“When I took office, the construction on the 405 was behind schedule and had become a nightmare … (Patsouras) brought together all the parties involved, including the contractor, Caltrans and the utility companies, and kept the focus on completing the project as quickly as possible and giving the 405 back to motorists.” “I’m proud we were able to move this project forward and open the new lane early to provide long overdue relief to commuters and residents. “The 405 is a critical Los Angeles artery that affects millions of drivers,” Garcetti noted.

We were able to meet biweekly, and I think that brought a sense of urgency to the project.” “When I went in, there was a lot of anger and disagreements. “They weren’t looking to return the freeway to the drivers. “I think they had a problem where they had been working too close for too many years,” he said. Patsaouras sees his job as helping to refocus the project. He also served as president of the board of Water and Power Commissioners and initiated the idea of having a ratepayer advocate for the utility. “People in this part of town have put up with a lot, and it’s finally time for the public to begin experiencing one of the major benefits of this project,” said Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, who represents the area and popularized the moniker Carmaggedon for the first 53-hour freeway shutdown to allow for the demolition of the Mulholland Drive bridge. Intermittent full-freeway and ramp closures over the years were affectionately nicknamed Carmaggedon, Jamzilla, Ramp Jam and Rampture. Now on Friday - five months ahead of schedule and just in time for the Memorial Day getaway weekend - construction on the $1.14 billion project is set to be completed, bringing a huge relief to commuters and local officials who have had to hear complaints over rerouted traffic and congestion. The installation of a 10-mile car-pool lane on the northbound 405 Freeway in the Sepulveda Pass has made headlines for the past five years for the inconvenience to motorists on one of the nation’s most heavily trafficked roadways.

405 freeway express bus lane