Cars stream north on the 405, ahead of schedule, over the Sepulveda Pass on Sunday night.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times

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CHP patrol cars lead the pack of vehicles at the opening of the northbound lanes of the 405 Freeway.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times

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Automobiles and CHP patrol cars advance along the northbound lanes after they were reopened.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times

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Crews remove debris following demolition of the Mulholland Drive Bridge on Sunday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times

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Crews spray water over debris during the demolition of the Mulholland Drive Bridge on Sunday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times

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Crews spray water over debris during the final stages of Carmageddon II on Sunday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times

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The remains of the western side of the demolished bridge are visible Sunday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times

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Crews with heavy equipment remove rebar during the demolition of the Mulholland Drive Bridge on Sunday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times

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A sign warns of a fall hazard where the Mulholland Drive Bridge once stood.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times

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Demolition continues on 405 Freeway on Sunday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times

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Caltrans crews work on a 405 Freeway devoid of traffic Sunday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times

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Traffic Officer Ochoa directs motorists as cyclists move down Venice Boulevard for the Herbalife Triathlon that shut down most north-south streets from the Pacific Ocean to downtown, creating some traffic jams.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times

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Los Angeles CA, USA — Traffic Officer Morris gives directions to a motorist as cyclists move down Venice Boulevard.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times

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Los Angeles CA, USA — A cyclist passes by an officer directing traffic.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times

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The demolition of the Mulholland Drive bridge in the Sepulveda Pass over the 405 Freeway continues Sunday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times

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A truck removes debris as workers demolish the final pillar of the bridge.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times

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Lights illuminate demolition of the Mulholland Drive bridge over the 405 Freeway on Saturday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Bret Hartman / For The Times

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A large piece of the Mulholland Drive bridge falls as demolition continues.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Bret Hartman / For The Times

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A chunk of the Mulholland Drive bridge hits the ground.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Bret Hartman / For The Times

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The 405 Freeway is empty as construction continues on the Mulholland Drive bridge on Saturday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Bret Hartman / For The Times

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A rare sight: An empty 405 Freeway.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

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Construction crews work on the Mulholland Drive bridge over the closed 405 Freeway.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

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Traffic is heavy on Pacific Coast Highway near Sunset Boulevard as drivers try to find alternate routes.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

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From a helicopter, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa checks on traffic patterns where the 10 and 405 freeways intersect.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

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The closed 405 Freeway is eerily empty during Carmageddon II.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

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Construction crews tear into the north side of the Mulholland Drive bridge.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

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Construction continues on the bridge. Lanes are expected to reopen at 5 a.m. Monday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Bret Hartman / For The Times

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Construction workers man hoses during the demolition.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Bret Hartman / For The Times

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The interior of the bridge is exposed as demolition continues.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Bret Hartman / For The Times

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Workers stand near the construction zone.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Bret Hartman / For The Times

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Someone forgot their hard hat!

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Bret Hartman / For The Times

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Heavy equipment, including large excavators with ramming hoes, demolishes part of the Mulholland Drive bridge. The northbound 405 Freeway between the 10 and 101 freeways is closed, but the southbound side is closed only from the 101 Freeway to Getty Center Drive.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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Heavy equipment tears away at part of the Mulholland Drive bridge.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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A Penhall crew watches as part of the Mulholland Drive bridge is demolished.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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Heavy equipment, including large excavators with ramming hoes, demolish the north section of the Mulholland Drive bridge.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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A worker catches some shade as work continues on the bridge.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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Morning walkers and bicyclists stop on Skirball Bridge to view and photograph the construction work.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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Steven Jacobson, 42, and his 4-year-old son, Max, stop at a designated viewing area to have their picture taken in front of the bridge work.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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A worker monitors the destruction of the Mulholland Drive bridge.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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A worker is in the thick of it as the bridge is torn apart.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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The interior of the Mulholland Drive bridge is exposed as the 53-hour project continues.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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Mike Flowers, project manager with construction services company KIEWIT, keeps an eye on the heavy equipment.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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Workers move in to finish the work started by heavy equipment that chipped away big concrete chunks of the Mulholland Drive bridge,

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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Mobile battering rams knocking down the Mulholland Drive bridge expose the steel bars used to reinforce the concrete when the bridge was built,

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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Workers on top of the Mulholland Drive bridge monitor the progress of heavy equipment breaking off chunks of the structure.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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Workers use heavy machinery to knock chunks off the Mulholland Drive bridge over the 405 Freeway on Saturday morning.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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Crews work on the 405 Freeway just after midnight.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times

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Crews worked through the night on the Mulholland Drive bridge demolition.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times

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A heavy equipment operator prepares to get to work on the Mulholland Drive bridge over the 405 Freeway.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times

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A worker aims a floodlight on the northbound lanes of the 405 Freeway as demolition work gets underway.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times

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A worker has the closed Skirball Center Drive exit ramp to himself.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times

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Area residents take a last look at the soon-to-be-demolished north side of the Mulholland Drive bridge Friday night.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times

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Martin Almarez, left, of Westchester and Scott Mustin of Northridge watch from the Mulholland park and ride lot as construction crews take over the deserted 405 Freeway in the Sepulveda Pass.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times

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A sign warns against unauthorized entry to the north side of the Mulholland Drive bridge, slated for demolition over the weekend.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times

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The last car heads north into the San Fernando Valley just after midnight as a 10-mile stretch of the 405 Freeway is shut down for bridge demolition.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times

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The last car heads north into the San Fernando Valley just after midnight as a 10-mile stretch of the 405 Freeway is shut down for bridge demolition.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times

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Fray Munoz mans a barrier blocking an entrance ramp to the 405 Freeway at Wilshire Boulevard on Friday night.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times

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Officials from fire, transportation and other departments monitor the 405 Freeway closure from the city's Emergency Operations Center.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times

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Vehicles pass under the Mulholland Drive bridge before construction crews began closing the 405 Freeway on Friday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times

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Crews prepare for the Mulholland bridge work.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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Friday afternoon traffic on the 405 Freeway.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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Afternoon traffic rushes by as equipment and materials are positioned for the closure of the 405 Freeway on Friday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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