HO-HO-HO! This is gonna be FUN-FUN-FUN! (I-405 closure in CA)

[Brandon]

In Chicago it would be more like making LSD HOV-only. Traffic not going downtown has alternate routes, and SOV traffic going downtown can park and take the L.

But, it doesn't solve the problem as almost as many people now go out from the Loop as go into the Loop.  HOV, just like hub-and-spoke mass transit, does not address that people live and work in many different locations.  As for me?  I never touch a freeway or tollway to/from work, mass transit is not an option (doesn't even go between the two points), and carpooling doesn't work.  Now, if they'd get their asses in gear and build the Metra STAR Line quickly, rail might become an option.  The STAR Line seems to be first acknowledgement that people travel suburb-to-suburb for work, never entering the central city.

[NE2]

But, it doesn't solve the problem as almost as many people now go out from the Loop as go into the Loop.

The I-66 HOV restriction is inbound in the morning and outbound in the afternoon only.

[Brandon]

But, it doesn't solve the problem as almost as many people now go out from the Loop as go into the Loop.

The I-66 HOV restriction is inbound in the morning and outbound in the afternoon only.

Which solves DC's problems as they really are a one industry town (that industry being government, but it still is an industry) that has most of its industry in one place.  It would never work for other places.  A one-size-fits-all solution never seems to work well for all.

[Revive 755]

If you look at a metro like Oklahoma City or Kansas City which had all of its freeways built you'll see that traffic flows quite smoothly and in the cases where it doesn't adding lanes is usually enough to sort the problem.

Nitpick:  KC actually had a few cancellations, such as a freeway for US 24 east of the downtown loop, an alternate for the US 71 to I-35 traffic east of downtown yet west of I-435, and a southern downtown bypass between I-670 and the MO 350 corridor.

In Chicago it would be more like making LSD HOV-only. Traffic not going downtown has alternate routes, and SOV traffic going downtown can park and take the L.

Strongly disagree with the alternate routes part given the chronic congestion on I-90/94 and the lack of an alternate north-south freeway between I-90/94 and I-294.

[Zmapper]

There are plenty of surface streets to serve as an alternative route. Not saying I agree with NE2's idea completely.

[Riverside Frwy]

Personally I would have the busiest freeways 100% HOV during rush hours, and lets see how quick thousands of commuters find Carpool buddies, especially the 405.

If that were to happen, I'm sure you'd find that some carpooling might happen... Also likely, cars would flock to any available alternate routes, and HOV violations would increase dramatically.

Good, Sepulveda Bl would be in gridlock, and the Metro Rapid 761 and other carpoolers can have freeway all to themselves. Oh, HOV violations? More money for other projects and improvements.

However, I think this just shows the difference of 2 cultures. New York has had no problem setting up 2 lines of their Select Bus Service, each having a dedicated bus lane at the sacrifice of one general lane. Like that will ever happen in LA....

Not just cultures, but effects of urban planning and suburban sprawl. New York generally has much greater densities, such that this kind of transit service and change in lane use is much more likely to be utilized effectively.

Hmmm, and a Bus Lane on Wilshire or Santa Monica Bl wouldn't be utilized effectively?  I was on a Santa Monica Bl Rapid 704 the other day, it took the bus 6 minutes to get pass the Sepulveda/Santa Monica Intersection. Guess the reason why? Nothing but SOVs. People have the nerve to say the bus is slow, but it's only slow because of all the SOVs around it.

EDIT: Fixed quoting and removed bold. It's much easier to follow if formatted this way, and avoids mis-attributing statements if this message is quoted later on. Please take a moment to modify the quote tags in the future. Thanks! –roadfro

[agentsteel53]

they should do it more often.

I'm staying home this weekend but that is because I have no business out of town.

we'll see what next year brings - will people think "carmageddon" or "cry wolf"?  an interesting real-life application of game theory.

to follow up on this - I just spotted this link while reading the archives of the Freakonomics blog.

http://www.freakonomics.com/2011/07/18/bad-karma-geddon-conjecture-construction-and-congestion-in-l-a/

[cpzilliacus]

L.A. Daily News: Carmageddon II delayed

Fans of Carmageddon are going to have to wait a little longer for the sequel.

Officials initially hoped to shut down a segment of the San Diego (405) Freeway next month, but delays to the $1 billion project are pushing the massive closure back to August or September.

Unexpected utility work, a $300 million lawsuit and bickering with FBI representatives over security clearances are all delaying completion, Metro officials said Thursday.

[CenVlyDave]

L.A. Daily News: Carmageddon II delayed

Fans of Carmageddon are going to have to wait a little longer for the sequel.

Officials initially hoped to shut down a segment of the San Diego (405) Freeway next month, but delays to the $1 billion project are pushing the massive closure back to August or September.

