To all UCLA Bruins, a message from Renée A. Fortier, Executive Director of Events and Transportation
As part of the ongoing project to improve the I-405 Freeway, the second complete closure of all northbound and southbound lanes of the I-405 between the I-10 and US 101 will occur during the weekend of September 28-October 1, 2012. On Friday, September 28, ramps along the 10-mile closure area will begin to shut down as early as 7 p.m., and closure of individual freeway lanes will begin at 10 p.m. to ensure full freeway closure by midnight. The closure is scheduled to continue until 5 a.m. Monday morning, October 1. Ramps and connectors will be reopened by 6 a.m. During this closure, the Mulholland Bridge, I-405 Freeway and access ramps will be closed as contractors demolish the remaining side of the Mulholland Bridge.
Metro, Caltrans, Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Fire Department, California Highway Patrol, and Los Angeles Department of Transportation are asking the public to avoid the area during the closure. Motorists who must travel through this area during this weekend are advised to plan ahead, monitor real-time traffic conditions prior to beginning their trips and use alternate routes or public transit.
Because last summer’s “Carmageddon Part I” went well and finished early, more motorists may now be tempted to drive and ignore the warnings of severe traffic congestion and delays from transportation and law enforcement officials. This time, the contractor is unlikely to complete the work early as the scope of the work is larger, with more to tear down and remove within the same 53-hour period. This particular weekend is also the first weekend of the beginning of UCLA’s academic year. While it is not the most desirable weekend, UCLA was not the decision maker in the scheduling and we were successful in pushing the timeframe away from student move-in weekend which occurs one week prior.
It is advised that you take these traffic impacts of the I-405 closures into serious consideration and avoid scheduling any events during the closure weekend. If you expect to have employees, students, patients or other visitors traveling to or from the UCLA campus or Santa Monica Hospital during that weekend, please advise them to expect significant delays and include additional travel time in their schedules.
As the closure weekend approaches, UCLA Events & Transportation will provide additional information, including any designated detour routes and the times and locations of specific ramp closures. General information on the I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project and associated traffic impacts can be found at http://www.metro.net/projects/I-405. UCLA Events & Transportation will also provide updates at http://www.beagreencommuter.com/?tag=carmageddon-ii as more information becomes available.
If you have any questions, please contact Matthew Hissom, Senior Transportation Planner, at 310-825-7835.
