woodland Hills via Tampa Av
- 243 Porter Ranch – Woodland Hills via Winnetka Av
- 244 Chatsworth Station-Woodland Hills via De Soto Av
- 245 Chatsworth Station – Woodland Hills via Topanga Canyon Bl
- 656 Van Nuys/Hollywood Owl
- 704 Metro Rapid – Downtown Los Angeles – Santa Monica via Santa Monica Bl
- 720 Metro Rapid – Santa Monica/Commerce via Wilshire Bl & Whittier Bl
- 733 Metro Rapid – Downtown Los Angeles/Santa Monica via Venice Bl.
- 761 Metro Rapid Pacoima/Westwood via Van Nuys Bl & Sepulveda Bl. (Note: buses will be using Sepulveda Boulevard between Ventura Boulevard and Getty Center Drive. Passengers should expect greatly extended travel times on this line between Sherman Oaks and Westwood due to anticipated traffic congestion).
Regular fares will apply for all other bus and rail lines during the closure weekend.
Metro has announced that is also adding 61 buses and 32 rail cars to enhance service on the bus and rail lines serving the area which will be impacted by the I-405 closure.
Service will be increased on Metro Local lines 2 (Sunset Bl) and 150 (Ventura Bl), Metro Express Line 534 (Malibu), Metro Rapid lines 704 (Santa Monica Bl), 720 (Wilshire Bl), 733 (Venice Bl), 761 (Van Nuys Bl) and the Metro Orange Line. The Metro Red and Purple lines will operate larger trains with 10-minute frequencies throughout the weekend.
Metro will closely monitor traffic congestion on all routes in the I-405 construction area and will make needed adjustments to bus service based on the current traffic conditions. Transit patrons should, however, anticipate longer trip times to reach their destinations and plan accordingly.
For additional information on Metro bus schedules, visit metro.net. For more information or updates about the I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project, visit metro.net/I-405.
The Mulholland Bridge is being torn down in stages and replaced as part of the I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project, which is adding a northbound carpool lane between the 10 and 110 freeways and making numerous fixes to on- and off-ramps along that stretch of freeway.
Related posts:
Officials answer your questions about 405 closure
Opinion: the 405 closure as an argument for multi-modal transportation in L.A.
Officials plead with public to avoid 405 closure area July 16-17
405 closure: how bad is traffic going to be?
News release announcing 405 closure for Mulholland Bridge partial demolition
“Carmaggedon” is perfect opportunity to showcase the benefit of transit-only lane on surface streets. Too bad we can only visualize free bus fare and not “out of box” thinking that will get people to where they need to go faster than driving.
I’m glad that Metro finally decided to reserve Sepulveda for buses and residents only, though I wish it hadn’t taken a month of badgering to get them to do it.
Can somebody please explain why, with only buses and residents using Sepulveda, Metro is expecting congestion?
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