Temporary Closure Of 405 Freeway Displaces Millions Of Driver
Los Angeles Residents Anticipate ‘Carmageddon’
The photo you see here, which was scanned to digital by the Los Angeles Times archive, depicts the 405 Freeway as it appeared just six days after it opened in December of 1962. Construction had taken over two years, and the cost was an unprecedented $20 million. What was once part of a new 12-mile project connecting western Los Angeles to the San Fernando Valley is now one of the most traveled freeways in the Uni
ted States, and home to some of the country’s worst traffic.
In an effort to ease congestion and increase traffic flow, an enormous project is currently underway to widen the Interstate 405. In order to complete this project, sections of the 405 must be closed, forcing millions of drivers to spill out onto surface streets in an event being known throughout Southern California as “Carmageddon.”
At the time of writing, all lanes and ramps along a 10-mile section of the northbound 405 are closed, between Interstate 10 and the 101 Freeway. Southbound lanes between the 101 Freeway and Getty Center Drive are also closed. As part of the project, the Mulholland Dr Bridge will be demolished and reconstructed. This will accommodate the addition of a northbound high-occupancy vehicle lane on the I-405 freeway, through the Sepulveda Pass. The new bridge will be 10 feet wider than its predecessor, and will be designed to the latest seismic standards. The Skirball Center Dr Bridge is also scheduled to be demolished and reconstructed.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, major traffic spillage is not the only safety concern associated with the temporary closure of the freeway. There are several groups planning illegal use of the closed portion of the freeway during the construction project. One group of cyclists sought permission to race down long sections of steep highway. A group on Facebook even planned a block party on a Santa Monica Boulevard ramp onto the 405, to include music, drinking, and dozens of people. Cmdr. Andy Smith of the LAPD has stated that any such activity would be just as illegal during the closure as it would if the freeway were open, and that anyone who attempts such a stunt could count on “a swift and certain police response.”
To see more 405 freeway photos that have been scanned to digital, go to Los Angeles Times.
Previously unseen photos of Marilyn Monroe are among the hundreds of pieces of film memorabilia being sold by Julien’s Auctions at the “Hollywood Legends” summer auction this June. Taking place on Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, the auction boasts original scripts, costumes, props, and photos from some of Hollywood’s biggest films, both classic and contemporary. The Hollywood Legends collection has toured the world, attracting attention from collectors throughout Europe and Asia.
The month of April has only just begun and already it’s clear that this is the month of “Glee.” The hit musical comedy has been on a 4-month hiatus since its mid-season finale aired in December of last year, but the show returns to Fox on April 13th, much to the delight of the show’s enthusiastic fan-base. The hype around the show’s return has created a new surge of internet buzz, including hundreds of behind-the-scenes, on-set photos appearing on big names sites like latimes.com, after being candidly snapped and scanned to digital.
California is constantly changing and always evolving, both in its physical development and in its demographic makeup. The above photos of the Los Angeles Times building complex were taken 48 years apart, from the observation deck of the Los Angeles City Hall building. The photo on the left, which was taken in 1951 by Associated Press photographer Ellis R. Bosworth, depicts an up-and-coming downtown in which the ten-story Times building is an imposing and decidedly authoritative part of the skyline.
Perhaps more than any other sporting event, the Olympic Games are steeped in tradition, as each set of games has its shining moments and its tragedies, which live on in history. The 2010 Games have already seen a share of both. One memorable victory came to Canadian native Maelle Ricker, won the gold medal in snowboard cross racing on February 17th. She was the first Canadian woman to win a gold medal at the Winter Games in Vancouver, and received her prize in front of an adorning, cheering crowd in B.C. Place Stadium. But as much as the Olympics are all about being in the moment, there is also an element of nostalgia, and of history, as athletes compete both against one another and against the all-time greats. Records are broken, legends are remembered, and the Games of years past are celebrated.
