Drivers brave Coldwater Canyon Ave shutdown on first weekday closure (map)

Traffic crews Monday shut down Coldwater Canyon Avenue between Mulholland Drive and Ventura Boulevard. The five-week closure may create a commute headache for some.

Lanes in both directions will be closed from 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m.  during the week.  

City officials says safety is a big reason the department closed the road.

"The primary area of concern is up at Avenida Del Sol," said Jeff Bray, district superintendent with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. "The road is very narrow there, there’s a blind curve and we just didn’t feel there was any to keep the traveling public safe from our equipment."

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Crews will replace a nearly century old pipeline that ruptured a few years ago and caused extensive flooding.

Peter Crombie, who lives on Coldwater Canyon near Ventura, said the closure is forcing him to do more walking. And he doesn’t mind. After construction started over the weekend, Crombie hiked up the canyon.

"There’s a place called 'Tree People' which is really beautiful and you can walk through the canyon and you wouldn’t be able to do that when the road is open because there are no sidewalks and it’d be treacherous,” said Crombie.

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Some managers who operate shops near the closed street, including the Union 76 gas station and Twain’s restaurant at Ventura Blvd. said they don’t expect the closure will have a negative effect on business. They say they may get even more customers.