Carmageddon Panic Hits Los Angeles

California can’t seem to stay out of the news today, can it?

First the whole “South California as the 51st state” brouhaha began grabbing headlines, and now Los Angeles residents are tweeting and Facebooking up a storm about the impending ‘Carmageddon,’ also known as the upcoming planned closure of the 405 Freeway. The largely automobile-dependent city is counting down to the travel disruption, scheduled to begin in four days.

While Los Angelenos are preparing for July 16th, 17th and 18th spate of carlessness (or what we in New York City call every freaking day), some are making hay. A fancy helicopter tour has been put together to view the desolate freeway during Carmageddon at a cost of just $400 a couple. Showbiz trade mag Variety reports that the entertainment industry has made provisions for Carmageddon as well, outlined on their site.

How Californians will deal with the three-day inconvenience known as Carmageddon remains to be seen, but signs along the 405 blaring “expect big delay!” probably aren’t doing much to soothe their tanned and tattered nerves.

Is Carmageddon going to affect your weekend plans? Jealous of New York’s hot, crowded, reeking-of-urine subway system yet?