'Carmageddon' bridge over 405 opens

FIle photo of the Mulholland bridge under construction. Metro/The Source

The rebuilt Mulholland Drive bridge opened this morning across the 405 freeway in Sepulveda Pass. That is the high overpass spanning the freeway that was so difficult to tear down and rebuild that the full freeway had to be closed over two separate weekends. The first time, in the summer of 2011, was expected to cause such an interruption in the interstate highway system and LA area that officials ran an education campaign in other states and internationally in advance of the weekend. The feared "carmageddon" did not materialize — and the reduced driving in LA measurably improved air pollution.

Metro says the bridge work on the 405 improvement project and the Wilshire Boulevard on- and off-ramps are now 100 percent complete.

Previously on LA Observed:

Interesting stats from Carmageddon weekend
The award for most creative 405 photo goes to...
What LA watched on cable during Carmageddon weekend
Jay Leno (and Harry Shearer and Tom Hanks) on Carmageddon
Time travel: Paul Newman and the Mulholland Drive bridge *