A motion proposing to look at ways to mitigate traffic congestion on the Highland Avenue off-ramp at the 101 Freeway in Hollywood was on tap to be discussed at a Los Angeles Council transportation committee meeting on June 25, though the agenda item was tabled to a later date.
Councilman Mike Bonin, who serves on the transportation committee, recommended holding off on discussing the motion because his colleague, Councilman Tom LaBonge, was not present at the June 25 meeting. LaBonge authored the motion, which was seconded by Councilman Mitch O’Farrell.
If the motion as proposed makes it out of committee and is ultimately approved by the full City Council, commuters who exit from the southbound lanes of the 101 Freeway at Highland Avenue might be given more lanes to operate in as they head into Hollywood.
“When the US 101 Hollywood Freeway opened in 1954, it was a revolution in freeway engineering. However, with the ever-increasing volume of commuters in higher speeds, there is a shortcoming of interchanges being spaced too close together,” LaBonge’s motion stated. “The Highland Avenue off-ramp from the South-bound Hollywood Freeway, is two lanes off the freeway, and merges into one lane at Cahuenga Boulevard West. This causes major traffic congestion.”
Accordingly, LaBonge hopes his motion gains enough support to have the California Dept. of Transportation (Caltrans) and Los Angeles Dept. of Transportation (LADOT) to “continue to work together to mitigate existing traffic challenges by providing recommendations on how to make a swap and have Cahuenga Boulevard West into one lane, and make two lanes off the off- ramps priority should be given to freeway lanes.”
LaBonge’s motion describes the Hollywood Freeway as “one of the principal freeways of Los Angeles, and one of the busiest in the United States.”
The portion of the Hollywood Freeway just north of Hollywood and where it meets Highland Avenue is the Cahuenga Pass, which connects Los Angeles Basin to the San Fernando Valley.
As the Hollywood Freeway’s southbound drivers exit Highland Avenue, not only does the off-ramp merge with Cahuenga Boulevard West but, once merged, places vehicles in front of the Hollywood Bowl. Accordingly, traffic is further compounded whenever events and performances occur at the iconic venue.
Once drivers clear the Hollywood Bowl, they then descend upon an area ripe with tourists and high volume traffic. Within a stretch mile after the Bowl is a major hotel (Loews), shopping center (Hollywood and Highland) and several attractions (El Capitan and Chinese theaters, Madame Tussauds, Hollywood Walk of Fame, etc.).
Follow Parimal M. Rohit on Twitter: @ParimalRohit
