Monday, July 11, 2011

Carmageddon Is Coming!


Carmageddon is finally here this week! The closure of the 405 freeway between the Santa Monica Freeway I-10 and the Ventura Freeway US-101 will be effective midnight Friday, July 15th through 5 am. Monday, July 18th.


During this time, please keep in mind that many of the major surface streets will also be affected. Public transportation is an option for the weekend; especially the Red Line subway from the Valley to Hollywood, which will be free of charge for the weekend.


The contractor doing the demolition work on a bridge over the San Diego (405) Freeway -- requiring the highway's closure for 53 hours this weekend -- could be fined up to $72,000 an hour if the freeway does not reopen on time, Caltrans officials said today.


The demolition is being carried out as part of a $1.2 billion widening project to add carpool lanes to the 405 in the Sepulveda Pass.

Beginning Friday night, the northbound freeway will be closed for 10 miles between the Ventura (101) and Santa Monica (10) freeways. The southbound freeway will be closed from the 101 Freeway to Skirball Center Drive. The freeway and all ramps are expected to be reopened to traffic by 6 a.m. Monday.

Kiewit will be fined $6,000 for every 10 minutes each side of the highway is not open after 6 a.m.
"We based that on the cost of delay," Caltrans 7th District Director Mike Miles said. "For every minute of delay, we figure there is a cost to the public."

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the agency coordinating the 405 closure project, is considering a monetary incentive for Kiewit to finish the project ahead of schedule, but has not set a final figure.



For more information about the project and detours available, please go to http://www.metro.net/projects/I-405/

LAMediaWatch.com

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