One week after it voted to install fencing on Mulholland to block some views of the sign and protect pedestrians, the Los Angeles City Council has approved a motion seeking to potentially prohibit tour bus operations in hillside neighborhoods in proximity to the Hollywood Sign.
The council voted 11-0 to approve a motion instructing the Department of Transportation to report within 120 days on possibly prohibiting tour bus operations in the area bounded by Barham Boulevard, the ridgeline of the Santa Monica Mountains, Western Canyon Road, Franklin Avenue and U.S. Route 101.
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Council members Eunisses Hernandez, John Lee, Tim McOsker and Current Price were absent during the vote.
Specifically, the motion seeks to address concerns regarding public safety in the neighborhoods of Hollywood Knolls, Hollywood Dell, Lake Hollywood, Hollywoodland, Beachwood Canyon and Oaks that sit adjacent to the Hollywood Sign.
According to the motion, introduced by Councilwoman Nithya Raman, who represents the Fourth District, the city passed an ordinance in 2021 that gave the council authority to approve prohibitions of tour bus operations on streets that the DOT determined to be unsafe. The DOT needs to undertake a study and issue a report to the council for any streets in question.
“The narrow, winding streets of these neighborhoods are not suitable for large vehicles, and over the years residents have cited persistent moving violations and other infractions by tour bus operators,” Raman’s motion reads.
“Existing streets in the area have weight restrictions tour buses violate which could be enforced more consistently.’
The motion instructs the Los Angeles Police Department to list all existing streets in Council District 4 with 6,000-lb. restrictions.
It also seeks information on resources needed for the LAPD to enforce city code to prohibit vehicles weighing over 6,000 lbs. on routes leading to the Hollywood Sign, including routes leading to Mulholland Drive west of U.S Route 101, and Mulholland Drive itself on summer weekends and major holidays.
Last week, the council approved Raman’s motion for “a permanent replacement to temporary fencing erected several years ago at the end of Mulholland Highway above Lake Hollywood Park that obstructs views of the sign to reduce cars from stopping and congesting a key roadway residents use to access their homes. New permanent fencing would provide an attractive alternative as well as additional space for people to walk on a safer side path out of the street.”
Another of her proposals was also approved. It will have the Bureau of Engineering (BOE) “establish a project studying and implementing improvements to the intersection of Mulholland Highway and Canyon Lake Drive.” The current roadway at the popular viewpoint for the Hollywood Sign is “difficult to navigate, and encourages traffic to back up during peak tourist days,” according to her proposal. The goal is to have the BOE make “significant improvements to the public right of way including roadway, sidewalks, and loading areas, to more effectively handle car traffic and vehicle throughput to address safety concerns related to evacuation and congestion.” In her tweet on the matter, Raman said a traffic roundabout was among the solutions being considered.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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