Wilshire Boulevard might not be welcome in MacArthur Park much longer, at least if the people who live nearby get their way.
A new neighborhood study finds that most residents would rather see the stretch of Wilshire that cuts straight through the park removed so the north and south sides can be stitched back together. The Reconnecting MacArthur Park planning effort is now shifting from big-picture community visioning into formal environmental review. However, officials are quick to note that there is still no money set aside to actually rebuild the roadway. The next phase is about sketches and stress tests, not jackhammers and detours, as designers draft concepts and run traffic simulations before anyone signs off on a final plan.
The outreach, led by community group Central City Neighborhood Partners, surveyed more than 1,500 residents between August and December and laid out five options for Wilshire. Ideas ranged from fully removing the road through the park to keeping just a short block open for cars, limiting the corridor to buses, or closing it only on weekends. More than six in 10 respondents favored pulling Wilshire out of the park entirely and reconnecting the green space, while keeping the street exactly as it is drew the weakest support, according to what survey results show. Neighbors who joined planning workshops also pressed for better lighting, cleaner grounds, and more family-friendly programming if the park gets a redesign.
What’s being studied
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation says the Reconnecting MacArthur Park study bundles transportation analysis, community visioning, and conceptual planning to look at closing the slice of Wilshire Boulevard between Alvarado Street and Carondelet Street. Phase 1 has focused on outreach and early concept design and is covered by grants, while Phase 2 is set to carry those ideas through environmental review and engineering, with work stretching into the late 2020s, according to Council District 1.
Fence plan adds to tensions
Separate from the Wilshire study, the city’s Recreation and Parks Commission has signed off on roughly $2.3 million to design and install a wrought-iron perimeter fence around MacArthur Park. The fence would let the city close the park overnight for cleaning and repairs, a seemingly straightforward maintenance move that has instead become a lightning rod. Backers argue the barrier could safeguard recent investments and make the space feel more usable for families. Critics counter that a fence will not fix homelessness or drug use, a dispute tracked by CalMatters.
Neighbors weigh tradeoffs
For many longtime residents, the idea of reuniting the park is less about traffic theory and more about whether they would feel comfortable bringing their kids back.
“Hopefully they can close it so there’s more space for kids to play,” said Maria Ortiz, who lives nearby. Lifelong resident Alex Lacayo added that he would return to the park if conditions improve, according to what neighbors told reporters. The city also notes that more than 60 percent of current park users arrive on foot, a detail planners say will strongly influence any changes to street layouts and transit access, per Council District 1.
What’s next
Project partners are now tasked with turning community wish lists into a handful of concrete design alternatives. Those options will go through traffic and transit modeling and then a full environmental review before any decision is made about construction. The current planning grants only cover those early steps, and officials say there is still no identified funding to actually rebuild the roadway. The city will also have to balance neighborhood preferences with the practical needs of busy bus routes and nearby Metro service, according to Council District 1.
