GOOD NEWS, (mostly) for Griffith Park!!

Transforming a dangerous street to a welcoming, safer one unfortunately takes years of advocacy, community pressure, and persistence. So when a meaningful step forward is taken, we like to applaud the efforts that made it finally happen.

Real change is possible, but it only becomes real when people keep demanding it.

Griffith Park: Crystal Springs Drive Is Finally Being Transformed

In April 2022, 77-year-old Andrew Jelmert was cycling on Crystal Springs Drive in Griffith Park when he was struck and killed by a driver traveling at more than 80 miles per hour. In the years that followed, SAFE, alongside community members and advocates, demanded accountability and secured meaningful change.

Thanks to Asm. Laura Friedman (now a congresswoman) and Councilmember Nithya Raman, in early 2023, four million dollars was secured from the State of California specifically for Griffith Park safety improvements – the largest single investment in Griffith Park safety ever. 

But then LA City bureaucracy took over, and the funds were held up for 2½ years by red tape. SAFE kept fighting and demanding that the funds be used sooner rather than later. We are proud to announce that on 1 March 2026, construction on safety upgrades for Crystal Spring Dr. finally started!!

LADOT vehicles parked along Crystal Springs Drive for street improvement work.

Plastic bollards creating a barrier on the bike lane on Zoo Drive.

LADOT crews are currently installing close to 4 miles of new striping and repaving sections along Crystal Springs Drive, Western Heritage Way, and Zoo Drive. The ongoing work includes converting two car lanes on Crystal Springs Drive into new buffered bike lanes and running paths; adding several speed bumps to force cars to drive at the posted speed limit of 25 MPH. Plastic bollards have been installed along existing bike lanes on Zoo Drive, offering cyclists a protective barrier from traffic.

This is Phase III of the Griffith Park Safety and Active Transportation Improvements Project. Phases I and II, which included the permanent closure of a stretch of Griffith Park Drive near Travel Town and its transformation into a high-quality bicycle and pedestrian route, were completed in 2023.

Newly striped bike lanes along Crystal Springs Drive, providing dedicated space for cyclists.

We Are Excited, but Also Disappointed

Cars driving in the bike lane on Upper Crystal Springs Drive, blocking space intended for cyclists and creating unsafe conditions.

While we are excited about ongoing construction, we recently inspected what's been completed so far, and there are some concerns that we are hoping (and will be demanding) get fixed before the ribbon cutting. 

1. The right lane on Upper Crystal Springs Drive has been re-striped, but it still allows vehicles to enter the bike lane. Frustrated drivers using Griffith Park as a cut-through to avoid the 5 Freeway were seen using the bike lane as their personal shortcut to drive faster around slower cars. Shameless content creators also used the bike lane as a spot to park their cars for an impromptu photoshoot. The park ranger was notified of this activity and ticketed the two individuals who obstructed the bike path. We are VERY concerned about this. We know plastic posts will be added, but will they be designed to prevent drivers from accidentally or intentionally using the bike lane as a car lane or even an audacious photoshoot location?

Content creators parking their cars for a photoshoot on Upper Crystal Springs.

2. Parts of Upper Crystal Springs Drive have been repaved and re-striped, but others have not been repaved, despite significant damage and cracking. This inconsistency is concerning, and ensuring the necessary repaving, or at least an asphalt slurry seal, will be one of our demands as we raise this issue with the Recs and Parks, as well as CD4. Maybe Streets Services can do one of their Large Asphalt Repairs that they have gotten so proficient at in other parts of the city.

New asphalt stopped being poured at the bottom of Crystal Springs Drive, showing a clear difference between the old and new road quality.

New asphalt stopped being poured at the top of Crystal Springs Drive, showing a clear difference between the old and new road quality.

Cracked and uneven concrete along Upper Crystal Springs Drive.

3. Plastic bollards are a great visual deterrent for drivers, but they can easily be struck down and flattened over time. To ensure the bike lane remains fully protected, we will demand the installation of hardened bollards, similar to those on Hollywood Boulevard. Making these improvements will help ensure that the hard work put into making Griffith Park safer ACTUALLY lasts and continues protecting cyclists for years to come.

Plastic bollards along Zoo Drive

Hardened bollards on Hollywood Boulevard to add increased protective measures for cyclists

SAFE’s work in Griffith Park is far from done. Our ultimate goal is to transform Griffith Park into a park everyone can go TO and enjoy, with all vehicular cut-through routes closed and converted into dedicated bicycle, pedestrian, and equestrian routes. This holds true to the original direction from Col. Griffith J Griffith when he gifted the land to the City of Los Angeles: "It must be made a place of recreation and rest for the masses, a resort for the rank and file, for the plain people…".

The Work That Remains

None of this happened on its own. In Los Angeles, change doesn’t come easy—it takes persistence, pressure, and a willingness to keep showing up. These projects are proof of what that kind of fight can achieve.

We’re deeply grateful to Councilmember Nithya Raman and her team for pushing through the red tape and delays to get this project to the construction stage. Thank you as well to the Griffith Park team—especially Stephanie and Tracy—for their care and commitment in moving this forward.

And to the advocates and organizations who refused to let this be ignored—Gerry Hans and Friends of Griffith Park, Streets For All, Active SGV, LA Walks, Bike LA, and so many others—this happened because of you. What started as collective outrage became real momentum. It took nearly three years, but it is finally happening.

At the same time, the reality is this: our systems still move far too slowly when it comes to protecting people. In Los Angeles, more lives are lost to traffic violence each year than to homicides. Every three days, someone is struck and killed. Despite commitments like Vision Zero and voter-backed measures like Healthy Streets LA, progress remains painfully slow.

The red tape, bureaucracy, and political interference that delay—or stop—life-saving projects must be addressed. We cannot accept a system where safety takes years to deliver.

After years of advocacy, we’re finally seeing change take shape on the ground. SAFE fought hard for this—and we’re not stopping here. Because one project is not enough. Not while these deaths remain preventable. Not while our streets are still unsafe.

We will keep fighting until every street, every path, and every park in Los Angeles is safe for everyone.