Letters to the Editor: Closing a tiny section of road in Griffith Park is hardly a win for cyclists, walkers

Los Angeles Times Opinion
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LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 29, 2022 - - Bicyclists enjoy a conversation while taking a break from a ride along a one-third mile portion of Griffith Park Drive that is indefinitely closed to car traffic to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists in Griffith Park in Los Angeles on June 29, 2022. The road is known to draw high-speed drivers who are looking for a shortcut, avoiding the 134 and 5 freeways. The temporary closure has been in place since Monday, June 27 and will carry on indefinitely until more permanent changes to the park's infrastructure are in place. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Cyclists ride on a section of Griffith Park Drive closed to cars on June 29. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

To the editor: While I applaud the citizens who pushed for change in the name of safety on Griffith Park Drive, it saddens me that your print subheadline reveals how low expectations are.

Less than one mile of one roadway is closed for an indefinite period of time, yet you say this "marks effort by L.A. to reclaim spaces for bikes, pedestrians." Really?

I'd like to see your reporting on this subject become more objective and balanced in the future.

Lynn Balsamo, Santa Monica

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To the editor: I applaud the decision to designate a part of Griffith Park as car-free. If this experiment bears out, the next locale for consideration should be the famous stretch of Hollywood Boulevard.

Calling such a move an experiment refutes the obvious. Walking streets are familiar success stories elsewhere, such as Copenhagen's famous Stroget.

William K. Solberg, Los Angeles

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To the editor: While I agree that we must reduce speeding all over the city, including in Griffith Park, I can't believe there's discussion of closing freeway access. How would we get to the L.A. Zoo? The Autry Museum? The merry-go-round?

Most of us drive to the park and use the freeway to get there. It's fine to put more speed bumps and other ways to slow crazy drivers, but please don't reduce access to our only major urban park.

Mona Field, Los Angeles

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.