‘Carmageddon II’ coming this weekend
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.
Pepperdine president’s son gets 2 years for threats
Christopher Benton, 27, was sentenced to 2 years in state prison last Friday for threatening his father. Benton had previously pleaded no contest on Sept. 7 to counts of making criminal threats and possession of a firearm.
Van Nuys Superior Court Judge Karen Nudell issued Benton’s sentence, who as part of his earlier plea had three related charges dismissed.
Benton, the son of Pepperdine University president Andrew K. Benton, was arrested Aug. 23 on the university campus by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies after fleeing his family’s campus residence. A discarded firearm was later found on a nearby hillside and ammunition in Benton’s car. The arrest came one day after Benton had reportedly threatened his father during an argument at the residence and then fled.
Malibu carjacking suspect caught in Santa Monica
A 53-year-old man suspected of stealing a car in Malibu led authorities on a chase that ended in a crash in Santa Monica Tuesday evening last week, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The suspect reportedly forcibly took a woman’s keys and stole her vehicle shortly after 5 p.m. at the 23000 block of Pacific Coast Highway, which is near the Malibu Pier, said Sgt. Don Prince.
After the vehicle was reported stolen, authorities were able to locate the suspect in Santa Monica. The suspect refused to pull over and eventually crashed, disabling the vehicle, according to reports.
The suspect was booked at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station and charged with carjacking, felony evading and driving under the influence, said Sgt. Prince. The suspect’s bail was set at $100,000. He is also currently on parole for assault with a deadly weapon.
Dead birds with West Nile Virus found in Santa Monica
Three more dead birds found in Santa Monica tested positive for the West Nile Virus, bringing the total number of infected dead birds in the city to five. The birds were located in the 90402, 90404 and 90405 area codes.
Birds carry the potentially deadly disease, which then spreads to mosquitoes that feed off them. In turn, humans can then catch the disease when bitten by the infected mosquitoes.
According to the Center for Disease Control, about 80 percent of people who are infected with West Nile Virus will not show any symptoms at all. Up to 20 percent of people who become infected may experience symptoms like fever, headache, body aches and nausea. Symptoms can last from a few days to several weeks. Less than one percent of people infected with the disease may develop serious illness.
The best way to avoid the virus is to prevent mosquito bites, according to the CDC. The center recommends using insect repellent when outdoors, particularly at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active, making sure to have good screens on windows and doors and eradicating mosquito breeding sites by emptying standing water from flower pots, buckets and barrels.
For more information about preventing West Nile Virus, visit cdc.gov.
School district participating in ‘Bike It! Walk It! Day’ next week
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is taking part in the annual “Bike It! Walk It! Day,” which encourages students and staff to get to school by leaving the car at home and utilizing another form of transportation, on Oct. 3 and 5. According to a release from the district, about 30 percent of students participate in the event, avoiding about 12,000 car trips.
Malibu Schools—including Juan Cabrillo Elementary, Point Dume Marine Science School and Malibu High School—will participate in “Bike It! Walk It! Day” on Oct. 5, along with a few Santa Monica Schools. The rest of the district schools in Santa Monica will be participating two days earlier, on Oct. 3.
“Bike It! Walk It!” and Safe Routes to School programs involve a collaboration among the school district, the Parent Teacher Association and the City of Santa Monica to reduce traffic congestion near schools and promote safety, environmental and community benefits.
City hosting traffic safety seminar for teens
The City of Malibu and the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station are presenting a seminar about the Teen STTOP Program (Sheriff’s Teen Traffic Offender Program) Tues., Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. in the multipurpose room at Malibu City Hall.
The seminar is intended to help teens and parents understand laws, license requirements and restrictions that apply to young drivers. The event will also feature guest speakers, including representatives from the sheriff’s department and the Department of Motor Vehicles.
For more information about the seminar, contact the city’s Parks and Recreation department at 310.317.1364.
School district Financial Oversight Committee accepting applications
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District’s Financial Oversight Committee (FOC) currently has four openings and the district is looking for qualified candidates to fill the spots. Candidates should be able to provide business or financial expertise to the committee.
FOC meetings currently take place once a month at the District Office at 7 p.m., usually on a Wednesday or Thursday.
Applications are available through the superintendent’s office or online at smmusd.org/fiscal/financialDAC.html.
The application deadline is Fri., Oct. 26. They can be mailed to the district office, 1651 16th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404, faxed to the office at 310.581.1138, or scanned and emailed to swahrenbrock@smmusd.org.