Warner Bros may build aerial tramway to Hollywood hills to avoid visitor congestion in nearby residential areas

Trips to the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles is a must for most visitors. But the ride involves a lot of driving and hiking. The iconic sign has continued attracting human traffic which inadvertently disrupts residential areas around the area. The Los Angeles Times notes, “The traffic problem has worsened in recent years with the rise of social media photo-sharing sites such as Instagram, ridesharing apps including Uber and Lyft, and navigation services such as Waze.” [caption id=“attachment_4713171” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] The Hollywood sign in Los Angeles. Image from Agence France Presse/ Robyn Beck[/caption] As a solution to this growing issue, Warner Bros on 9 July proposed an aerial tramway system which would transport tourists to the Hollywood sign. It would start from a parking structure next to its Burbank lot. The sign will also have a visitor centre near it which would allow the selfie-loving tourists to take pictures in and around the place, according to the Los Angeles Times. The sign would take the visitors on a 6-minute ride more than a mile up and back from Mt Lee after which it would head towards the visitors centre having pathways to the viewing area. However, the proposal may face considerable criticism owing to the negative impact it may have on the nearby Griffith Park, a local observatory and wildlife habitat. “There’s going to be a lot of people pushing for the tram for the relief it will provide the local residents,” Friends of Griffith Park’s board member, Gerry Hans told the Los Angeles Times. “But at the same time there are going to be people wanting to preserve Griffith Park for the great urban wilderness it is.” Warner Bros’ proposal is not only with the aim of alleviating congestion in the area but also to educate visitors about the historic sign as well as Griffith Park, reports engadget. Jon Gilbert, head of facilities says that  the construction of this project will take approximately five years to complete.