Los Angeles Considers Closing Wilshire Boulevard in MacArthur Park

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — The city of Los Angeles is considering a proposal to expand MacArthur Park by removing Wilshire Boulevard from the middle and reconnecting the two halves of the park.

Westlake Park highlights many of Los Angeles’ major challenges, including drug addiction, homelessness and mental health issues.

“It’s really dirty. It’s not well maintained, especially the pond over there. I feel like the birds are sick. I don’t feel safe at all,” said BB, a park regular who declined to give her last name.

The city has implemented several projects to help residents feel safer in the neighborhood. In 2021, the park closed for two months, underwent $1.1 million in repairs and was equipped with 24-hour surveillance cameras.

Since then, crime has continued in the area. In April, a shopkeeper was shot dead outside his nearby bookstore and a body was found in the park’s lake in June.

“MacArthur Park is the epicenter of overdoses in the city of Los Angeles and it is something we cannot ignore,” said Los Angeles City Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez.

The next solution being considered is closing Wilshire Boulevard, which has bisected the park for nearly 90 years. The road connects Santa Monica to downtown Los Angeles. If this project goes ahead, about 4 acres of the road would be swallowed up by the park and would no longer be a thoroughfare.

“This reconnection is about social justice. It addresses racial discrimination, environmental injustice, and health and educational inequities,” said LAUSD School Board Member Rocio Rivas. “The lack of access to parks and green spaces has impacted urban communities.”

Some locals are concerned about the traffic the road closure could bring, but many say they support the proposal if it makes the park cleaner and safer.

“It’s not just about making sure people are housed here, but it’s about bringing the community back to the park and making sure everyone has access to this park,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

The city will periodically close the MacArthur Park section of Wilshire Boulevard starting next year to examine the impact it could have on nearby streets.