The 405 Freeway’s 10-mile closure because of construction came to an early end Sunday morning as the freeway began opening at about 11:30 a.m.
Because of the public’s cooperation in staying off of local roads, the construction company was able to finish the demolition of the bridge by early Sunday morning and clean up the freeway, announced Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at a press conference on the freeway.
The freeway was originally supposed to be reopened at 5 a.m. on Monday, but is now open more than 17 hours earlier.
The first on-ramp was opened at 11:33 a.m. The remaining on- and off-ramps will continue opening throughout the afternoon, said Helen Ortiz-Gilstrap, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
The first ramp to open was at the Cotner Avenue exit near Pico Boulevard, Ortiz-Gilstrap said.
The ramps were then opened in order going north from Cotner.
Only the northbound ramps at the Skirball Center will remain closed until Sunday afternoon, to allow for the contractors to remove their equipment, Ortiz-Gilstrap said.
This construction is part of a larger freeway expansion project which will add a second carpool lane to the 405 Freeway, one of the busiest highways in the country.