The middle span on the north side looks to be going, going, gone….
Photo by Gary Leonard for Metro.
405 scene, 10:17 a.m. — bringing down a bridge
Category Archives: Service Alerts
Unified Command statement on trucks trying to use Sepulveda Boulevard
Unified Command has just issued this statement:
The 405 Closure Unified Command has received information that several large trucks have attempted to utilize Sepulveda Boulevard to bypass the freeway closure. This must not happen and could pose a hazard to emergency services through the Sepulveda pass. Effective immediately, law enforcement and traffic enforcement will be enforcing the height and weight restrictions along Sepulveda Boulevard. Trucks exceeding the limits will be cited. Trucks must utilize the regional freeway systems and alternate routes. This information is available on numerous websites including Metro.net/405, go511.com or by calling 511.
405 scene, 7:06 a.m.
Photo by Kim Upton/Metro.
The north side of the bridge is coming down — here’s what it looked like just after 7 a.m.
As for traffic, here’s the real-time map from Caltrans at 8:45 a.m. Lot of green is good!
Carmageddon musical interlude, part 2
Heard this one on 100.3 earlier — hat tip, The Sound. Hopefully they’ll be walking not driving this weekend.
March of the pylons underway on 405; t-minus 90 minutes to Carmageddon!
Photos by Dave Sotero/Metro.
Pylons are going up and lane closures are underway in advance of the full closure of the 405 between the 10 and 101 that begins in about 90 minutes. The midnight hour is approaching, people! Many reporters are at Camp Carmageddon, just north of the Mulholland Drive Bridge.
405 view, 7:35 p.m.
Photo by Luis Inzunza/Metro.
It appears darkness has fallen over the Republic, to put it in Star Wars-speak. Good news: traffic already appears to be lightening up. Here’s the view on Google Maps as of 7:37 p.m. below. Good job, people!
One last news conference before Carmageddon begins
A cavalcade of officials just held a news conference at the city’s Emergency Operations Center in downtown Los Angeles about the impending closure of the 405 freeway between the 10 and 101 freeways this weekend. Here’s in short what they said:
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa: please avoid driving in the closure area and, if possible, stay off area roads this weekend.
County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky: please avoid driving in the closure area, and, if possible, stay off area roads this weekend.
Metrolink Board Chairman Richard Katz: please avoid driving in the closure area, and, if possible, stay off area roads this weekend.
Metro Chief Executive Officer Art Leahy: please avoid driving in the closure area, and, if possible, stay off area roads this weekend.
Here’s the closure schedule:
7 p.m. Friday: ramp closures begin on the 405 freeway between the 10 and 101.
10 p.m. Friday: lane closures begin on the 405.
Midnight Saturday: full closure of the 405 between the 10 and 101.
5 a.m. Monday: 405 freeway reopens.
6 a.m. Monday: ramps reopen.
Once again, our Destinations Discount map with 300-plus restaurants, stores, bike tours, galleries, etc. that are offering discounts to transit riders this weekend. Just show them your TAP card or Metro ticket.
Click above to go to an interactive version of the map!
Curious about the 405 project? Here’s the project’s website. The project is adding a northbound carpool lane to the 405, adding a new set of flyover ramps at the Wilshire Boulevard interchange and rebuilding three bridges over the wider freeway — the Mulholland Drive bridge, the Skirball Bridge and the Sunset Boulevard Bridge, which just reopened this past Monday.
FlyAway service continues this weekend to LAX
One question that I’m sure will come up: LAX FlyAway bus service at Union Station, Van Nuys and Westwood will run on their normal schedules this weekend. Extra buses are being added to ensure service remains on time at all three locations, according to Los Angeles World Airports, the city of L.A. agency that runs the buses.
The Van Nuys route will be using detours because its usual route on the 405 freeway over the Sepulveda Pass will be closed. The Westwood route will use detours to access the 405 south of the closure area. The Union Station route is unchanged — that bus uses the 110 and 105 freeways to reach the airport.
Customers are being urged to plan extra time for their trips because of regional traffic. Here’s the FlyAway home page.
Regional detour map for 405 closure
Click above to see larger map.
First, let’s stay on message: please do not drive this weekend. Plan ahead, avoid the 405 closure area or eat, shop and play locally. Ten miles of a critical part of our freeway system is going to be closed for demolition of the north side of the Mulholland bridge. The freeways and surface streets can only handle so much traffic. Please do your part and avoid making traffic worse.
That said, we do understand that some people have to drive. If so, please avoid the closure area and use the detour map above. Here’s a more specific map with a breakdown of routes for specific destinations.
One obvious heads up: with the Dodgers in town and in a heated playoff race and shows at the Hollywood Bowl on both Saturday and Sunday nights, the 101 between the San Fernando Valley and downtown L.A. will likely be a very tough drive. THE DODGERS, THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL, THE L.A. TRIATHLON AND EVEN THE OPERA — YES, THE OPERA, OMG!!! — CAN BE REACHED THIS WEEKEND VIA EASY, AFFORDABLE PUBLIC TRANSIT!!! Click here to learn how.
The full closure of most of the 405 between the 10 and the 101 is scheduled to begin tonight and be in full effect by midnight; individual lanes will begin closing at 10 p.m. The freeway is planned to reopen at 5 a.m. Monday, with ramps and connectors by 6 a.m. It is unlikely that the 405 will open early, as happened during the first Carmageddon in July 2011.
Metro to monitor service levels, add capacity if needed during Carmageddon
It's here! Carmageddon begins tonight, with full closure of the 405 freeway between the 10 and the 101 freeways by midnight. Here's a news release issued yesterday by Metro:
Metro will add more service as needed this weekend to accommodate increased ridership during Carmageddon II, the complete closure of the I-405 between the I-10 and US 101. The closure will begin tomorrow night, Sept. 28, when I-405 ramps begin closing. Freeway lanes will gradually be closed, beginning as early as 10 p.m., until all lanes are closed at 12:01 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 29.
During Carmageddon weekend, all Metro Rail lines and the Orange Line will run according to regular weekend schedule with the following additions:
● The Red Line will run with longer-length trains; additional service will be added, if needed.
● Blue, Expo and Orange lines will have standby vehicles to be added, if needed.
● Metro Rapid 761 (Van Nuys Boulevard/Sepulveda Pass Rapid) will run with additional buses, supplementing the existing weekend schedule.
For Metro travel details go to the Trip Planner at metro.net; for I-405 closure details go to metro.net/405, watch for posts on The Source at metro.net and sign up for Twitter alerts: @metroLAalerts and @metrolosangeles.
Posted with Blogsy
