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A few days ago, LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky offered a free Live WebChat for any constituent to ask questions re: the upcoming Wilshire Ramp Closures.
Please find below the transcript of the hour-long webchat.
Questions are Bolded.Supervisor Yaroslavsky's answers are in italics.
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Good morning,Supervisor. Thanks for joining us for today's Live Chat. What’s your take onthis work and how it will affect the public?
Good Afternoon! Welcome and thankyou for joining us today. There is no way to put "lipstick on thispig", as the old saying goes. This is going to be a very difficultproject which will undoubtedly and temporarily disrupt our lives as we knowit. Our objective is to leave nothing to surprise to the generalpublic. In doing so we expect that it will be a more manageable projectboth logistically and psychologically.
Will there be atraffic control officer at Sepulveda and Ohio? Many times when the Northboundtraffic on Sepulveda and the 405 is jammed, cars block this intersection. Ibelieve it will be more of a nightmare without a traffic control officer atthis intersection. Thank you very much. Theda R.
Traffic ControlOfficers will be deployed throughout the project impact area. A listingof locations is available on the Wilshire Ramp Reconstruction page of theproject website, in the May 24 Community Meeting presentation.
I hear there aregoing to be closures this weekend on Wilshire and Sepulveda? What's that about?I thought construction wasn't starting until next week.
Constructionactivities are required this weekend to prepare for the June 22 demolitiondate. Traffic along Sepulveda at Moraga and Montana will be reconfiguredto return Sepulveda to full capacity with two lanes in each direction. Overhead utility lines will also be removed to allow for ramp reconstruction tobegin.
Are youorganizing any kinds of car pools to help those of us who work in the area?
Yes, MetroCommute Services has been working to arrange carpools and vanpools for thosewho commute to and from the area. They have had meetings with the largeemployers and high rise apartment buildings in the area to encourage this formof ride sharing.
Sunset Blvd. isa mess – specifically, the left-turn pocket on-ramp, designed to help alleviatetraffic due to the ramps – isn’t cutting it. People move ahead of the paintedwhite line and block traffic in both directions. People see Sepulveda Way isclosed and try to make a left-turn from one of the straight-only lanes. We needhelp – better signage, better labeling of roadway, and traffic controlofficers, who have been invisible to me so far. What are you going to do toimprove traffic flow on Sunset???
We have severalimprovements planned. The westbound Sunset on-ramp to northbound 405 will bereceiving additional pavement markings this week, including the addition of a“Wait Here” marking to show cars where to stop when waiting to access theon-ramp. Additional signage will also be placed. Traffic controlofficers will be in position starting June 22. The westbound Sunset left turnpocket to northbound on-ramp is only activated if there is a car in the turnpocket. If cars are not waiting to turn left, the signal arrow is notused and does not slow up other movements.
Good morning. Iwork near the onramp of Santa Monica Blvd and Cotner Street. Everyday theonramp for this is backed up sometimes all the way to Missouri. What can bedone about the cars turning from Santa Monica Blvd left onto the onramp of the405 north side blocking the entire intersection and not allowing on ramptraffic was entering? Also, the cars turning right onto the onramp of the 405north are also culprits in making this onramp one of the worst in thearea....And no one is paying attention to the 3 cars per signal light becauseliterally 3 cars cannot go thru on the green. the green light is too short atime for 3 cars to go thru...Can't they turn it off? Sorry that is multiplequestions.....Who can I call to get this intersection fixed with lights etc..??They really need a police man to handle this terrible situation which I feelwill only get worse because of the wilshire ramp closures. Thanks
Good question! Traffic Control Officers will be deployed at Santa Monica and Cotner, and SantaMonica and Beloit to help provide relief from on and off-ramp traffic. The project has been working with LADOT to ensure that traffic signals areoptimized. The project is also working with Caltrans to turn offmetering at Santa Monica, but for now we have sent reminders through oursocial media sites that the ramp allows for 3 cars per green.
