Jamzilla Information

Here's a comprehensive article we found with all of the facts about Jamzilla. Be prepared.

By Dakota
Smith, Los Angeles Daily News

Posted: 02/11/14

A monster traffic jam could snarl traffic over Presidents Day weekend when
the 405 Freeway shuts down as part of the ongoing construction of the freeway’s
new car-pool lane.






The 80-hour closure, dubbed “Jamzilla,” will close three lanes on the
northbound 405 Freeway during the day and five lanes at night. Transportation
officials are comparing the shutdown to “Carmaggedon” — the total, three-day
shutdown of the roadway — and they are asking drivers to avoid the area.






“We want the public to stay off the freeway if at all possible,” said Dave
Sotero, Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesman. “There may be a little
complacency because they think we’re crying wolf at this point, but we’re not.”






The 80-hour “Jamzilla” operation will kick off at 11 p.m. Friday and
conclude about 6 a.m. Tuesday, officials said.






During the daytime, only two northbound lanes from Getty Center Drive to
Ventura Boulevard will be open. During nighttime hours, all five northbound
freeway lanes in the same 5.6-mile stretch will be closed.






The closure will allow for paving on the 405 Freeway widening project. The
$1 billion project will add a car-pool lane on the northbound side between the
10 and 101 freeways. It is expected to open later this year, Sotero said.






This weekend’s Jamzilla closure will be canceled if the weather turns bad,
Sotero said. Construction crews can’t work in the rain, so if there is a chance
of precipitation, the job will be postponed.






Officials will announce today if Jamzilla is being canceled, Sotero said.






If the closure goes forward, about 35 traffic officers will be placed around
the city to observe traffic during the 80-hour closure, said Edward Yu, city
transportation engineer.






Additionally, two traffic engineers will man the Automated Traffic
Surveillance and Control (ATSAC) center over the weekend, Yu said.






The ATSAC, located four floors below City Hall’s East building in downtown,
has dozens of screens and monitors showing local traffic conditions. A total of
400 cameras and 40,000 street sensors are placed around the city, and feed
traffic information to the ATSAC center.






As traffic data comes into the center, the city’s automated system adjusts
light synchronization to keep cars moving.






Yu predicted traffic would be distributed throughout the city during
Jamzilla.






“You may get more traffic around the I-10 or other routes ... you may get
traffic on city streets,” Yu said.






Jamzilla comes amid two other high-profile events expected to impact traffic
this weekend. On Saturday afternoon, there is a ceremonial “concrete pour” for
the under-construction Wilshire Grand hotel, which is expected to snarl traffic
in downtown.






Additionally, the Northern Trust Open golf tournament is taking place in the
Pacific Palisades today through Sunday.






Also, some employees, particularly government workers, have a three-day
weekend as a result of the Presidents Day holiday.

 

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If you've scheduled an Excelsior Limousine town car or SUV pick up this weekend, we will track traffic conditions and inform you of any pick up or drop off adjustments.