Los Angeles officials announced they will be adding wider sidewalks, bus lanes and protected bike lanes on Hollywood Boulevard, making it a safer place for those who walk and cruise down the street.
The "Access to Hollywood" initiative aims to revitalize one of Los Angeles’ most popular places to walk and visit but also one of the most dangerous.
According to the officials, 56 people died in 53 crashes over a decade, the majority of them while walking or biking.
Jason Bautista who works at the Thai Development Community Center in Hollywood says the street is vital to the city but has been overrun by vehicle traffic.
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“Hollywood Boulevard serves as a lifeline for our community but has been dominated by speeding cars,” said Bautista.
Authorities hope that remaking Hollywood Boulevard and adding these safety features will make the city less car-dependent and more pedestrian-friendly.
“If you’re like me, you walk around the city, you bike around the city. I even skateboard around the city, but we know that the streets often can be very dangerous,” said LA City Council Member Hugo Soto-Martinez.
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Soto-Martinez says the new bike lanes will go from La Brea Fountain Avenues while the bus lanes be added from Orange Drive to Gower Street. 216 spaces for street parking will be lost, but officials say much more will be gained.
“This plan takes a holistic approach to deliver a Hollywood Boulevard that is worth of its famous namesake and is a testament to what we can do when we work together as partners,” said Clare Eberle, a transportation planning associate with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.
Officials say the changes will add at least one to five minutes of travel time for drivers, but bus times will improve. Metro will pay the $8 million cost with the goal of completing the project by the first half of 2025.
