Carmageddon: Plans to cope with 405 closure

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Carmageddon is fast approaching, and drivers are making plans to cope with the 405 Freeway closure between the 101 and 10 freeways this weekend.

Some residents say they won't step foot inside their cars.

See a live cam shot of the Mulholland Bridge construction site.

"Cook salmon for my family and laugh at the big mess that everybody else is in," said Sherman Oaks resident Thomas Jones.

Others, like Reseda resident George Roberson, said he's still planning on heading to the beach over the weekend.

"I don't think it's that big of a deal. So get a life, or live yours. Just don't sit in a car," said Sherman Oaks resident Kristen Magnuson.

Some, like young entrepreneur Glen Greenberg, are trying to make the best of the situation. Greenberg and friends are behind "I Survived the 405" T-shirts, now available in all sizes for $10 apiece.

On YouTube, people are posting their reactions to the massive freeway closure dubbed Carmaggedon.

Tom Hanks Tweeted: "This weekend LA! Avoid Carmaggedon, Gas-zilla, 405-enstein, Grid-lock-apalooza! STAY HOME. Eat & shop local! Hanx"

Hospitals are making preparations to cope with the 405 Freeway closure as well, including how they are going to handle emergencies.

Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center is making sure that there will be enough staff on hand over the weekend by setting up a makeshift motel.

The north wing of the hospital hasn't opened yet, but they will use 100 rooms on three floors to house employees who would otherwise have to commute.

What will the demolition of the Mulholland Drive Bridge actually look like? It will be a slow process.

Once all of the lanes are closed Friday night, crews will dump tons of dirt to create a 4-foot-deep cushion under the freeway.

"That will prevent falling debris from damaging the roadbed of the 405," explained Los Angeles Metro spokesperson Dave Sotero.

By 2 a.m., crews will slice the bridge in half lengthwise. Later, hoe rams, which are giant, jackhammer vehicles, will do their jobs and take the bridge apart.

In the meantime, city leaders want us to do our jobs.

"Stay the hell away from the 405," emphasized L.A. City Councilman Paul Koretz.

Caltrans will begin closing on-and off-ramps of the 405 in both directions between the 10 and 101 freeways starting 7 p.m. Friday.

The freeway will be closed at midnight and demolition will take place around the clock for 53 hours, with the stretch expecting to reopen at 5 a.m.

Beat Carmageddon with ABC7

The 405 shuts down the weekend of July 16-17, and ABC7 Eyewitness News is your home for the latest traffic news and information. Follow @abc7 and @BeatCarmageddon on Twitter, and use the hash tag #abc7traffic.

ABC7 has also partnered with Waze to help navigate the traffic. Download the Waze app, which provides free turn-by-turn GPS navigation based on the live conditions of the road. Join the community of drivers in Southern California today and beat Carmageddon.

Check out the latest Carmageddon coverage from abc7.com

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