John Walker's Tips on Handling 405 Closure

If Lady Gaga, Ashton Kutcher and Kim Kardashian can help spread the word about alternative things to do, in our Studio City Countdown to Carmageddon, we’ll have locals offer tips about what they think you should do in this potential traffic snarl. Click on the   link above to find more stories and advice.

John Walker, filmmaker, and president of the Studio City Neighborhood Association

“I’m a movie producer and have a management office, and there’s an office in City Hall downtown I go to as part of my Neighborhood Council duties.”

Walker said he can easily avoid the 405, and he often takes the subway. “I tell stakeholders that we need to increase bus service, and we need to stay way from the area.”

A Letter from John Walker:

Metro is currently improving the I-405 freeway through the Sepulveda Pass to add a northbound HOV lane.  Part of the project scope necessitates the demolition and reconstruction of the Mulholland Bridge.  The bridge will be demolished one half at a time.  The first demolition is scheduled for the weekend of July 16-17, 2011.  The second demolition will occur one year later.

The entire 53-hour closure of the 405 freeway will be managed through an incident command post headed by LAFD/LAPD/CHP/Caltrans/Metro.  Our outreach to commuters and travelers will have to be local, regional, statewide and even national because the routing of vehicles around the Sepulveda Pass will have impacts on the regional system. 

Please expect to receive regularly scheduled information including approved routing maps, communications options for up to the minute updates and expected system impacts.  It is our intent to provide you with all the critical information necessary leading up to the actual demolition date so travelers on this weekend can make informed choices to arrive at their destination or choose to refrain from unnecessary travel through the affected area.

Your first line for information is the project website: www.metro.net/405.

You may also call Jennifer Gill at 213.922.4224 for a referral to your regional lead. Please be advised that our Board of Directors and the agency staff are committed to getting you all the information you and your stakeholders need in advance to facilitate travel on this weekend.  In the future, all communications on this very important road closure will be labeled I-405 SEPULVEDA PASS CLOSURE ALERT.

ADDENDUM . . . 

We appreciate your efforts to continue spreading the word about the 405 closure. We think people are getting the message and that's a good thing!

Here's another good thing...

What better opportunity to keep the car parked and explore your local neighborhood! Take advantage and seek the treasures that make our Los Angeles area neighborhoods unique. Best of all, you can Go Metro to your local destinations.

Shop local

There is a great bargain waiting to be found - and it's in your local store, we challenge you to find it!

Dine local

Remember that small restaurant down the road you've been hearing about for years? Well, what are you waiting for? Go discover it!

Play local

Take a walk or bike to your local park with a picnic basket - go on, you know you want to! Perfect weather for a family outing, an impromptu date or alone time reading a book beneath the canopy of a large shade tree; the best thing is Fido can go too!

Thank you for continuing to do your part in this effort. Collectively, we will ensure that the July 16-17 weekend was not much different than any other weekend this summer, except for those small gems you got to reconnect with. So enjoy the weekend and Go Metro to shop local, dine local and play local!

SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY!

FYI - the will be holding its regularly scheduled meeting next Wednesday, July 13 @ 7pm on the CBS Studio Center Lot, starting at 7PM.  Studio City Lead Officer Mike Lewis is the invited guest, discussing issues of noise, , parking enforcement among other items.

Remember - support our Local businesses and support YOUR Neighborhood Council.

Respectfully,

John Walker

President, SCNC