Everything about Sunset Boulevard totally explained
Sunset Boulevard is a
street in the western part of
Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from
Figueroa Street in
downtown Los Angeles to the
Pacific Coast Highway at the
Pacific Ocean in the
Pacific Palisades.
Approximately in length, the famous
boulevard passes through or near
Echo Park,
Silver Lake,
Los Feliz,
Hollywood,
West Hollywood,
Beverly Hills,
Holmby Hills,
Bel-Air,
Brentwood, and
Pacific Palisades. It also passes through the neighborhood of
Little Armenia on the East side of Sunset Boulevard. Other than West Hollywood and Beverly Hills, which are independent incorporated cities, the places named above are all districts and neighborhoods in the City of
Los Angeles. In the Bel-Air district of Los Angeles, Sunset Boulevard runs along the northern boundary of the
UCLA Westwood campus.
The boulevard is winding and treacherous in some areas. It is at least four
lanes in width for all of its route.
Car accidents are not uncommon due to its numerous hairpin curves and blind crests, and the lack of a
center divider on most sections. Sunset (along with
Santa Monica and
Wilshire Boulevards) is frequently
congested with traffic loads far beyond its design capacity. As a result, it's also notorious for cracks and
potholes. Traffic on Sunset is often slow-moving, with bumper-to-bumper congestion not infrequent during rush hour in both directions. However, when traffic is mild or nonexistent, Sunset is an extremely fast thoroughfare as it encounters few (and short timed) traffic lights west of
Doheny Drive. Even at rush hours, traffic generally flows well through the Holmby Hills and Bel Air, west of Whittier in Beverly Hills, as the lights are very well spaced and timed.
Sunset Boulevard used to extend farther east, starting at Alameda Street near
Union Station and beside
Olvera Street in the historic section of Downtown, but the portion of Sunset Boulevard east of Figueroa on the north end of
Downtown Los Angeles was renamed
César E. Chávez Avenue, along with Macy Street and Brooklyn Avenue, in honor of the late
Mexican-American union leader.
In the
1970s the area between Gardner Street and
La Brea Avenue, especially around
Western Avenue, became a seedy
red-light district afflicted with
street prostitution. It was at the corner of Sunset and Courtney Avenue that actor
Hugh Grant pulled over and picked up
prostitute Divine Brown in the early morning of
June 27,
1995. He then drove a few blocks east and parked at the corner of Curson and Hawthorn Avenues. Police arrested him and the prostitute for lewd conduct in a public place and he was later fined $1,200. Shortly after this police raids drove out the majority of prostitutes in this area and the majority of those turned to on-line escort services, thus diminishing the long held red-light district.
Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood is also sometimes called "Guitar Row" due to the large number of guitar stores and music industry-related businesses, including the legendary recording studios
Sunset Sound Studios and
United Western Recorders. Also, many young, struggling actors, musicians, and other artists continue to live in the area.
The best-known section of Sunset Boulevard is probably the
Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, which is a center for nightlife in the Los Angeles area.
The portion of Sunset Boulevard from the western city limits of Beverly Hills to its eastern end was at one time named Beverly Boulevard.
The boulevard is commemorated in
Billy Wilder's
famous movie, an
Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, and a hit song in 2005 by
Scott Grimes.
77 Sunset Strip was also the name of a 1950's television series.
Jan and Dean's 1960's hit song
Dead Man's Curve immortalizes a section of the road near Bel Air estates just north of
UCLA's Drake Stadium.
Disney's Hollywood Studios has a recreation of Sunset as a backdrop for its
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster rides.
(External Link
)
Landmarks include (past & present)
Further Information
Get more info on 'Sunset Boulevard'.
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