With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
Construction Begins To Fix A Dangerous Hollywood Boulevard Intersection, What You Should Know
Renderings from LADOT show the future designs for Hollywood and Hobart Boulevards.
(
LADOT
)
Work begins Monday on a dangerous stretch of Hollywood Boulevard, according to L.A. City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez’s office.
The long-awaited project plans to slow speeding drivers, protect bikers, boost public transit access, with the goal of improving safety as people travel along the popular corridor between Gower Street and Lyman Place.
“This corridor is a dangerous one. Between 2010 and 2019 there were 53 severe injury and fatal collisions in just this project area,” said Max Podemski, a Los Angeles Department of Transportation planner, during a town hall meeting about the project earlier this year.
What you should expect
The project will add a few minutes to your drive through the area once it is completed — depending on the time of day and direction of travel — LADOT said. One lane will be removed from each side of the street to make way for a dedicated bike lane. Crews will also add a median center lane for turning only.
Support for LAist comes from
Parking will also be changed along the entire project area as crews make space for the bike lane. LADOT will add more than double the amount of available space for pedestrians and bicyclists. That means one to two parking spaces per block between Van Ness Avenue to Lyman Place will need to be removed on each side of the street. In addition, all on-existing street parking will be removed between Van Ness Avenue and Gower Street.
Current conditions along Hollywood Boulevard.
(
Courtesy LADOT
)
Planned changes reduce the lanes of traffic and create a bike lane that is buffered by parked cars.
(
Courtesy LADOT
)
Why now?
City officials said the new safety changes will address speeding problems and curb the rise in traffic deaths near Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards.
Traffic deaths in Los Angeles reached all time highs again in 2023. In all, 336 died in crashes, and about half were pedestrians.
Soto-Martinez told LAist that the project will also make accessing the Metro B (Red) line easier while boosting business for the neighborhood.
Support for LAist comes from
"This project is about making it safer and easier for people to get around. After the improvements coming this summer, Hollywood will be more welcoming for businesses, residents and tourists alike," Soto-Martinez said.
What’s next
The Hollywood Blvd Safety and Mobility Project is part of a larger effort to connect Los Angeles through all modes of travel. A similar facelift is in the works for Los Feliz and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Construction on Hollywood Boulevard should be completed by August 18, according to LADOT. The next step will be to connect the new bike lane to an existing route on sunset. Once that's completed, public works will start to makeover the complicated 6-way intersection where Hollywood Boulevard meets Sunset Boulevard.
Updated June 17, 2024 at 3:35 PM PDT
This story has been updated to add detail about the changes to available parking.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol. -
Kevin Lee's Tokyo Noir has become one of the top spots for craft-inspired cocktails. -
A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight. -
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious. -
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress. -
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent.
Best of LAist