LA commuters return to Monday morning grind

[July 18, 2011]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A major Los Angeles freeway construction shutdown and breathless warnings of "Carmageddon" commuter gridlock are in the rearview mirror.

California Highway Patrol dispatch center Officer Krystal Carter says everything is wide open after Monday's 5 a.m. start of the four-hour commuter rush.

Feared epic traffic jams from Interstate 405's shutdown to remove a sweeping freeway span never materialized.

The 10-mile freeway stretch linking the San Fernando Valley and the Los Angeles Westside was shut down Friday night for what was supposed to be a project ending at dawn Monday.

But crews finished early and the freeway reopened on Sunday, 17 hours ahead of schedule.

Officials are hopeful next year's sequel -- removal of the other half of the bridge -- will run just as smoothly.

[Associated Press; By DAISY NGUYEN and ANDREW DALTON]

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.