Los Angeles - Car-mageddon - I-405 Closure: Help! I'll be in LA that weekend.

Apparently I've picked the wrong weekend for a visit to LA. Just found out from relatives who live in Oxnard, that there will be a Car-mageddon the weekend we're visiting. Looking for help advice with routing directions according to our itinerary.

Itinerary:

July 14, arrive late to LAX, driving to Anaheim to overnight and visit Disneyland on Friday, July 15.

July 15, after Disneyland, drive to San Pedro to overnight there, and take the Catalina Express the next day.

July 16, visit Catalina Island, but after Catalina, drive from San Pedro to Santa Monica, the plan "was" to have dinner in Santa Monica. I think I might have traffic trouble getting there, and may have to rethink my plans. Any advice, routing suggestion?

After dinner, drive up to Oxnard/Channel Islands Harbor via PCH. I guess my only option is to take PCH to Oxnard, but I assume there will be a lot of traffic?

July 18, from Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard, drive south to Knott's Berry Farm. I read the construction work is to be completed by early Monday morning, July 18, but I wonder if I might still encounter traffic. Looks like I might need to take the PCH south from Channel Islands?

From Knott's Berry Farm, head back to LAX, hoping traffic will back to normal.

What I've described is my day to day itinerary. Based on what I've listed, where will I encounter traffic trouble, and what alternate routing should I take.

NOTE: We could skip dinner in Santa Monica and eat elsewhere if it will help avoid Car-mageddon. We had only planned dining there because it was on the way to Oxnard, and this was before I learned of the I-405 closure.

From Long Beach, should maybe we take the 710 to 5 then to 101 to Oxnard? Would that help by-pass traffic, or maybe extend further by taking 710 to 5 to 118, then eventually come down via Camarillo to Oxnard. I read online where one administrator warning how the I-405 closure will have repercussions from santa Barbara down to San Diego, really?

Specific directions would help. I don't mind driving out of the way, to get out of the way.

Thanks so much!

I don't think it's possible to predict what type of effect the 405 closure will have on LA traffic. The 405 is the busiest freeway in the world, but the closure has been so overhyped in LA, it's possible it might be easy to get around. When the 1984 Olympics took place, so many locals stayed home or went out of town, that might have been the best time ever to drive around LA.

That said, I remember about ten years ago when the 101 freeway was closed for repairs on a weekend. I traveled from the Manhattan Beach area to Westwood to see a UCLA basketball game, around 15 miles up the 405. Even leaving an hour and a half before the game, we still didn't get there until halftime (about a two and a half hour trip). That's the longest it has ever taken me to get up there. The point is this closure could likely cause massive traffic jams for alternate routes in places and areas that even the most savy locals couldn't predict.

Maybe I'm buying into the hype, but I personally think you're nuts to try your itinerary as you have planned. If your main goal is to visit relatives in Oxnard, I would plan on getting there no later than Friday and not leave until Monday. Even then, I would expect the roads to also be jammed more than usual on Friday and Monday, as there will likely be more stress from locals getting where they need to be so they don't need to be driving on that weekend.

And yes, I believe reports that this closure could have repercussions from Santa Barbara to San Diego. I think I'll probably hunker down at the beach all weekend, but I'll be following the action at sigalert.com (http://www.sigalert.com).

Whatever you decide to do, good luck.

PCH will not serve you well; stay away from it!

For any N/S travel, your going to need to consider adding miles to your journey and do routes around the area: use the 5, 101, 605, 210, 118, 23, etc. to circumvent the west-side. Of course it may not be that bad. For those of us who can recall the Olympics in '84, there were a lot of warnings about traffic which never materialized......and then there were the Y2K warnings........ your decision! :)

Thanks for the replies, I'll stay off PCH going up to Oxnard.

...When the 1984 Olympics took place, so many locals stayed home or went out of town, that might have been the best time ever to drive around LA...

..For those of us who can recall the Olympics in '84, there were a lot of warnings about traffic which never materialized...

I lived right by UCLA at the time, and yes, it was the best driving in LA I've ever experienced.

OT, but IIRC, in preparation for the expected Olympic traffic many large corporations started staggering their work hours - and that after that time frwy traffic lost its traditional lull times and from that time forward LA frwy traffic was never the same (for the worse).

But this is unhelpful to the OP, sorry! I wish you luck. (As for me I'll be staying in my neighborhood in West Hollywood the whole weekend ;) )

Thanks for the replies, I'll stay off PCH going up to Oxnard.

I'd think about scrubbing Oxnard altogether. All the freeway detours will probably be congested. I can't imagine 101 being any better than PCH.

I wouldn't do back and forth (LAX to OC to oxnard back to OC to LAX) even without freeway closure - you risk wasting a lot of time in traffic. If your hotels are cancellable I'd rework the itinerary to spend 2-3 days in one area followed by 2-3 days in the other and if you have to cross LA that weekend take the perimeter - 118/210/57

i'm going to be contrarian and say that i think you'll have no problems (well, not more than normal la traffic :p). the freeway closure is between the 110 and the 10- north of anything you'll be driving on.