Unexpected utility work, a $300 million lawsuit and bickering with FBI representatives over security clearances are all delaying completion, Metro officials said Thursday.

I have been hearing this all morning.  It is the top story at the top of the hour news on KFI here in LA.  Thank goodness I am moving out of LA in 3 days to Sacramento!

[cpzilliacus]

L.A. Daily News: Carmageddon II delayed

Fans of Carmageddon are going to have to wait a little longer for the sequel.

Officials initially hoped to shut down a segment of the San Diego (405) Freeway next month, but delays to the $1 billion project are pushing the massive closure back to August or September.

Unexpected utility work, a $300 million lawsuit and bickering with FBI representatives over security clearances are all delaying completion, Metro officials said Thursday.

I have been hearing this all morning.  It is the top story at the top of the hour news on KFI here in LA.  Thank goodness I am moving out of LA in 3 days to Sacramento!

I prefer KNX 1070 when I visit the Southland.  <smile>

[myosh_tino]

I prefer KNX 1070 when I visit the Southland.  <smile>

Same here.  When I'm in southern California, I will tune in to KNX for traffic and news.  KNX is the sister station to San Francisco's KCBS which is the station I listen to for traffic and news in the S.F. Bay Area (where I live).  The rest of the time, I listen to KNBR in my car.

[HighwayMaster]

I prefer KNX 1070 when I visit the Southland.  <smile>

Same here.  When I'm in southern California, I will tune in to KNX for traffic and news.  KNX is the sister station to San Francisco's KCBS which is the station I listen to for traffic and news in the S.F. Bay Area (where I live).  The rest of the time, I listen to KNBR in my car.

Just so everyone knows, KCBS-AM is in SF; KCBS-TV is in LA. I got the two confused myself.

[myosh_tino]

I prefer KNX 1070 when I visit the Southland.  <smile>

Same here.  When I'm in southern California, I will tune in to KNX for traffic and news.  KNX is the sister station to San Francisco's KCBS which is the station I listen to for traffic and news in the S.F. Bay Area (where I live).  The rest of the time, I listen to KNBR in my car.

Just so everyone knows, KCBS-AM is in SF; KCBS-TV is in LA. I got the two confused myself.

Oops, sorry about that.  Didn't mean to cause any confusion.

[bulkyorled]

It's funny I actually drove on the 405 North about an hour before they closed it not thinking that it was going to be closed later that day.

[hm insulators]

Of course it had to be somebody from rich, tony Bel Air to force Caltrans to relocate the ramp by the Getty Center.

I'm planning on being in the L.A. area in mid-July, and it looks like at least I won't have to deal with a Carmageddon II. Although when I was there last July, I found the first Carmageddon no big deal as I knew it was going on and driving from Orange County to the San Fernando Valley, I used the 57 and the 210.

[rschen7754]

Well, in the meantime, they're closing various ramps from Wilshire Blvd. to the 405; 2 at a time.

[Interstate Trav]

Isn't the other closing being delayed?

[hm insulators]

Isn't the other closing being delayed?

If by what you mean by "other closing" is "Carmageddon II," it is. The Wilshire Blvd. closures are separate (but related to the same construction project) ones to facilitate reconstruction of that interchange, which was built in the 1950s when there was far less traffic in the Sepulveda Pass. Like those nutty "scrunched cloverleafs" on the I-10 through Alhambra, Monterey Park and so forth, they were probably considered "state of the art" when they were built but such was the traffic growth in Los Angeles that the interchange is wholly inadequate.

[SignBridge]

Cloverleafs were a commonly built configuration into the 1960's. In later years they've been found to be very innefficient and are rarely built today. BTW, the 405 thru Sepulveda Pass was built in the early 1960's. In fact it was under construction during the infamous 1961 Belair brush fire.

If you can catch the 1964 Natalie Wood movie "Sex and the Single Girl" there was a great chase sequence along Sepulveda Blvd. with many scenes of the newly/almost completed freeway. 

[blawp]

The new Wilshire / 405 interchange will still be a full-clo with braided ramps.

[cpzilliacus]

L.A. Times: L.A. must prepare for Carmageddon II, officials warn

Officials are warning drivers to beware of Carmageddon II.

Bridge demolition work is returning Sept. 29 and 30 and the 405 Freeway will again be shut down between the 10 and 101 freeways for 53 hours.

[cpzilliacus]

KNX Radio: City Leaders Discuss Expectations For "˜Carmageddon II'

City officials met with Metro, Caltrans, and other organizations Thursday to discuss preparation plans for "Carmageddon II" .

The 10-mile, full closure of I-405 freeway through the Sepulveda Pass will take place the weekend of Sept. 29-30.

The 53-hour project will shut down the freeway between I-10 and U.S. 101 so crews can demolish the north side of the Mulholland Bridge, transportation officials announced last month.