Los Angeles ( CNN ) -- The opening scenes to a massive highway project dubbed `` Carmageddon II '' have so far been free of traffic jams , officials said Saturday . The construction project is shutting down this weekend a mountainous 10-mile section of a Los Angeles highway that 's one of the nation 's busiest freeways . Motorists have been told to stay home to avoid massive gridlock . `` So far , 'Carmageddon II ' is an excellent sequel , '' Los Angeles Fire Capt . Alicia Mathis said . `` Carmageddon II '' repeats last year 's closure of the same section of Interstate 405 , which had been expected to be so apocalyptic that Los Angeles residents labeled the weekend shutdown `` Carmageddon . '' The theatrical play on words captures Los Angeles ' love affair with the automobile -- and its dread of common traffic jams -- but last year 's evacuation of the highway went smoothly , causing no paralysis . The drama is heightened by how the closed portion of the 405 overlaps the Sepulveda Pass of the Santa Monica Mountains -- one of only two major highways over the range . No major traffic jams had been reported by Saturday evening . A mile-long backup near the south end of the project had been cleared by midday . Lauren Wonder , spokeswoman for the California Department of Transportation , said residents so far had heeded warnings to stay home or in their communities . Officials continued to advocate the use of public transportation . Because last year 's closure went well , officials were concerned this year about ultra-gridlock out of a fear that motorists may get behind the wheel this weekend out of excessive confidence and complacency . `` The risk factors that caused transportation , law enforcement and emergency response agencies heartburn during last year 's I-405 freeway closure have not changed , '' said Murthy . The 405 , as it 's locally called , connects suburban San Fernando Valley with Los Angeles International Airport . It also stretches into the well-to-do neighborhoods of west Los Angeles , such as Bel Air and Brentwood . Specifically , the 405 was closed between Interstate 10 and U.S. 101 . Crews were taking down a portion of the Mulholland Drive bridge to make room for a wider roadway . The bridge is being reconstructed . Road crews will continue this weekend 's shutdown of the 405 until Monday morning , and the reconstruction is expected to finish on time , said K.N . Murthy , an executive director of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority . The highway construction project this weekend will complete a carpool lane system over the mountain pass to create a continuous carpool lane of almost 73 miles in each direction between Orange County and Los Angeles County 's San Fernando Valley -- the longest in the world , officials said . Highway reconstruction will continue until 2013 , when the overall $ 1.34 billion project is scheduled for completion , officials said . Improvements include new bridges and ramps , officials said . Caltrans maintenance crews were taking advantage of the closure to pack in extensive maintenance , according to Wonder . The list included cleaned culverts , removal of debris , tree trimming , striping and the application of rubber sealant on the roadway . CNN 's Kyung Lah and Phil Gast contributed to this report .
Residents appear to be heeding warnings . This weekend 's closure of Interstate 405 is dubbed `` Carmageddon II ' The 405 is a critical artery that will be closed for 10 miles through mountains . A closure last year was dubbed Carmageddon .