I know what you mean. I drive the 405 almost everyday. If you don't want to drive one of those days your in LA I would use http://primetimeshuttle.com they are having a carmageddon deal with great prices, or I would suggest http://gosedan.com. Other than that just be prepared for the traffic, more cars on the streets and other freeways.

i'm going to be contrarian and say that i think you'll have no problems (well, not more than normal la traffic :p). the freeway closure is between the 110 and the 10- north of anything you'll be driving on.+1

swdke, your trips around LAX, disneyland, and the harbor will not be affected at all. there's a fair chance that the drive on PCH from the 10 to malibu canyon will be affected, as it's the primary alternate to the 405 to calabasas and the western valley, and weekend traffic along the coast tends to be heavy anyway.

but your post suggests that you're driving up to oxnard on the following monday evening, which is after the 405 reopens. PCH gets slow on weekday evenings, but typically loosens up after topanga canyon. if you're leaving san pedro "after dinner," then you may miss the evening jam entirely by the time you get to santa monica (and getting there will take 30-90 minutes depending on traffic and the route you take, such as the 405 to the 10 or cutting through marina del rey).

Here is a news story on what LAX is doing to prepare travelers for the closures. Maybe there will be some helpful hints here. (Or maybe you can hear what they are telling everyone else to do and DO THE EXACT OPPOSITE! ha!) ;)

LAX preps travelers for "Carmageddon" weekend (http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=resources/traffic&id=8233536)

I would skip your trip to Santa Monica since you need to get to Oxnard. I would go from San Pedro to either Hermosa Beach, Manhattan, Redondo Beach for dinner then make my way back to 110 N then 101 to Oxnard.

From Oxnard I would take the 101 S to the 5 S to get to Knott's.

Can you postpone going to Oxnard until the 18th, by which time the closure will be over? Or use Amtrak or Metrolink (yes, even getting to Union Station downtown may not be easy but it would be easier than taking PCH or 101)?

Not sure that the 5/101 altrnative will be all that much better than PCH on Sunday, but could be. If you want to do a lot of extra driving, you could loop up as far north as the 118, and go to Oxnard via the Simi Valley and Santa Paula.

To get to Santa Monica you cold use Hwy. 1 or other surface streets, but I'd expect it to be a mess and would agree that staying south of SM would be best.

Hopefully everyone that lives in LA have taken notice and are avoiding traveling next weekend and it will not be as bad. PCH in the evening may not be too bad. Unfortunately we have no real idea what the impact will be.

Use you traffic app on your phone or check here http://www.sigalert.com before you get in the car to make a decision on which path to choose and avoiding the most traffic.

I forgot that the LA Galaxy and Real Madrid are playing at the Coliseum on Saturday evening (off of the 110 and south of the 10) It will be a zoo on the freeway near Downtown LA. http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/radio/news/story?page=6763297

I forgot that the LA Galaxy and Real Madrid are playing at the Coliseum on Saturday evening (off of the 110 and south of the 10) It will be a zoo on the freeway near Downtown LA. http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/radio/news/story?page=6763297

I agree with your suggestion about avoiding travel to Santa Monica and on to Oxnard. I also agree with those who say that traffic will be a nightmare this weekend.

I've updated my travel plans a little. Instead of driving up to Santa Monica, and Oxnard on Saturday evening. I will be overnighting in Long Beach which is where I'd be driving from if I were to head up to Oxnard Saturday night. So, after a day at Catalina, we will just enjoy dinner, relax in Long Beach and not worry about driving to Oxnard that night. However, we will try to head up to Oxnard early Sunday morning, departing around 6:30 AM. Hoping early Sunday traffic might be okay?

I've updated my travel plans a little. Instead of driving up to Santa Monica, and Oxnard on Saturday evening. I will be overnighting in Long Beach which is where I'd be driving from if I were to head up to Oxnard Saturday night. So, after a day at Catalina, we will just enjoy dinner, relax in Long Beach and not worry about driving to Oxnard that night. However, we will try to head up to Oxnard early Sunday morning, departing around 6:30 AM. Hoping early Sunday traffic might be okay?


There is a $4 each way special on Jet Blue from Long Beach to Burbank and back. http://www2.jetblue.com/deals/overthe405 I am sure those will go quickly

There is a $4 each way special on Jet Blue from Long Beach to Burbank and back. http://www2.jetblue.com/deals/overthe405 I am sure those will go quickly

Sold out. Made the news. Nice p.r. job by Jet Blue.

Sold out. Made the news. Nice p.r. job by Jet Blue.

I just hope that people that bought them were people that actually needed to go across town. Yeah a PR move but maybe a couple people will avoid the mess.

There is a $4 each way special on Jet Blue from Long Beach to Burbank and back. http://www2.jetblue.com/deals/overthe405 I am sure those will go quickly

Wow. I would have wanted to fly that just for fun!

