November 5, 2024 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Christmas Week Lightens Westside Traffic Load

Westside traffic updates.
Westside traffic updates.

Santa brought some Christmas eve cheer to Southern California drivers today as traffic on area freeways was so light it looked like a typical weekend.

But while the lack of congestion as the holiday period got under way was good news, the California Highway Patrol had a stern warning for naughty unsafe drivers, or drivers who drink alcohol and then get behind the wheel.

A Maximum Enforcement Period was scheduled to begin today at 6 p.m. and it will conclude at midnight Sunday, Sgt. Melissa Hammond of the California Highway Patrol said.

“You can expect the maximum number of officers deployed in the field looking for intoxicated drivers and primary collision factors such as speeding, following too closely and unsafe lane changes,” Hammond said. “During the holiday, you want to appoint a designated driver.

“Being a little tipsy is still considered intoxicated,” she said “And we’re expecting rain over the weekend. Drive safely to avoid hydroplaning.”

But for safe drivers complying with the law who still had to work, freeway driving was something of a delight.

One office worker in West Los Angeles reported having only a 20-minute commute from the San Fernando Valley, instead of the usual one hour.

The CHP said a lot of people had similar experiences.

“There is some slowdown in certain areas, but for the most part, we don’t have any major delays,” CHP Officer Peter Bishop said. “I think it’s like a weekend, in general.

Any signs of potential congestion, Bishop said, were likely to occur on the Golden State (5) Freeway, south of the Ventura (101) Freeway, where motorists are heading up north to Castaic, Santa Barbara or Northern California.

“If you take the 5, south of the 101, you’re going to have some delays,” Bishop said. “It’s typical L.A. traffic.”

What has been a surprise are motorists heading in other directions — notably Las Vegas and San Diego — are not experiencing significant traffic problems, particularly on the troublesome San Diego (405) Freeway.     “I’m looking at the 405 right now’and (motorists) can expect some delay, but I don’t expect any major delays,” . It’s been a fair day so far — but that could change. It’s almost like a Sunday. It’s fairly light.”

Related Posts

The Willows: 30 Years Going Strong

November 5, 2024

November 5, 2024

Founded in 1994, The Willows Community School, located in Culver City, California, is a Developmental Kindergarten through 8th grade non-profit, co-educational...

Election Day Freebies and Discounts: Where to Eat, Drink, and Watch Election Results

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

From Free Doughnuts To Watch Parties, How To Unwind With Election Night Deals With this election day being one of...

Early Morning Call From Community Leads to Burglary Arrest in Culver City

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Police Respond To Suspicious Activity Call, Arrest Suspect With Pickaxe Culver City police arrested a man early Friday morning in...

Culver City Police Department is Prepared to Ensure Community Safety During Election Week

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Enhanced Patrols, Activated Emergency Center Ready, Culver City Voting Center is Open The Culver City Police Department has announced an...

Legendary Music Icon Quincy Jones Dies at 91 in Bel Air

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Celebrated Musician, Producer Leaves an Indelible Legacy By Dolores Quintana Legendary musician, music producer, film and television producer, composer of...

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Lays Off Longtime Archive and Library Staff

November 4, 2024

November 4, 2024

Downsizing and Restructuring Continue, Affecting Employees with Decades of Service By Dolores Quintana Last week, the Academy of Motion Picture...

LA County Opens 526 New Vote Centers for Early Voting, Announces Conditional Voting for Unregistered Residents

November 3, 2024

November 3, 2024

Metro LA Offers Free Rides on Election Day to Help Residents Get to the Polls Los Angeles County opened an...

New Aviation/Century Station Opens, Linking Metro’s C and K Lines

November 3, 2024

November 3, 2024

Metro’s Newest Station Paves the Way for Future LAX Transit Center The new Aviation/Century Station officially opened this week, marking...

H5N1 Detected in LA County Wastewater, Health Officials Urge Precautions for Residents

November 3, 2024

November 3, 2024

Los Angeles County Investigates Low-Level H5 Avian Flu Detected in Wastewater The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is...

Two Events in Culver City This Weekend: Bike Registration and Dance Performance

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

Put the Brakes on Bicycle Theft and Enjoy an Evening of Dance and Interactive Art The Culver City Police Department...

All You Need to Know to Attend the Dodgers Victory Parade Tomorrow in DTLA

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

World Champions and LA’s Team to Greet Angelenos After Win of NY Yankees The Los Angeles Dodgers announced that their...

Beverly Hills City Government Agrees to a Stipulated Judgment After Blocking Abortion Clinic Opening

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

City to Implement Training, Oversight on Reproductive Rights Following Legal Settlement  California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a legal agreement...

Dia De Los Muertos 2024: Here’s Where To Celebrate The Holiday Tradition This Weekend

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

Los Angeles Has a Variety of Ways to Explore Latino Culture and Honor Ancestors Starting just after Halloween, Dia de...

(Video) Downtown L.A. Reacts to World Series Victory

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

The Dodgers Are World Series Champs For The Eighth Time https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTFtyDDKn/

Halloween Pre-Game Party Brings Chills and Spooky Thrills to The Rose Venice

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

Enjoy Halloween With Festive Cocktails, Appetizers, and a Costume Contest The Rose Venice in Venice is set to host a...