Given the likelyupcoming road congestion around the Wilshire ramps, would you consider a fewsimple measures to encourage us to commute by bike instead of by car? I wouldlove to do so, and the main obstacle for me is figuring out how to bike safelypast the 405. Two things that could really help are:1) Some basic signage todirect cyclists to safe routes around the Sunset, Montana, Wilshire and SantaMonica 405 ramps, and 2) Maintaining access through the VA for bike commuters.
As a rule, construction projects arerequired to provide detours for pedestrians, bicycles and cars when our workdictates a closure. However, we do not have the authority to create bicycleroutes or plans. Those are dictated by the city. The VA gateclosures will affect vehicular traffic, but a pedestrian gate will remainopen. Bicycles should be able to access the property through this gate.
Theannouncements aren't really clear - which ramp is getting closed - when does itstart, when expected to reopen?
The westboundWilshire on-ramp to northbound 405, and northbound 405 off-ramp to westboundWilshire will be closed at 9pm on Friday, June 22. The ramp closure isexpected to last 90 days and will reopen in September. The contractor isincentivized to finish early, so the completion date may move up. However, for now our scheduled completion is September 20. These are the firsttwo ramps, of eight, that will need to be demolished and reconstructed over thenext year. These two ramps are the most challenging of the eight.
Please explainhow widening highways decreases our unsustainable dependency on petrol drivenvehicles. I propose that a better and longer envisioning plan would be to unifyour public mass transit into a system that improves ease of use and encouragescleaner alternative options. By combining greener public transportation withwalking and bicycling we will not only be producing less pollution andpromoting neighborly small business interaction, we can enjoy better health.When will Los Angeles urban planning embrace the future and improve ourcommons?
I agree. By creating a HOV lane, we areencouraging people to share the ride and reduce single car trips. Webelieve commuters will be encouraged to do so with a short commute time as theHOV lane will experience less traffic.
My firm is atVeterans and Wilshire – loads of our staff drive west on Wilshire to theNORTHBOUND 405 on ramps So while I love getting these updates, sometimes theycould do a better job with a bit more spelling it out. If I’m traveling West onWilshire, will I or will I not be able to use the Northbound 405 ramps or arethey simply closed? Ditto for any other ramps you re closing. For how long? Soas I read this notice, you are closing ALL Wilshire ramps (north/south on bothEast/West Wilshire) from 9pm – June 22 till approximately July 5 You mentionrebuilding and pile driving – but I don’t know what that means. Ultimately Ijust want to know when can I NOT use the ramps and when can I expect to usethem again Starting June 22 you will not be able to access thenorthbound 405 on-ramp from westbound Wilshire. This ramp will be closedfor 90 days. You will be detoured to northbound Sepulveda to get on the405 at the Moraga on-ramp.Construction activities are occurring this weekendthat require the closure of all Wilshire on and off-ramps. These closuresare required to prepare for the demolition scheduled to start on June 22. These closures of all Wilshire ramps are only scheduled for this weekend atnight. Hello Zev, I ama native Angeleno and live in Brentwood. I understand the need to improve our405 freeway, but I would really appreciate if you could explain the results ofany feasibility studies that looked at the impact of the freeway ramp closuresto our surrounding communities (Westwood, Bel-Air, Brentwood). Most of usliving in these communities are busy professionals and time is precious. Pleaselet us know the findings of such studies made any recommendations foradditional traffic patrols to monitor traffic, etc. We would appreciate yourinsights on this matter.
That’s a greatquestion, Liz. I do know that traffic studies were conducted and did find thatby widening the I-405, we would impact the surrounding communities, but on ashort-term basis. We believe the long-term gain of creating a smoothertransition from Wilshire to the 405 will be worth the short-term impacts.
I have noticedfrom the construction so far that the traffic problems can have a cascadingeffect. One example I see regularly is that the Santa Monica Blvd East to 405 Nonramp is so congested, that the cars waiting for that ramp block theintersection of the 405 S off-ramp. This then creates a stopped exit lane,which then slows down southbound traffic because of the cars trying to get intothe exit lane. What will be done to enforce clear intersections with thisadditional increase in traffic, and what will be done to modify the timing ofstoplights to compensate for the greater traffic which the other onramps willsee as a result of the closure. Thank you
Traffic ControlOfficers will be placed at key intersections along the detour route, includingthe Santa Monica on and off-ramps. TCO's will keep intersections clear sotraffic can flow freely.
