Carmageddon los angeles 2017

No evidence of preemptive or postponed trips: There were no substantial shifts in trip-making to weekends before or after the closures, or to days before or after the closures. No evidence of mode shifts: Travelers did not shift to public transit during either closure. In fact, they shifted away from transit use during Carmageddon I, despite increased service. Metro Route parallels the closed segment of the I, and when compared to the baseline ridership fell by more than 20 percent during both Carmageddons, even though Metro substantially increased transit service during the first closure.

Lower freeway traffic volumes near the closures: Travelers avoided driving near both closures. Traffic volumes on I north and south of the closure were down by more than half during both Carmageddon I and II. On two intersecting freeways north US and south I of the closures, traffic was also down substantially. Lower surface street traffic during first closure and higher during the second: People stayed off closure-adjacent streets during the first closure, but shifted from freeways to nearby streets during the second.

During Carmageddon I, nearby surface street volumes rose on a few arterials near the freeway closureexits, but fell on many others, suggesting that drivers did not shift in large numbers from freeways to surface streets. In contrast, during Carmageddon II, nearby surface street volumes rose substantially and consistently, suggesting that at least some of the observed drop in freeway traffic shifted onto arterial streets. Carmageddons affected traffic levels far from the closure: For Carmageddon I, there were statistically significant declines in traffic volumes across Southern California freeways, suggesting either that few drivers chose to detour around the closure, or that those who did were outnumbered by those who chose not to travel at all.

For Carmageddon II, traffic rose slightly on several possible detours around the closure. People quickly learned and responded: As the two weekend closures progressed, travelers responded to initially low levels of congestion by driving more.

Changes in travel behavior eroded over time and across events: Northbound traffic fell on routes leading to and away from the closure on the Saturdays of both Carmageddon I and II. The statistically significant reductions in traffic declined with distance, extending more than 50 miles from the first closure. On Sunday of the second closure, we observed virtually no deviations from the baseline, regardless of distance from the closure. This is remarkable because the Sepulveda Pass remained closed until early Monday morning.

The breathtaking drops in traffic volumes observed on the Saturday of the first Carmageddon had eroded so much by the Saturday of the second Carmageddon that traffic volumes had returned to normal on the freeway that was still partially closed. The preparations for and responses to two similar closures of a major transportation artery provide an opportunity to analyze both travel behavior and messaging strategies. Weekend travel is more discretionary than weekday travel, and residents of Los Angeles responded rationally to the flood of information before the first closure.

Some people likely changed their travel plans to include different modes, routes, or times. Many more, however, either stayed at home or chose to visit destinations closer to home.

It is also clear that travelers absorb information quickly and respond accordingly. During the initial period of Carmageddon I, a large majority of motorists heeded the often dire warnings and stayed off the roads, most likely because: 1 the event took place during the weekend when a larger proportion of trips are discretionary compared to weekdays, and 2 the disruption was relatively short-lived—less than a weekend.

Simpson, then suspected in the murder of his ex-wife, in June One thing is for sure, Carmageddon has Angelenos talking. He appears in an MTA public service announcement, and this time Estrada -- who is a reserve deputy sheriff in real life -- is letting motorists off with a warning.

After that, the plan calls for adding a fourth lane before Thanksgiving, and softening the current sharp degree turn toward El Chaparral to 90 degrees.

The General Services Administration expects that as a result of the gentler curve, the flow of traffic will not change significantly from what it is today, despite the reduction in lanes.

Company Town. All Sections. About Us. B2B Publishing. Business Visionaries. Many have decided to stay home, and aerial shots this morning show traffic quieter than it's been in years. The event is big enough to lure actor Erik Estrada, who played a California highway motorcycle policeman on "CHiPs," out of retirement to star in a huge public service campaign.

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