The Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks has, in the last few months opened up Mt. Hollywood Dr. for the first time since 1991 to private motor vehicle traffic. This road is only 4.2 miles long and cuts through a scarce and delicate wilderness park in the City of Los Angeles. Currently 1.1 miles have been opened with tram access to Mullhulland Dr. (dirt portion) indicating that more deletion of car free space may be on the way.
 
#KEEPGRIFFITHWILD
Mt. Hollywood is an important corridor for wild life, and a space for people to experience nature in an extremely park poor Los Angeles metro region. What was once a quiet wilderness preserve utilized by hikers, equestrians and cyclists has now become induced traffic chaos. Cars speeding and performing unsafe maneuvers compete for space with parents with strollers and kids. There are no sidewalks on this road.   Tourists seeking to capture a view of the Hollywood sign are being diverted from nearby vistas in a coordinated attempt with park officials and Council District 4 to relieve traffic congestion in the adjacent communities of Beachwood Canyon and Lake Hollywood. Reports of litter, graffiti, even a small fire have emerged in just the short while that this experiment has been in place.

PILOT PROJECT?
This ill conceived situation is being called a "pilot project", but many features of it appear permanent including signage and the modification of the gate at the southern foot of Mt. Hollywood Dr.

The goals and metrics of this "pilot project" have not been made clear by the department. First, the road was opened up to a tram service, and most recently it was opened up to private motor vehicles for parking. Surveys are being taken, but not in a scientific manner.

RETURN TO FORMER STATE
We ask the Department of Recreation and Parks to immediately halt this project and return Mt. Hollywood Dr. to it's former state with access limited to city utility and emergency vehicles. No trams. No cars.

NO TRAM OR SHUTTLE ON MT. HOLLYWOOD
Having a tram, shuttle, or any tourist service on Mt. Hollywood Dr. disrupts the peace and tranquility of the park interior portion of the park. The service would cost substantial financial and administrative resources to maintain. The sign vista on Mt. Hollywood is very walkable 0.3 miles from the foot of Mt. Hollywood Dr. An equally stunning view of the Hollywood sign with bathrooms and amenities is available at the Observatory plateau for those who can't or don't wish to walk this short distance.

Having a tram enter Mt. Hollywood Dr. and maintaining infrastructure for such  an operation will always carry the looming threat that a future park director or politician will re-open this scare wilderness space to cars or more frequent tour bus operations at the snap of the fingers, as has happened with the current "pilot project."

INCREASE DASH BUS SERVICE
Furthermore we ask that the department work with pertinent city agencies including the LADOT to increase DASH bus service (Observatory route) to a 7 day schedule of 15 -20 minute increments during park hours in order to discourage car traffic into the park and to help alleviate the situation in Hollywood sign adjacent communities by improving this cheap public transit connection to the Red Line station at Vermont and Sunset. A stop should be added to the southern foot of Mt. Hollywood Dr. where tourists will only need to walk 1500 feet to get to a beautiful Hollywood sign vista point. The cost to riders is 50 cents.

Increased DASH bus service is estimated to cost an additional $239k annually*.  Reliable DASH service will relieve the Department of Recreation and Parks of committing vital administrative resources to a redundant and currently unfunded tram service option which has been stated to cost nearly 1 million dollars annually by park officials. It will be far more convenient to utilize DASH infrastructure and services that already exist. *https://pro.transitmix.net/map/2d30288

We the undersigned, URGE Michael A. Shull, General Manager of the Department of Recreation and Parks, Councilmember Tom LaBonge (and his soon to be elected successor) of Council District 4, Griffith Park Superintendent Joe Salaices, and the Board of Recreation and Park Commissioners to honor the park by honoring our request.

General Manager, Michael Shull: Michael.A.Shull@lacity.org
Superintendent of Griffith Park, Joe Salaices: joe.salaices@lacity.org
Board of Recreation and Park Commissioners: RAP.Commissioners@LACity.org
(323) 661-9465

Thank You.