ARE ANY LARGEBUSINESSES IN THE AFFECTED AREA BEING ASKED TO STAGGER WORK HOURS AS WAS DONEDURING THE OLYMPIC GAMES?Yes, the project along with Commute Services hasbeen encouraging businesses to allow workers to stagger their hours andconsider telecommuting. We also encourage commuters to call (213)922-2881 for suggested options on carpools, vanpools and mass transit.For those who are in control of their own schedules,we strongly encourage them to modify their schedules for their own peace ofmind and everyone else's. What are yourplanning recommendations for businesses and organizations whose operationscould be impacted by upcoming closures of the 405 ramps and other major roadclosures? Thank you
One thingbusinesses can do it to advertise on the “Destination Discounts” page on Metroand the 405 homepage. This will allow those who use the internet to learnabout your business and be encouraged to visit by the discount provided. We also encourage businesses and organizations to alert staff and customers toexpect delays and plan additional time to get there.
Can the NorthernBringham gate of the VA be open for those who wish to use the golf courseinstead of having to enter from Wilshire? For older golfters a car isnecessary. to go on Wis
As I responded earlier, this is a VAdecision. For the time being they have decided to close that gate. My hope is that they will reconsider, but for now that is their decision. Access will remain available from Wilshire.
We know Wilshireis to close during UCLA summer school, but why didn’t the focus be put intocompleting Santa Monica Blvd./ 405 ramp completed before Wilshire to give us abetter ramp to use? David M.
The Santa Monicaon-ramp still requires several months of construction. The on-ramp workcannot be completed until adjacent wall work is finished. Once the wallwork is finished, the ramp can be complete. The project is scheduled forsubstantial completion in summer 2013, so waiting until one piece finishes soanother can start is not an option at this point. The project will beworking on 10 miles of freeway widening, including ramp and bridgereconstruction, for the next year.
Please confirmwhich Wilshire ramps will be closed for three months? Why aren't the eastboundramps to UCLA being rebuilt during the summer when school is out of session?Hi Kathleen, good to hear from you. Thenorthbound and westbound Wilshire on and off-ramps will be closing June 22 at9pm for 90 days. This is the most complex of the eight ramps. Obviously, we cannot close more than two ramps at a time without a totaltraffic meltdown. These first two ramps are tough enough.Good Day,logically, wouldn't it make more sense to begin the Wilshire rampreconstruction after Sepulveda's utility line move so that all lanes are usableand to alleviate some pressure of the ramp closures?
Sepulveda, between Wilshire and Moraga,has 26 utility lines that need to be relocated. This work will continuethrough substantial project completion in summer 2013. The project doesnot have the ability to wait for one piece to be complete before startinganother. The project will be working on 10 miles of freeway widening,including ramp and bridge reconstruction, for the next year.
With such afluid situation, in terms of construction activities happening in multipleplaces, what tools or where would you recommend commuters into the area use tofind out the latest information on ramp impacts? CalTrans? Metro? Social Media?Thanks in advance, JSExcellent question, JS! Project updates anddetails are available on the project website, metro.net/405. The projectalso utilizes social media through Facebook, Twitter and Nixle. Thesepages are updated at least three times a day. The Source, Metro's blog,is also a great location for stories and updates. My own blog, ZevWeb,also does regular stories on the 405 project.For commuters, Go511.com and 511 are available toget live traffic updates and detour information. MorningSupervisor, Will this impact regular users of public transportation, forinstance those using the 720 Rapid Bus and the 431 Commuter Express? Do youanticipate delays for those buses? Will Metro provide more buses in theunlikely event that more Angelenos use buses during Ramp Jam. :) Good Afternoon! I appreciate you taking the time towrite in today.The buses are expected to experience the same delaysas other commutes. However, if more people take the bus then fewer carswill be on the road. Moreover, your quality of life will be substantiallybetter leaving the driving to Metro. Is thecontractor incentivized to complete the different phases of the project intime? What’s to keep them from going on forever?Fantastic question, Paul! Yes, the projectcontractor is incentivized to complete the ramp reconstruction within the 90day schedule. There are also financial penalties if they exceed theschedule. Will the projectbe adding a bicycle lane along the Sepulveda Pass?
