Carmageddon: Construction ahead of schedule, officials say

Caltrans officials said work on the 405 Freeway is progressing ahead of schedule and that traffic is light Saturday morning during the first day of "Carmageddon."

"The first girder has been removed. They are working on the second girder," said California Department of Transportation District 7 Director Mike Miles. "People thus far have been staying away from the area, which is allowing us to progress very nicely."

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But he warned that could quickly change if people decide it's all right to use the freeways.

From the department's Regional Transportation Management Center in Eagle Rock, officials are getting real-time information about traffic flow from more than 300 cameras and thousands of sensors embedded in the roadways.

Shortly before 10 a.m., a wall of giant screens showed traffic moving smoothly on area freeways, and a giant digital map was almost all  green. Officials said that if they notice a buildup, they can update freeway signs and if necessary, dispatch portable signs on trucks to divert traffic.

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-- Alexandra Zavis at the Regional Traffic Management Center in Eagle Rock

Photo: Early morning demolition occurs on the Mulholland Bridge. Credit: Arkasha Stevenson / Los Angeles Times