I havent a clue how bad it will truly be this weekend but you might want to take the 5 to the 118/23 to the 101 and vice versa to get from la to oxnard and back. 101 has loads of construction as well so t can get backed up.

PCH can be bad, especially on a weekend in the summer but it could also be the better way to go.

+1 at looking at the train. metrolink and amtrak both go to the oxnard transportation center and you can have relatives pick you up.

My personal feeling is that this afternoon/evening's commute before the freeway closure actually begins will be the worst part of Carmageddon, because. I think that taking the PCH early Sunday morning should not be bad. Most of the locals will not be engaging in the typical weekend activities, so the overflow city-wide should not be as bad as expected. With that in mind, however, I would stress that the earlier you hit the PCH on Sunday, the less traffic you are likely to encounter. It's what I would do in the OP's situation.

Also, download the Waze app if you have an iPhone or Droid. It supposedly will show the gridlocked areas.

I would spend two days at DL/Knott's then take the train out of Fullerton or Anaheim up to Oxnard and spend the rest of the trip up that way, avoidng all the in between bits.

I've updated my travel plans a little. Instead of driving up to Santa Monica, and Oxnard on Saturday evening. I will be overnighting in Long Beach which is where I'd be driving from if I were to head up to Oxnard Saturday night. So, after a day at Catalina, we will just enjoy dinner, relax in Long Beach and not worry about driving to Oxnard that night. However, we will try to head up to Oxnard early Sunday morning, departing around 6:30 AM. Hoping early Sunday traffic might be okay?

Too bad you will miss Santa Monica, Long Beach is a very poor substitute; better to head down to Seal Beach for dinner.

As mentioned traffic will be lightest early Sunday morning, the only issue is if everyone else has the same idea. I would leave as early as possible northbound and plan to take PCH from the 10 as you will avoid all large commercial traffic. Be sure to check Google Traffic as you plan your departure, good luck.

LAX and the freeways are empty. :D

LAX and the freeways are empty. :D

I had my best drive home tonight ever!

I just drove home from LAX tonight, and the surface streets were about as clear as they normally are. No effects of Carmageddon yet. The only issue I had was getting to LAX (to pick up my wife) and there was huge slowdown on Admiralty (average speed of 5mph), but that was because they were doing construction on the road.

I wonder why they didn't stop that knowing that Carmageddon was coming.

I agree with your suggestion about avoiding travel to Santa Monica and on to Oxnard. I also agree with those who say that traffic will be a nightmare this weekend.

Wow! Was I wrong! Streets are absolutely clear this weekend. Many I have spoken to have expressed great joy in the fact that driving time is so quick. Moreover, I just read a report that the beaches from Santa Monica to Malibu have been nearly deserted all day, as is the Pacific Coast Highway.

Everyone was too paranoid to hit the streets! I am wondering if the opposite happens tomorrow because today it was so empty.

Everyone was too paranoid to hit the streets! I am wondering if the opposite happens tomorrow because today it was so empty.

Interesting. I hadn't thought of that. Let's hope not. One son was scheduled to work in Torrance at 10:00 AM and he lives in Brentwood. He left his home @ 8:00 AM and arrived at work at 8:30AM. :)
Another, made it in 15 minutes from Brentwood to Culver City. He also allowed himself plenty of extra time. A friend drove from Brentwood to BH in 10 minutes and then on to Hancock Park in 8 minutes from BH. I love this.
We'll see what tomorrow brings.

To debunk the "sky is falling hype", the 405 Freeway reopened at Noon on Sunday. Fifteen hours ahead of schedule.

The contractor gets a $300K bonus for the early opening, but the city claims they also come out $400K ahead :confused:.

They probably saved a lot in the overtime they won't have to pay to police, etc.

freeways awesome again today. i love carmageddon. :D

...the city claims they also come out $400K ahead :confused:.in addition to the police overtime, they saved much more by avoiding firefighter overtime and the added costs of pre-deployed fire and ambulance units in places normally dependent on the 405 for access.

This may be interesting reading for some of you...

Bicyclists, metro, and a girl on a rollerblade all beat the Jet Blue flight from door to door (not airport to airport - although the bicyclists probably would have won that too).

According to Twitter-based calculations by @bcgp, the unofficial finish times were:

Bike: 1:34
Metro/Walk: 1:44
Rollerblades: 2:40
Plane/Lost Cabdriver: 2:54

http://www.slate.com/id/2299432/

Carmageddon has proved one thing I have always known to be true in LA... we have too many freeways.

Bumping thread for Carmageddon II

Bumping thread for Carmageddon II

And again it is a non issue.
As a native Angelino, no one needs to tell me to stay off the freeways because of predicted massive traffic jams. We sit in enough traffic during the week.

Nice quiet weekend at the beach. I wish they had a bridge scheduled for demolition every weekend.

HP