Beachwood Signs to Hollywood Sign

I found myself driving on Beachwood Drive last week when I saw a sign that read “Hollywood Sign Scenic View,” with an arrow directing me up Ledgewood Drive. I don’t drive on Beachwood very often, but I don’t remember seeing that sign before. I had nothing to do, so I followed the signs up the narrow winding roads to a superb view of the Hollywood Sign.

The view south beyond the Hollywood Resevoir is lovely as well.

So how surprised was I when I went home and read Curbed Los Angeles as I do every day to find an article about the signs? It turns out they only went up a couple of weeks ago, and there is already plenty of controversy about them.

It seems people who live on Ledgewood are non-too-happy about the increased traffic the signs are bringing to their quiet little street. In an effort to placate residents, the Hollywoodland Homeowners Association has reportedly agreed to take down two of the signs, including the one on Beachwood. Of course, removing that sign renders the rest of them effectively useless, since no one on Beachwood would know to turn up the street in the first place.

While it is great to have another spot to view the Hollywood Sign, I see the residents’ point. While I was driving up and down Ledgewood I noticed how dangerous the street could be, how one car coming down the street could easily collide with one going up as they both take a hairpin turn.

The easiest solution would be to turn Ledgewood into a one-way going up, and have another street be one-way coming down. Given the limited number of streets that go up and down the hill, I doubt that is even possible, but it might be something for the traffic experts to look into.

In the meantime, the drive is definitely worth the trip. Just be extra careful around those turns.