These are the L.A. streets readers want closed to cars

Several pedestrians walk down Hollywood Boulevard as cars pass by.

By Paul ThorntonLetters Editor

Aug. 27, 2022 3 AM PT

It’s only a small stretch of quiet road, but in Los Angeles — where nearly 300 people were killed in traffic last year, and where neighborhoods were designed to maximize automotive throughput — the permanent closure of Griffith Park Drive to car traffic represents a welcome new way of thinking about streets. Our streets, after all, are public spaces, and repurposing them according to their safest and best use by people is an undertaking that should be brought to all parts of Los Angeles.

In that spirit, the Times Editorial Board asked readers where they’d like to see other car-free streets. The suggestions cover many parts of Los Angeles and mostly call for reworking streets that already see a lot of pedestrian and cyclist use, where driving is already inconvenient or slow. A few readers, however, want L.A. to go really bold and close off long arterials to motorists.

As a cyclist and sidewalk wanderer myself, I’d say all of these ideas are worth considering (though many motorists would probably disagree). At the very least, the suggestions show plenty of us want safer, more complete streets.

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To the editor: One candidate for L.A.’s next car-free street could be Crystal Springs Drive in Griffith Park.

From the 5 Freeway offramp to the Ranger Station, Crystal Springs is two separate wide roads, one northbound and one southbound. I would love it if the city put two-way car traffic on just one of those roadways, and reserved the other for bicycling, walking, skating and scootering.

It’s great that many of the park’s steeper roads are now car-free, and excellent for hill-climbing cyclists, but flatter places like Crystal Springs would be great for families, kids and other less hard-core riders.

Joe Linton, Koreatown

The writer is editor of Streetsblog LA.

To the editor: Make the entire 16 miles of Wilshire Boulevard — from downtown to the ocean — our Central Park, for walking, running, cycling and enjoying a green, tree-filled space where Angelenos can experience their neighbors, nature and a reimagined city life.

According to the Los Angeles Conservancy, “Spanning nearly sixteen miles from downtown to the ocean, Wilshire Boulevard is the symbolic spine of Los Angeles.”

Michael and Laura Bellotti, Los Angeles

To the editor: Out of all the streets in Los Angeles, Broadway in downtown L.A. stretching from Grand Park to the Ace Hotel offers the greatest potential for a car-free zone.

Apart from historic sites including the Bradbury Building or the Orpheum and Globe theaters, it provides several amenities such as Grand Central Market, the gay night club Precinct and standout shopping facilities like Apple Tower Theater.

A car-free Broadway makes downtown more attractive to pedestrians, tourists and businesses. The nearby 7th Street, Pershing Square, Civic Center and soon-to-open Historic Broadway Metro stations provide easy access from much of Los Angeles. Allowing only buses to travel through would help public transit as well in a similar way to Market Street in San Francisco.

Branko Burcksen, Los Angeles

To the editor: As someone who tries to make it to every CicLAvia event (including last Sunday’s, which was phenomenally attended), it’s obvious to me that Angelenos want more spaces free of car traffic for walking, biking, skateboarding, scootering and using wheelchairs.

I live in Pasadena, and I’d like to see Green Street blocked off to car traffic. It’s already a one-way street, it’s got amazing tree cover, and there are lots of beautiful buildings with retail space that could be revived with this type of use.

Pasadena has lots of car traffic, and I truly believe this could be alleviated by more dedicated bike lanes. These conversions have been painfully slow in Pasadena, however, despite growing numbers of citizens pushing for it.

Sarah Richart, Pasadena

To the editor: I am happy to see a road in Griffith Park closed to cars, especially after the tragic death of a cyclist on another road. Golden Gate Park in San Francisco recently closed the main east-west road to cars as well, making for a safer, more pedestrian-friendly environment.

I live near the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where pedestrians regularly clog the sidewalks or spill into the street. I would love to see Hollywood Boulevard closed to cars, for at least a few blocks, and become more like Times Square in New York.

Jillian Robertson, Los Angeles

To the editor: I would love to see Avenue 56 connecting Figueroa Street and York Boulevard in Highland Park closed for pedestrians on weekends.

Carolina Valle, Los Angeles

To the editor: L.A. born and raised, I love the city and would visit more often if it had more safe and accessible pedestrian- and bike-friendly public space.

As has been demonstrated in California, across America and around the world, public spaces free of motor vehicles have increased tourism and helped to prevent injury and death, resulting in more welcoming environments for visitors and local families.

I am strongly in favor of increasing such areas in Los Angeles, and would be willing to visit more frequently if they were developed.

Mark W. Dixon, Huntington Beach

To the editor: Here’s my list of streets to close permanently to traffic:

Hollywood Boulevard between La Brea and Highland. Who wants to sit in traffic on this section of the street? Give the tourists their space.

Magnolia Boulevard in North Hollywood, between Lankershim and Vineland. Let’s give the NoHo Arts District some space. If the city wants this to be the genuine destination it deserves to be (and not one of convenience or last resort), open the streets and give it the full entertainment district vibe.