FREEWAY WORK AN OBSTACLE CONSTRUCTION JAM-UPS INEVITABLE AS MOTORISTS HEAD OUT OF TOWN.

Byline: Martin Kuz Staff Writer

People planning to hit the road for a Fourth of July getaway face slow going as road construction sprouts like poppies throughout the Los Angeles area.

With summer construction season in full bloom, transportation and law enforcement officials urge the 2.6 million Southern Californians expected to take to the road this weekend to accept the inevitable: Traffic happens.

``People should realize we're all in this together,'' Caltrans spokeswoman Jeanne Bonfilio said. ``If you just try to relax, before you know it, you'll be through'' the gridlock.

A national Automobile Association of America survey estimates that a whopping 32 million people will drive to their before-the-Fourth weekend destinations this year, thanks in part to sky-high gas prices dropping in recent weeks.

The rush to escape Los Angeles could be slowed by several Caltrans projects, including the building of a car-pool lane to the southbound 405 over the Sepulveda Pass, upgrading the Interstate 5 corridor in the Santa Clarita Valley and improving entrance and exit points along the Hollywood Freeway.

Ongoing work on the Antelope Valley, Foothill and Long Beach freeways also could gum up the traffic flow.

Caltrans schedules much of its road work at night to avoid creating added delays for daily commuters as well as vacationers traveling to San Diego, Las Vegas, Central California coast beaches and other popular summer destinations.

But the sheer volume of traffic means no matter how much travelers try to anticipate where gridlock might occur, sooner or later they're bound to get stuck, Automobile Club of Southern California spokesman Jeff Spring said.

``If you're in (traffic), you're in it,'' he said. ``Take a few deep breaths and go with the flow. There's not much else you can do.''

The automobile club and the California Highway Patrol recommend that summer vacationers travel during off-peak traffic periods when driving in or out of metropolitan areas. Avoiding morning and afternoon rush-hour traffic can shave hours off a trip and give travelers peace of mind, Spring said.

Mapping out alternate routes before leaving home also can preserve the summer traveler's sanity, he added.

CHP Officer Frank Sandoval suggested that people bring in their cars, minivans, sport utility vehicles and recreational vehicles for a tuneup before taking to the road.

``In the summer months it's going to be very hot, so you need to make sure your car is mechanically sound,'' he said.

Anyone planning to drive across desolate desert country to Las Vegas or other vacation spots should carry extra water - both for themselves and their vehicle, Sandoval said.

Other travel essentials include a cell phone, food and blankets. Bring along books, games and music to keep children occupied.

Most of all, maintain a sense of humor. If you find yourself gripping the steering wheel in bumper-to-bumper traffic instead of holding a cold beer down by the beach, just try to stay calm, said Dave Altman, past president of the Southern California RV Dealers Association.

``There are three things you can figure on in life: death, taxes and road construction,'' he said. ``So be ready for it.''

Details of state road projects can be found on the Web at www.dot.ca.gov. Construction information is also available from Caltrans at (800) 427-ROAD. For current traffic conditions in the L.A. area, go to www.dailynews.com and click on Traffic Report.

CAPTION(S):

photo, map

Photo:

(color) One of the many Southern California traffic bottlenecks this summer is on the Ventura Freeway between Lankershim Boulevard and Vineland Avenue.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer

Map: GETAWAY

SOURCE: Caltrans

Daily News