Mayor Eric Garcetti has revived a decades-old idea to get tourists to the historic Hollywood sign - a gondola ride through Griffith Park.
There’s no formal proposal yet, but the mayor says he’s trying to address the congestion in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood caused by visitors to Los Angeles’ iconic landmarks.
The city closed one of the main entrances to the sign recently amid complaints of visitors disturbing a working ranch in the area. The gondola, says Garcetti, could depart from the Universal Studios area and take people past the neighborhoods that struggle with traffic.
But the gondola idea doesn’t appeal to everyone. Some residents have issues with the possibility of added noise in Griffith Park canyons. Others worry that the gondola would block views from below the sign. And there’s always the matter of who will pay for its construction and operation.
What do you think of the gondola idea? Would you pay to use it as a resident? Do you think tourists would enjoy the ride? Will it fix issues with traffic and congestion in the city?
We reached out to the offices of Mayor Eric Garcetti and Councilmember David Ryu, but neither were available for comment at the time we requested.
Guests:
Jeff Zarrinnam, chairman of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce; he is also president and CEO of Hollywood Hotel and Chateau Celeste Hotels
Marian Dodge, president of Friends of Griffith Park