TheI-405 project is primarily a freeway project. We have added bike lanes atseveral points along the project, but we are not adding a bike lane along the10-mile length of the project. Bike lanes and streets are controlled by theCity of Los Angeles.
How will safetybe addressed? During carmageddon, people were getting onto the closed area ofthe freeway.
The contractorwill be working day and night shifts at the ramps. There will be concretebarriers and temporary fencing preventing access to this area.
Will SepulvedaBlvd. still be reduced to two lanes between Sunset and Getty Center during thisperiod?Sepulveda, between Sunset and Getty, was originallytwo lanes in each direction. The project is reconfiguring traffic thisweekend to restore Sepulveda to its original capacity. Sepulvedawill be at this maximum capacity from 6am to 9am and from 3pm to 7pm, Mondaythrough Friday. During off-peak hours, Sepulveda is allowed to bereduced to one lane in each direction from 9am to 3pm and from 9pm to6am. There are instances when Sepulveda is fully closed in all directionsbut this only occurs between the hours of 9pm and 6am.Are you going tocheck I.D.s of motorists to ensure local access only?Aswith the weekend closure of the I-405 to accommodate the demolition ofMulholland Bridge last year, drivers cannot be excluded from public streets.Forcing drivers to show evidence of their addresses causes a mammoth back-up onlocal streets, penalizing residents and commuters.
What is beingdone to relieve pressure going east on sunset from kenter to 405 and westboundfrom Veteran over bridge?????
During this 90day closure, the project has closed Sepulveda Way and has opened a temporarywestbound Sunset left turn lane to northbound 405. This will allowtraffic on westbound Sunset access the northbound 405; before they had touse northbound Sepulveda to access the 405 at Moraga. We recognize this is anissue and we will monitor the situation. We are prepared to takeadditional measures as the need arises.
Is there a Metrostation that commuters can use to ease the gridlock and congestion that islikely during this construction period? I live in Kern County and I wish we hada transportation system, like METRO.
Thank you forthe question. We are working hard to extend the subway from Western Aveto Westwood, but it won't be ready in time for this project. However, wedo encourage you to use Bus Line 720 and others. Use Metro Trip Plannerto find available bus routes that work for you.
There's been somuch disruption from construction already on the 405 throughout the SepulvedaPass, and now it sounds like the ramp work will tie things up for another yearand a half. When it's all done, do you think the benefits will be great enoughto make people in the area feel that it was all worth it?
Yes, I reallydo--especially the Wilshire/405 ramps. This is one of the mostsubstandard ramp configurations of any highway in America. When thisproject is done, people getting on or off the 405 at Wilshire will be able todo it in a safer and less time consuming manner (watch the Wilshire RampReconstruction video to see how this is done! metro.net/405). I've stoppedcounting the number of times I've taken my life into my hands trying to get offthe 405 at Wilshire. In addition, the HOV lane will add capacity and willcomplete the HOV system from Burbank Blvd in the Valley to Orange County. I recognize that this is an incredibly disruptive project.
Mr. Yaroslavsky,I want to let you know I now commute from North Hollywood to Culver City dailyusing the new Expo line. The trains are now more frequent and reliable. Thanksto “R” I am realizing what I once only dreamed about. I hope service could beexpanded during “Ramp Jam” to help situation. I encourage other commuter toexplore Metro as an alternative. Thanks Zev.
Great, thanksEthan!
Will thisweekend's construction impact my access to graduation at UCLA?
Graduation todayat 5pm will not be impacted. The contractor will be doing required workon Sepulveda and Wilshire the next two nights. I encourage you to leaveearly and prepare enough time to get to graduation. Congratulations, bythe way!
Thanks forjoining us, Supervisor. Any final words of advice?Thank you for joining me in this webchat. Werecognize this is going to be a very difficult project for the area, but ifeveryone pitches in we can manage it with a minimum of drama. Plan ahead, adjust your travel times or share theride.
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