Mayor Can't Stomach 'Hangover 3' Freeway Closure

Still in the filming stages, “Hangover 3” is already causing headaches for some Southern California residents.

Costa Mesa Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer criticized Caltrans Monday for plans to close busy sections of the 73 Freeway Saturday and Sunday to allow filming of "Hangover 3.''

"I just think it's outrageous,'' Righeimer said. "They're going to disrupt traffic on the 73 so that they can film a movie, which the citizens of Costa Mesa get nothing out of.''

Righeimer's comments came after Caltrans' offices closed for the day on Monday. The state agency has a policy of doing everything it can to accommodate movie shoots and the jobs they bring to California. Permits have been granted to close the southbound Corona del Mar Freeway from the 405 Freeway south to the 55 Freeway, according to Gloria Roberts of Caltrans.

That closure is expected to dump heavy traffic onto surface streets in the area, because there is no ramp from the southbound San Diego Freeway to the southbound Costa Mesa Freeway. But Righeimer says city staff is working on alleviating some of the anticipated congestion.

"With as much staff as we have working on it, hopefully it will be an inconvenience and not a nightmare," Righeimer said.

And in the future he would like to see more planning involved before any roads are shut down.

"It wasn’t completely thought out. I think Caltrans people are concerned about commuter traffic," Righeimer said. "But on the weekends we have residents from Costa Mesa and Newport Beach trying to get to South Coast Plaza and Metro Pointe."

Righeimer said he has no beef with the "Hangover'' movies and paid to see the second one. "It was pretty crazy,'' Righeimer said of the movies. "Some funny stuff. It kind of shocks you, thinking, whoa, that's a little over the line.''

Righeimer said he would be more supportive if the filmmakers offered something in return.

"They should throw us a bone or something,'' Righeimer said. "Have the actors show up somewhere or something.''

The film, staring Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Heather Graham, John Goodman and Ken Jeong reportedly centers on the misadventure of a group of friends who set out to rescue one of their own from a mental hospital.

On Sunday, the southbound Corona del Mar Freeway will be closed from the Costa Mesa Freeway interchange to Jamboree Road from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Bristol Street, which is a frontage road there, is the posted detour. Northbound lanes will be closed from Jamboree Road to Campus Drive -- a one-mile segment -- from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and again from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. The closed sections of freeway are not a part of the toll road section of the state Route 73 and are under Caltrans jurisdiction.

- City News Service contributed to this report.