Here we go

Yes, it’s finally here, “Carmageddon” weekend.

I feel confident that, by now, you know what I’m talking about. And that’s a testament to the extraordinary outreach efforts of our state and local transportation officials. Now, it’s up to us to help make sure that the 53-hour closure of the 405 Freeway isn’t any worse than it absolutely must be.

Of course, the best thing we can do is stay out of our cars for a couple days. But if you must hit the road, then please check the traffic reports and stay cool. There’s no need to see red (except for brake lights) if you leave early and are prepared for the frustrations of traffic. We’ve pulled together some basic information to help you on your way, which you’ll find here as part of our 405 Report. And if you’re looking for things to do—maybe 53 of them—check this out.

Meanwhile, I hope you’ll visit my website throughout the weekend. I’ll be blogging live, giving you my view of the unfolding events. I encourage you to upload photos of what you see out there to a special “Carmageddon” album we’ve created on the website’s “Picture This” feature.

I’ll also be posting updates on my Twitter and Facebook pages, so please drop by. No doubt, this will be a memorable weekend in L.A.’s traffic history. Let’s do our best—together—to make those memories good ones. Thanks for reading and, as always, you can reach me at [email protected].

Posted 7/14/11