Demolition of the north side of the Mulholland Bridge and the resulting full closure of the 405 Freeway through the Sepulveda Pass mean discounts at some LA County businesses during the weekend of Sept. 29.
"We need your help to once again turn Carmageddon into Carmaheaven," LA Mayor Antonio Villaragosa said at news conference in Hollywood Tuesday.
Interactive Map: Where are the Deals? | Download Complete List (.pdf) | Interactive Project Map | Closure Timeline
In an effort to convince residents to stay home and avoid Westside traffic gridlock, officials Tuesday announced shopping and dining discounts that will be offered Sept. 29 and 30. Click here for an interactive map of "East, Shop and Play Locally" offers.
"Do not believe you can beat the traffic," said LA County Supervisor Zev Yaraslavsky.
"You're only destined to be frustrated and have an anxiety attack if you come into the 405 corridor," he said.
For example, the LA County Museum of Art (LACMA) is offering half-priced general admission. Six Taste in downtown LA will offer a 10-percent discount. The LA Zoo will take $3 off its admission price and Madam Tussaud's Wax Museum in Hollywood is offering 40 percent off admission to metro riders during the Carmageddon II weekend.
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"People will probably stay at home so they do need the extra incentive to get out of the house," said Rowena Adalid, with Madam Tussaud's Wax Museum.
The Mulholland bridge demolition, part of the 405 Freeway improvement project, is the third bridge demolition-reconstruction project to accomodate a wider freeway. The bridge also will be widened -- by about 10 feet -- and designed to seismic standards.
The 405 Freeway is scheduled to close from the 10 Freeway to the 101 Freeway Sept. 29 and 30, then reopen at about 5 a.m. Oct. 1.
The south side of the bridge was demolished in July 2011. After months of warnings about potential traffic problems stemming from what was dubbed "Carmageddon," no major issues were reported during last year's 405 Freeway closure.
The north side of the bridge will be completed in about 12 months. The bridge will be open to one lane of traffic in each direction during the re-construction.
