Morning walkers and bicyclists stop on Skirball Bridge to view and photograph heavy equipment busy in the demolition of part of the Mullholland Drive bridge over the 405 freeway early Sept. 29, 2012 in Los Angeles. Construction crews began work early Saturday taking down a portion of the Mulholland Drive bridge along Interstate 405, one of the nation's busiest freeways. Traffic was light around Los Angeles hours after the start of Carmageddon II, and transportation officials were hoping it stays that way until the bridge is demolished before the Monday morning rush hour. (AP Photo/Los Angeles Times, Irfan Khan) NO FORNS; NO SALES; MAGS OUT; ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER OUT; LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS OUT; VENTURA COUNTY STAR OUT; INLAND VALLEY DAILY BULLETIN OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT, TV OUT
Morning walkers and bicyclists stop on Skirball Bridge to view and photograph heavy equipment busy in the demolition of part of the Mullholland Drive bridge over the 405 freeway early Sept. 29, 2012 in Los Angeles. Construction crews began work early Saturday taking down a portion of the Mulholland Drive bridge along Interstate 405, one of the nation's busiest freeways. Traffic was light around Los Angeles hours after the start of Carmageddon II, and transportation officials were hoping it stays that way until the bridge is demolished before the Monday morning rush hour. (AP Photo/Los Angeles Times, Irfan Khan) NO FORNS; NO SALES; MAGS OUT; ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER OUT; LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS OUT; VENTURA COUNTY STAR OUT; INLAND VALLEY DAILY BULLETIN OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT, TV OUT
Workers continue the demolition of the center span of the Mulholland Drive bridge along Interstate 405 in Los Angeles on Saturday Sept. 29,2012. Construction crews are on schedule and traffic tie-ups are minimal in Los Angeles, making for a smooth start to Carmageddon II, the sequel to last year's shutdown of one of the nation's busiest freeways. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
Workers continue the demolition of the center span of the Mulholland Drive bridge along a closed Interstate 405 in Los Angeles on Saturday Sept. 29,2012. Construction crews are on schedule and traffic tie-ups are minimal in Los Angeles, making for a smooth start to Carmageddon II, the sequel to last year's shutdown of one of the nation's busiest freeways. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
California Highway Patrol cars patrol a closed 405 freeway overlooking the San Fernando Valley section of Los Angeles as workers continue the demolition of the Mulholland Drive bridge on Saturday Sept. 29,2012. Construction crews are on schedule and traffic tie-ups are minimal in Los Angeles, making for a smooth start to Carmageddon II, the sequel to last year's shutdown of one of the nation's busiest freeways. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)
The closed 405 freeway is eerily empty during Carmageddon II in Los Angeles on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012 in Los Angeles. Construction crews were on schedule and traffic tie-ups were minimal in Los Angeles on Saturday, making for a smooth start to Carmageddon II, the sequel to last year's shutdown of one of the nation's busiest freeways. (AP Photo/Los Angeles Times, Gina Ferazzi) NO FORNS; NO SALES; MAGS OUT; ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER OUT; LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS OUT; VENTURA COUNTY STAR OUT; INLAND VALLEY DAILY BULLETIN OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT, TV OUT
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Sunday called "Carmageddon II," the sequel to last year's shutdown of one of the nation's busiest freeways, a success and thanked drivers for staying off the road and keeping the weekend traffic unusually light.
Bridgework that forced the closure of Interstate 405 was completed and lanes of the freeway through the Sepulveda Pass will reopen as planned for the Monday morning commute, Villaraigosa told a news conference.
"We are on track," he said.
A similar closure occurred last year to demolish portions of the Mulholland Drive bridge to allow construction of an additional freeway lane. Like last year, city residents heeded months of warnings to stay off the road and the fear of an epic traffic jam never materialized.
Villaraigosa says his hope for a "Carmaheaven" came true and thanked drivers for their cooperation.
"The real stars of this sequel were the motorists who took advantage of a car-free weekend and stayed off the road," he said.
Like Villaraigosa, some drivers couldn't resist comparing the scenario to a movie.
"It's like that movie 'Vanilla Sky,' ... where Times Square is empty," Sterling Gates told KABC-TV. "It's kind of like that. We're known for our traffic, and it's just nothing."
The closed, 10-mile section of the 405 carries about 500,000 motorists each day on a typical weekend, according to the Los Angeles Times. California Department of Transportation officials said that in order for "Carmageddon II" to be a success, at least two-thirds of those drivers need to stay off the road.
The rare sight of a carless freeway attracted many onlookers, including seven people who were cited for sneaking onto the roadway, the California Highway Patrol said.
Last year, three people slipped onto the freeway at the crack of dawn and snapped photos of themselves enjoying a gourmet meal on an eerily empty freeway.
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