Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa this morning released a video in English and Spanish urging Los Angeles area residents to make this weekend’s closure of the I-405 an opportunity to explore neighborhoods near where they live, to support local small businesses, to discover public transportation and to use their bikes to get around.
![Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority](https://www.vannuysnewspress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/la-mta.gif)
From Friday night at midnight to Monday early morning the I-405 will be shut down between the 101 and 10 freeways to help build the last remaining gap of the I-405 carpool lane network. When completed in 2013 the new network will provide commuters with a continuous carpool lane from Orange County all the way to the San Fernando Valley, saving drivers 10 minutes a day over the highly congested Sepulveda Pass.
In the video Mayor Villaraigoa urges all Angelenos to chip in and turn “Carmageddon” into a unique opportunity to explore Los Angeles.
To see the video go to metro.net. For a list of fun things to do in Los Angeles without a car visit the Mayor’s Facebook page at facebook.com/AntonioVillaraigosa. For updated information about the closure follow @I_405 on Twitter.