The second full closure of a 10-mile stretch of the 405 freeway through the Sepulveda Pass, also known as Carmageddon II, is taking place Sept. 29-30. Contractors will demolish the remaining side of the Mulholland Bridge during the closure as part of the Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project.
The 405 will be closed for 53 consecutive hours in both directions between the U.S. 101 and I-10 freeways. On Friday, ramps along the 10-mile stretch will begin to be shut down as early as 7 p.m. and the closure of individual freeway lanes will begin at 10 p.m., leading to a full freeway closure at midnight. The freeway is scheduled to reopen at 5 a.m. Monday morning, with all ramps and connectors reopened by 6 a.m.
Sepulveda Boulevard will be open, but is intended as an alternate route for local resident access only. Transportation and public safety officials are urging motorists to use alternate routes to avoid the area.
Officials have been encouraging motorists throughout the Southland to “Plan Ahead, Avoid the Area, or Eat, Shop and Play Locally.” To support residents staying local, many businesses throughout the Los Angeles area are offering specials for locals who stay nearby. For a list of businesses offering local deals, visit metro.net/interactives/event_map.
Last summer, the first weekend closure of the 405 took place so contractors could demolish one half of the Mulholland Bridge. The closure went smoothly, and workers finished 17 hours earlier than scheduled. However, officials say this year’s closure is unlikely to end early because there is more demolition work to perform during the 53-hour period. While only one set of bridge columns had to be demolished during Carmageddon I in 2011, two sets of bridge columns will need to be demolished during this weekend’s closure.
“Our biggest concern isn’t the bridge demolition on I-405 — it’s potential congestion on the rest of the freeway system,” Caltrans District 7 director Mike Miles said in a press release. “We don’t want people to become complacent based on the success of last year’s closure. Once again, it’s vitally important that we all plan ahead, avoid the area, and eat, shop and play locally. Otherwise, there will be problems.”
The $1-billion I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project will widen the freeway to construct a carpool lane through the pass. The project is a joint effort between Los Angeles Metro and Caltrans, and is being constructed by Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. It is scheduled for completion in 2013.
“The new I-405 carpool lane will be the nation’s longest, providing congestion relief and improved travel times,” Caltrans director Malcolm Dougherty said in a release. “This closure is a milestone in a critical regional transportation project that will benefit all Californians.”
The 405 is the nation’s busiest freeway. During a typical weekend, half a million motorists would travel the 10-mile stretch slated for closure.
For more information about the closure and improvement project, visit metro.net/405.