A Safer Griffith Park For All

On Saturday, April 16th, 2022, Andrew Jelmert an experienced cyclist who was just about to complete a training ride in Griffith Park was struck by a drunk driver traveling over 70 miles per hour on a wide stretch of Crystal Springs Drive. Jelmert was killed and the driver fled the scene, to be apprehended by law enforcement later. Life is precious and irreplaceable. Unfortunately in Los Angeles, stories like these are all too common. Even more unfortunate is that many of these types of incidents are preventable with better roadway design and implementation. I started as Councilmember Raman's Deputy Chief of staff on March 8th of that same year and had already been eying up opportunities to improve the safety of roads within Griffith Park. Andy's death made this work even more urgent. The night of his death I contacted LADOT and Recreation and Park leadership asking for a complete rethink of the major arterial roads running through Griffith Park. That work continues today.

Griffith Park Drive Closure — Just the Beginning

A portion of Griffith Park Drive between Zoo Drive and the Composting Center was the first order of business: a full closure to vehicular traffic. This roadway had been used by drivers mainly to cut through the park, rather than travel to one of its sites or amenities. Closing nearly ⅔ of a mile to cars meant gaining safer, more enjoyable roadways for pedestrian, equestrian, and cyclist usage. Community feedback has been very positive. Even wildlife responded. P-22, before his passing in late 2022, was captured on camera, walking along the closed portion of Griffith Park Drive at night several weeks after the closure to car traffic. But Griffith Park is large, and the roads contained within it were planned decades ago in an era centered around the car.

The work we started with Griffith Park Drive is just the beginning. By working closely and collaboratively with the Recreation and Parks Department, much more is planned in the medium and long term to address roadway safety and create safe spaces for all park users.

Crystal Springs And Beyond

A safe Griffith Park means one built for the needs of the most vulnerable park users: those enjoying the park by walking, running, cycling, or riding on horseback. That means creating new spaces that minimize any potential conflict with vehicles by installing protective barriers, improving signage, constructing speed humps, narrowing road lanes to discourage speeding, and improving visibility and signage. Planning is underway for all of these things by closely collaborating with park leadership and Assemblywoman Laura Friedman's Office.

Chair of the Transportation Committee in Sacramento, work in Griffith Park to address safety inspired her to advocate within the State of California 2022 budget, allowing us to secure $4 million for these efforts.

The most significant goal we are building to will be a complete closure of the upper roadway of Crystal Springs Drive to all vehicular traffic. What Los Angeles will gain is all too rare, but one we must build for a safer, more sustainable future: park roadways dedicated ONLY to active, non-motorized, park users.