Many years ago as Helaine, Stefanie and I drove past a disabled vehicle on the shoulder of “The 405” Stef noted, “He’s in the crying lane.” Indeed.
If you’ve never been there it’s tough to picture. I-405 is the busiest, widest, scariest Interstate I’ve ever driven on! It is the main artery in Los Angeles connecting the West Side to the San Fernando Valley.
From Sunset Boulevard the highway climbs through the parched Sepulvada Pass snaking its way to Mullholland Drive. From here the highway starts its descent toward Ventura Boulevard. The entire San Fernando Valley is spread out in front of you.
The grade is steep enough drivers taking in the sights can easily reach 90 mph with their foot off the gas!
Did I mention it’s a ten lane highway! There are five lanes inbound and another five outbound. Driving the center lane is about as comfortable as a center seat in coach!
They’re closing The 405 next weekend. For fifty three hours L.A. will be in panic mode. It’s already been dubbed “Carmageddon!” This, after all, a highway which carries a half million cars each-and-every day!
The Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Fire Department, California Highway Patrol, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Metro and Caltrans are informing the public in advance that if they do not have a critical need to be in or near the vicinity of the closure, they are being asked to avoid the area.
Stuff like this often fails to live up to the hype. Y2K was a sleeper. I remember commercials running when New Haven hosted the Special Olympics which scared enough people away to make the traffic lighter.
Still, this is “The 405.” Every day it hosts the congestion other highways can only dream about.
They’re closing it for widening. Just what they need. More lanes!