Time to get serious about Carmageddon 2

Photo by Clotee Pridgen Allochuk via Flickr.

L.A. knows a thing or two about making sequels. And this weekend one big one is coming to our freeways, Carmageddon 2. From 12:01 a.m. Saturday morning to Monday at 5:00 a.m. a ten-mile stretch of the 405 between the U.S. 101 and I-10 will be closed. That’s being done so workers can demolish one side of the Mulholland Bridge, which spans the 405.

Last year, the region was introduced to Carmageddon when the 405 was shut down for the first time. Predictions that it would cause nightmarish, End of Days style freeway gridlock across the region fell flat. Weekend traffic was arguably the best its been since the 1984 Olympics.

Transportation planners hope the same thing will happen this year, and there will be little “geddon” in Carmageddon. But for that to happen, drivers can’t get complacent and think Carmageddon 2 is no big deal. Here’s my conversation with Dave Sotero of the regional transportation agency Metro about the looming 405 shutdown.

KCRW’s traffic reporter, Kajon Cermak has lots of good information on the Shortcuts blog. And Metro has info on the 405 project including tips on how to survive the freeway’s closure.