With the end of summer approaching, The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) and Caltrans are now warning motorists about severe congestion and traffic delays expected for morning commute routes that include crossing over the Mulholland Drive Bridge in Los Angeles due to its reduced lane capacity.
Transportation agencies are requesting that this portion of Mulholland Drive be used for local access only, and that motorists from nearby Valley and Westside communities utilize other major thoroughfares such as Sepulveda Boulevard or the I-405 freeway for their morning commutes.
Additional vehicular traffic is expected with the end of the summer vacation period and start of the school year in September.
Construction crews demolished the south side of Mulholland Drive Bridge the weekend of July 16-17, 2011in what has become popularly known as “Carmageddon.” The demolition activity reduced the bridge’s capacity to one lane in each direction with no dedicated turn lanes. The reduced capacity is expected to create additional congestion and delays both for morning commuters, local schools and canyon pass communities should out-of-area motorists not change their driving routes.
Any time-savings offered by traversing Mulholland Drive to access I-405 freeway on-ramps or parts beyond will be negated as a result of the lane reduction.
The bridge’s reduced lane capacity is expected to be in place until 2013, as construction crews rebuild half of the bridge at a time over the next two years. When complete, the placement of the bridge’s new columns will accommodate an additional traffic lane on the I-405 freeway.
Transportation agencies are providing alternate routes that travel on major thoroughfares rather than local streets. Alternate route maps are available on the Metro web site at metro.net/405.
To help mitigate traffic impacts, Metro will place motorist information signs on nearby streets and main access points fromMulholland Drive, particularly in the communities of Sherman Oaks and Encino.
Traffic control officers will initially be assigned at the intersection of Mulholland Drive and Skirball Center Driveto facilitate traffic movement beginning August 29 during the morning peak traffic hours.
All transportation agencies will continually monitor the traffic conditions, and additional traffic mitigation measures will be implemented if possible.
The Mulholland Bridge is being replaced to accommodate the widening of the I-405 freeway as part of the I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project. The $1 billion 10-mile northbound carpool lane construction project is a joint effort between Metro and Caltrans, and is being constructed by Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. It is scheduled for completion in 2013.
For latest updates visit the project web site at www.metro.net/405 or follow the project on twitter: twitter.com/I_405 and Facebook at facebook.com/405project. The project hotline is (213) 922-3665.