405 Ramp-Jam Strikes L.A.
Jun 23, 2012
Two Los Angeles 405 Freeway ramps connecting Wilshire Boulevard and the 405 were shut down on June 22 for construction that will ultimately ease traffic through the Sepulveda Pass.
Carmageddon-on-steroids has come to where Interstate 405, the most-congested freeway in America, meets Wilshire Blvd, the busiest boulevard in the nation.
Last year's "Carmageddon" snarled L.A. traffic for just 53 hours, but the 2012 "Rampture," "Octojam," "Carmageddon 2" or "Ramp Jam" closures kick off an entire year of traffic congestion in Westwood and West Los Angeles.
"The next 90 days are going to be very difficult. There’s no way to put lipstick on this pig. It’s Carmageddon on steroids," said L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky." Try to avoid the intersection if at all possible."
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority project to demolish and rebuild eight different 405 Freeway ramps at the interchange already have Westside commuters and businesses yelling bad words which cannot be published here.
"Ramp Jam" began on June 22, with transportation officials having performed the following 90-day ramp closures:
- Westbound Wilshire Blvd on-ramp to the northbound 405
- Northbound 405 off-ramp to westbound Wilshire Blvd
Construction crews immediately began demolishing the closed ramps and are working around the clock performing ongoing construction on new fly-over ramps.In three months, construction crews will then begin construction work on the other six ramps - as "Ramp Jam" goes on and on.
"There's no end to the misery after 90 days," said L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesman Dave Sotero. "It continues."
Work on the 405 Freeway is scheduled to be completed by Summer 2013.
For now, it's the 405 Freeway Octojam-Carmageddon-Rampture at Wilshire and the 405.
Besides avoiding the Ramp-Jam shutdown area, Los Angeles motorists are encouraged to monitor local news reports and visit Go 511 for real-time L.A. traffic conditions.
405 RAMP-JAM 2012
