Comments on: Carmageddon not what is was cracked up to be

By: LB100

LB100 — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 02:10:43 +0000

I can understand the concerns of many Los Angelenos. I lived near “The” 405 as a kid and for ten years commuting downtown, and have spent innumerable hours grinding up and down its evermore-congested path. The 405 can come to a standstill even on Saturday midnights for no clear reason; and I distinctly remember a megajam one weekday night in the late 1980’s where the usual 30 minute drive from Westwood to the Valley took some people four or five hours. It is true that there are many tiny roads between the Valley and the Basin, but their capacity is very limited.

By: Leah

Leah — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 19:06:09 +0000

We’ll miss carmageddon here in LA, it was so nice and quiet and those of us who went out on the roads (sure we stayed away from Sepulveda) – who needs the westside, Downtown and the eastside are so much more hip these days!
Now it is declared over and all those who hid under a rock (yes even some of my friends bought the over hype of the media) will joyfully hop in their cars and off to the beach they will go.

By: Sgt. Mom

Sgt. Mom — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 13:08:50 +0000

I grew up on the far fringes of the San Fernando Valley, in a remote rural suburb (then!) backed up against the Angeles National Forest, and my Dad commuted to … well, it varied over the years, depending upon what project his lab was working on – but usually about an hour. Dad prided himself on avoiding the freeways in his deft and speedy use of surface roads and obscure short-cuts.

By: M J R

M J R — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 20:49:55 +0000

I live in the Washington Dee Cee area (condolences gratefully acknowledged), and I do remember when the powers that be decided it was time to renovate the Whitehurst Freeway (that’s at Georgetown, Dee Cee)*. Yes, it was due, if not overdue.

*Suffice it to say it was pretty major. Commuters could not imagine a Whitehurst Freeway sans bumper-to-bumper cars during commuting time.

It was to take something like 1+1/2 years (just plain do not remember; my commute went nowhere near Georgetown)!

It was bothersome, but people coped, people managed to get creative, people managed to be a little more flexible, employers managed to be a little more flexible, and voila! — the commuting public found a way to survive.

Carmaggeddon ^not^.

By: neo-neocon

neo-neocon — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 19:09:23 +0000

Gringo: my memories of what happened during the Olympics are exactly why I didn’t think Carmageddon was going to be bad. I remember the big hype about Olympics gridlock, and it just didn’t occur (I was in LA at the time).

By: neo-neocon

neo-neocon — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 19:08:02 +0000

suek: yes, there aren’t many alternatives if you must go through that particular pass for some reason. But there are many other ways to get from the Valley to LA (a bunch of canyon roads, for example).

By: James Drake

James Drake — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 19:02:53 +0000

I experienced the heat of the San Fernando Valley summers growing up there, and as a meteorologist can explain why they are so hot. In general the coastal areas are cooled during the day by the sea breeze, but the two such breezes enter the Valley, one from Oxnard and one from the pass along which the Los Angeles River, such that it is, and Interstate 10 go. By the time the air in each of the breezes reaches the Valley it has been warmed for many hours of the day. Also, the breezes run up against each other, reducing the wind speed to nil.

I’m skeptical of Coleman’s reported travel time. That’s very close to the time given by Google Maps, which don’t take account of traffic. As she approached the airport she should have run into some.

By: Gringo

Gringo — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:53:57 +0000

Out there in La-La Land, don’t they call it “The 405?”
My very short impression of Southern California freeway drivers is that they are rather courteous- certainly a lot more courteous than those found on and inside the 128 in Boss-town, home of the most discourteous- drivers in the country.

I read that there was a similar situation during the Olympics in LA. Because of the warning, a lot of people stayed off the freeways, making the freeways less congested than usual during the Olympics.

By: suek

suek — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:53:46 +0000

There aren’t many possibilities for surface streets going through the pass…the width of the pass limits access.

I remember when they put that freeway through…it was a _major_ deal. Before(getting through the pass) during, and after (amazingly fast for many years). It’s hard to believe now…I remember how small the bulldozers looked in the landscape. I was attending summer school at UCLA that year (for microbiology…such fun!) and commuted from Pasadena to the school daily. No air conditioning in the car – a soft-top Jeepster.

Ah…memories!

They did a good job of publicizing the closing. I’m a little surprised that people have responded so well, but I’m glad I don’t have to wend my way to the airport this weekend – I’ll bet the alternative routes are pretty packed.

By: vanderleun

vanderleun — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:52:51 +0000

What if they gave a Carmageddon and not enough cars came?