Los Angeles plans to shrink Sunset Boulevard to one car lane in each direction between Silver Lake and Downtown, replacing road space with bus and bike lanes.

The Sunset/Chavez Safety and Mobility Project, first reported by The Eastsider LA, is a proposal from the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) that would also eliminate 72% of street parking on the eastern segment between Douglas and Alameda streets. All parking on the north side of that stretch would go.

LADOT said 126 fatal or serious-injury crashes, including 14 deaths, occurred along the corridor from 2014 through 2025. The agency estimates the redesign would add one to three minutes to car trips while speeding up buses by 15%.

"When we reduce lanes, we see crashes drop," LADOT planner Severin Martinez said during a recent online presentation about the project.

The project splits into two phases. Phase 1, covering Sunset East from Douglas to Alameda streets, carries a $15 million budget funded by a $7 million Metro Active Transportation grant and $8 million from LADOT. Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and finish before the 2028 Olympic Games.

Phase 2, Sunset West from Douglas Street to Fountain Avenue, remains unfunded. Construction is tentatively planned for 2030 to 2032.

An LADOT survey conducted in spring 2026 drew more than 3,400 responses. According to LADOT, 92% of respondents favored protected bikeways, and 63% said they would be more likely to ride transit if service were faster. Business owners who responded prioritized parking and loading zones.

Not everyone on the boulevard is sold.

Peter Steadman, co-owner of the Stronghold climbing gym on Sunset, questioned whether the plan accounts for existing businesses. Michael Glotzer, owner of The Hunt Vintage shop on Sunset, said traffic on the boulevard already backs up during Dodger games. "This decision will send thousands of cars daily into the neighborhoods as people look for alternative routes," Glotzer said, as reported by The Eastsider LA.

LADOT held an in-person open house on Aug. 15 at Alpine Recreation Center and a virtual session on Aug. 26. The project spans three council districts represented by Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez, Hugo Soto-Martinez and Ysabel Jurado. Their formal roles in approving the plan have not been specified in public documents.

No City Council vote has been scheduled. The project remains in the design and outreach phase.