Posted on 03/27/2024
ONE BIG THING: ACCESS TO HOLLYWOOD
What Happened?
This week, we announced a transformational vision for a pedestrian-centered Hollywood Blvd, called “Access to Hollywood” that will include:
🚲 3.6 miles of protected bike lanes (the FIRST in CD13!)
🚶♂️ New crosswalks & wider sidewalks
🚍 A dedicated bus lane
🍽️ Outdoor dining
➕ Much more
This is a HUGE deal for mobility in LA.
Right now:
- There's no bike infrastructure on Hollywood Blvd
- Speeding cars make Hollywood Blvd hostile to pedestrians
- Hollywood has a storefront vacancy rate 3x the average for LA
That will change next year when we implement new bike lanes, crosswalks, traffic calming, and outdoor dining on the Boulevard.
Why it Matters
It's hard to overstate how important this project is for the future of mobility in Hollywood and across LA.
According to a survey conducted by the Department of Transportation, 87% of respondents said that improving safety on Hollywood Blvd is very important to them and 76% said that cars traveling at high speeds make them feel unsafe along the corridor.
The entirety of this stretch is also on the “High Injury Network,” which represents 6% of city streets that account for 70% of deaths and severe injuries for people walking.
This $8 million investment is a part of an unprecedented collaboration between multiple council districts, the Department of Transportation, Bureau of Engineering, StreetsLA, and Metro – combining resources and expertise to maximize efficiency and minimize construction impacts.
What's Next?
We are finalizing designs with our city partners, and next month, our office will host a Town Hall to hear what the community thinks about the Access to Hollywood plan.
Then after next month’s Town Hall and additional constituent engagement, construction is set to begin later this year, with an opening date in the first half of 2025. After that, we’ll move forward with sidewalk expansion, planting street trees, and implementing more pedestrian upgrades before 2028.
This mobility project is a part of a broader plan over the coming years to revitalize Hollywood, including addressing homelessness with more shelter beds, improving the CIRCLE unarmed response program, building the first public bathrooms in Hollywood, and bringing in new businesses to the area.
Two More Quick Hits!
1. Putting Real Accountability for Police Misconduct on the Ballot
There are 68 officers currently in the LAPD who have been credibly accused of egregious misconduct like sexual harassment and perjury, yet they are allowed to remain on the job even when the LAPD Chief called for them to be fired.
LAPD has a system unlike any other occupation, where officers accused of misconduct have to go in front of a “Board of Rights” process *before* they can be fired. 77% of the time, officers in front of the “Civilian Board of Rights” receive either zero punishment or less punishment than recommended by the Police Chief.
But this week in council, we took the first step toward reversing this ridiculous system by looking at a City Charter Amendment that would allow the LAPD Chief to fire officers when they commit egregious misconduct, reform the broken “Board of Rights” process, and finally implement real accountability for police misconduct.
2. Welcoming Dr. Dre to the Walk of Fame
This Tuesday, we were able to honor the legendary artist Dr. Dre with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
As someone who grew up in South Central in the 90s, I listened to Dre constantly, and his music was essentially the soundtrack of my teenage years.
His music is now deeply intertwined with the culture of LA, so it was surreal to be able to take part in this long-overdue recognition.