The bad news was that traffic was backed up for miles on the northbound I-405 near the Sepulveda Pass because of partial lane closures between Montana Avenue and the Getty Center Drive off-ramp.
The good news is that crews are apparently about a day ahead of schedule, so full overnight closures are no longer needed Saturday or Sunday. Metro officials said contractors are way ahead of schedule and opened a third northbound lane.
The traffic backup started near Venice Boulevard. Vehicles were moving at just 10 miles an hour. At midday, Caltrans estimated the drive time between Venice Boulevard and Skirball Center Drive to be one hour.
The 55-hour makeover is part of Metro's widening and carpool project. All lanes should be reopened by 5 a.m. Monday, Metro officials said. Workers are spending the entire weekend moving the center median and repaving and restriping the freeway.
The construction is part of the $1 billion Sepulveda Pass Improvement Project, which aims to create a 10-mile HOV lane along the 405 Freeway from the 10 to the 101.
