Carmaggedon

[mklotz]

Here in Los Angeles we have everything - earthquakes, wildfires, serial killers and the witches of Beverly Hills. But, just when we thought it couldn't get any worse, now we have CARMAGGEDON.

The authorities, in their infinite wisdom, have decided to completely close I405, one of the most heavily travelled freeways in the state, for a staggering 53 hours.

http://blogs.forbes.com/jasonfogelson/2011/07/01/carmageddon-is-upon-us/

This is going to be like the new millenium brouhaha, except for real. I live more than twenty miles away from this area and we've been warned that traffic in our area will be drastically affected. We've been told to stay home if at all possible.

Here are a few shots of the 405 taken from the Getty Museum at about 1400 on a weekday. At rush hour it's a solid mass of traffic.

If you don't hear from me by the 18th, send out the Saint Bernards with the martini filled casks.

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Just makes one's bile come up...don't it?

 

[stevehuckss396]

Make the best of it. Fire up the BBQ and get the neighbors over there. When the power went out here in the north east we pooled everything in the fridges and started cooking and drinking. Power was on for a few hours before anybody noticed.

 

[mklotz]

Make the best of it. Fire up the BBQ and get the neighbors over there. When the power went out here in the north east we pooled everything in the fridges and started cooking and drinking. Power was on for a few hours before anybody noticed.

Yeah, and nine months later the birth rate spiked. Nevertheless, it's a good plan.

 

[mklotz]

Everything's OK now. Captain Kirk is getting the word out via Twitter.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/06/william-shatner-carmageddon.html

I swear, this is one crazy city state. They're going to close a freeway that sees more than a quarter million vehicles a day and they're relying on brain-dead actors to calm the hoi polloi.

 

[Troutsqueezer]

There's been talk again of splitting California in half. Of course it will never happen but if it was ever put to a vote, I'd vote yes in a heartbeat. There's a reason my avatar specifies where in CA. I'm from. ;D

 

[b.lindsey]

Marv, I heard something this morning on NPR about the closure of the 405 but they were talking abour a billion dollars being spent on a 10 mile stretch of the freeway...hard to imagine spending that much in just 53 hours...even in LA. Is this just the start of more closures or will the additional widening work be done while the freeway remains open?

Maybe the good captain and Scotty can just beam all those cars across the closed section :big:
Bill

 

[mklotz]

Dennis,

Like you, I'm all in favor of splitting the state. Turning all the counties that touch SF bay into a separate state (suggested name: Lounee ) would go a long way to raising the IQ of the remaining part. Even more satisfying would be if Lounee succeeded from the Union.

Bill,

I think they intend to widen the freeway and add an HOV lane in that area. The hill between the Valley and the South Bay is a terrible choke point now and relief is needed. The problem is that, as soon as freeway access is improved, more people move into the area and the congestion reappears.

 

[b.lindsey]

Kind of an "if you build it...they will come" scenaro :big:

 

[kcmillin]

It might take longer than 52 hours. This was taken at 2 O-Clock on a Weekday and there is not a single DOT worker at that job site. :big: :big:

Kel

 

[mklotz]

It might take longer than 52 hours. This was taken at 2 O-Clock on a Weekday and there is not a single DOT worker at that job site. :big: :big:

I took the pictures back in May when we were at the art museum - long before the current activity. Still, I hear you. I've often passed two miles of a coned off lane without seeing a single worker. I think the "worksites" are training grounds for our politicians.

 

[ChooChooMike]

A little more background on the freeway closure :

The reason for the I-405 closure for 52+ hours (over a weekend) is to safely demolish a bridge that spans the freeway. That can't be done with the traffic that flows through the Sepulveda pass. Plans are to build a bigger bridege to replace it.

Unfortunately there are no simple ways to detour around this part of the freeway. Yeah, there's some local roads up and over the hills here, but I'm sure residents with raise holy-hell with that. The Hollywood freeway is a 20+ mile detour and going up and through Malibu is no better.

The $1B is not just for the bridge demo, but for the larger project which Marv mentioned - putting in a HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle), otherwise known as a carpool lane, in this stretch of the freeway.

Many folks consider this a huge boondoggle just for a carpool lane which probably won't have much affect on the traffic, especially as it gets worse every year. They've already widened the 405 by adding in another lane (part of the boondoggle), sound walls, new entry/exit ramps through the West LA area.

There's been talk of double-decking the freeway too, yet another idiotic idea. LA did that on the Harbor freeway for about 5 miles. What a JOKE at $1B+ per mile. So you get to go up on the upper deck only if you're a carpool for a few miles and then merge back into the fray anyway ......

Just think how many machine tools can be bought with that kinda coin LOL !!

LA put out announcements like this for the 1984 Olympics, suggesting massive traffice problems for the 2 weeks to the Olympics which were spread across venues all around LA. Ya know what ? Most folks paid attention and stayed home. The freeways were relatively empty for those 2 weeks. So, yes it can be done

Mike

 

[mklotz]

The $1B is not just for the bridge demo, but for the larger project which Marv mentioned - putting in a HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle), otherwise known as a carpool lane, in this stretch of the freeway.

For the benefit of those unfamiliar with California enviro-speak, I just want to point out that HOV is defined to be two or more occupants in the vehicle. (Or, in Hollywood, one human and his inflatable companion.)

 

[tel]

Ah! Not a hovercraft then? *bang*

 

[shred]

Yick, I've driven (well, crawled & inched) that bit of highway a few times trying to get from the 6pm LAX arrival to Valencia before 8...

 

[RonGinger]

Every time I see photos of the traffic it reminds me how much I like living on the coas tof Maine.

My house is just about in the center of this image

The water around me is aptly called Pleasant Cove

I have one traffic light in town, about 6 miles away. The next nearest one is 15 miles in the other direction. I get clams and mussels from the southern part of the cove, lobster from the north and out into the river..

Im sure happy all those So. Calif folks like that traffic and congestion, so they stay out there and dont start to crowd the Maine coast. ;D ;D

 

[steamer]

Rof}

 

[mklotz]

Im sure happy all those So. Calif folks like that traffic and congestion, so they stay out there and dont start to crowd the Maine coast. ;D ;D

And we're equally happy that you down Easters stay where you are and don't add to our congestion.

How about a picture of what that area looks like in January?

 

[steamer]

Rof}

I don't know about Ron, but here' s a photo from my front porch

but I don't have 250000 cars......Instead..I've got 4 wheel drive and no waiting. ;D

I think a bottle of the appropriate libation and CNN live shots will make the 50+ hours go along just fine Marv.

Think of the entertainment value!

 

[ChooChooMike]

For the benefit of those unfamiliar with California enviro-speak, I just want to point out that HOV is defined to be two or more occupants in the vehicle. (Or, in Hollywood, one human and his inflatable companion.)

In some places in LA, HOV is defined as 3 or more in the vehicle ..... so that translates to 1 human, his inflatable companion and an inflatable sheep ...... errrr, pet .... :hDe: