City officials and community members came together on July 27 to launch a project to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment along Hollywood Boulevard near Western Avenue.

Last December, Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, 13th District, announced funding had been secured for the Hollywood-Western Streetscape Improvement Project, bringing new crosswalks, street lighting and sidewalk improvements to Hollywood Boulevard from Western Avenue to Gower Street.

Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, 13th District, outlined improvements that will be made along Hollywood Boulevard west of Western Avenue. He was joined by other city officials and members of the Hollywood community.
(photo courtesy of Councilman Mitch O’Farrell’s Office)

“As Los Angeles becomes even more walkable, I want to make sure that my constituents have a safer, more pleasant pedestrian experience,” O’Farrell said. “I am pleased to finally see plans for the Hollywood-Western Streetscape moving forward.”

The project will include new sidewalk ramps that meet American Disabilities Act standards, a new traffic signal at Hollywood Boulevard and Gramercy Place, striped crosswalks, new trees, benches, trash receptacles and bike racks. Curb extensions will also be installed to make it easier for people to cross, said Tony Arranaga, communications director for O’Farrell.

“It’s a very dense neighborhood already. There is a new apartment building going up and there are a lot of shops starting to take hold there,” Arranaga said. “It has been a pedestrian-activated area and this will help constituents and local residents get from point A to point B without using a car.”

The project is anticipated to cost approximately $3.08 million and it is expected to be complete by late 2018. Part of the funding comes from developers building projects in the area, while another portion comes from a $1.84 million Active Transportation Program grant.

The work has been years in the making, Arranaga said. O’Farrell and city staff worked with residents in the surrounding community to determine what amenities they would like to have in the neighborhood.

“You can complain about the dirty dishes in the sink, or you can get up and you can wash them. Little did I realize I would take that philosophy to the neighborhood,” said Cindy Duhaime Londberg, a resident who has lived in the area for 15 years. “I love this neighborhood. It has changed tremendously with the help of so many different departments. We have worked for years to get involved … to get feedback about the neighborhood. This corner of Hollywood and Western, which used to be a gang-ridden neighborhood, is now a pedestrian-friendly area. There is no greater honor than to flip the switch on the next chapter of Hollywood and Western.”