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Who knew our little freeway that could was the largest and most stimulated project in all of the state. Ripped from a White House press release about California meeting Recovery Act goals ahead of schedule: "As of today, California’s largest ARRA-funded project is the I-405 in Los Angeles County that will be widened and include several interchange upgrades along a 10-mile stretch of HOV lanes. This project is located in an economically distressed area and relies on $190 million in ARRA funding to go toward the total cost of $739 million for the project." The only 10-mile 405 freeway HOV widening project listed on Metro's website is located in the "economically distressed" areas between the 10 Freeway and Ventura Blvd... you know, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Brentwood, Westwood Village, etc. Still, once completed, it should be happier days for many.
White House is Happy about 405 Freeway Project
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Economically distressed?? Please. The construction will be distressing I'm sure but I know something needs to be done (I always thought a monorail down the center might be a good idea...).
Maybe by "economically distressed" they mean all of LA County.
Or maybe the wear and tear on the cars who sit in bumper-to-bumper freeway traffic, plus the breathing in of pollution make us economically distressed based on car maintenance and doctor's bills!
Even with the "poor" choice of language, it's undeniable that the stretch between Ventura and the 10 freeway (actually, the airport) is a nightmare at rush hour.
BTW, how do you widen IN the pass??
Oh, and, are they still going to use eminent domain to force people in Brentwood (Church Lane neighborhood) out of their homes?
OK that's it for now. : )
Any bets on whether rush hour traffic will be any faster than bicycles and inline skates after this project?
http://vimeo.com/1015777
Do you ever watch Top Gear? In one episode they had a contest to see who could get through London at rush hour the fastest - a cyclist, a subway commuter, a car or a speed boat on the Thames. In another, they had a contest between a car and a marathon runner. In another, they challenged a car to drive from one side of Japan to the other, racing 2 other hosts who took public transit - mainly the bullet train. The car almost always loses, or at lease BARELY beats the other forms of transit. And these are guys who love cars and would like to see them win!
I agree on the monorail down the center. Widening the freeways takes ages and never works. There is barely a change in the traffic where "this has already happened.
You need to move more people all at once = trains. There needs to be a shift away from cars. Get a westside to the valley train going and it will be HUGELY popular. Who wouldn't rather be reading a book and relaxing while riding a monorail than sitting in traffic, wasting gas $$?
Trains are the only thing that really makes sense, ....so of course that won't happen.
This is why I'm experimenting with taking public transit all week long, to work and social events. First, I get more walking/exercise in. Second, I get to read about 10 pages on the bus down Ventura each way.
The 405 north is a little faster around the 101 interchange thanks to that extra lane. But yeah, alternatives to car travel would be nice.
Wider lanes + carpool = motorcycle heaven.
And Brentwood, you're a bunch of tools for not allowing the subway to happen. Ditto to Beverly Hills.
How about light rail AND a bicycle path down the middle. (like they did with the Orange line).
You know, for when gas gets to be $5 a gallon in the next few years.
The studies done on the 405 Widening have shown us that new traffic lanes generally fill up in a couple of years, somewhere between 5 and 10. It will be interesting to see if the delays caused by the construction end up costing more time than the carpool lane saves before it to is overly crowded. Forgive me if I don't share the president's enthusiasm for this three quarter of a billion dollar project that might not even have a net positive impact on congestion.
We should also note that this is the most money going towards any highway project in the country from stimulus funds. LA proud! Woo!
Good point. By the time construction is complete the new space will be filled, so to speak. Luckily I don't commute via 405 right now but it seems like that recent construction (btwn 10 at airport) was a nightmare and I wonder if it merely feels better now because it was so jacked up for so long...
I think the enthusiasm probably stems from the fact that it *sounds good on paper*.
Anyone with true knowledge of the rampant congested insanity that is the 405 would realize, even if they made 12 lanes on each side - it would still get clogged.
Heck, a singular fender bender can create a day's worth of bottle neck there.
It's a shame all of this money is being spent to widen a freeway instead of being spent on transit. The 405 will be jammed again in no time, and we'll have more pollution to choke on.
We should call this what it is: "The 405 Parking Lot Expansion".
"Shovel ready" is no substitute for good, even during a recession.
It's a shame all of this money is being spent to widen a freeway instead of being spent on transit. The 405 will be jammed again in no time, and we'll have more pollution to choke on.
We should call this what it is: "The 405 Parking Lot Expansion".
"Shovel ready" is no substitute for good, even during a recession.