West Hollywood Halloween carnival brings street closures, traffic woes

[Updated 12:55. p.m.: Police have begun blocking treets in preparation for the massive crowds expected tonight at the West Hollywood Costume Carnaval. Peak crowds are expected about 9 p.m. and officials ask festival-goers to be patient in heavy traffic. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. Sandra Petrocelli said officials are bracing for up to 400,000 revelers. She advised attendees to plan their transportation routes. Public transit will be detoured and parking will be difficult, she said.  Plenty of taxis will be on hand.]

The 2009 West Hollywood Halloween parade is expected to draw tens of thousands -- many in outrageous costumes -- to the streets of the city tonight. But with the partying will come some major traffic problems.

Numerous streets are being shut down because of the event, which runs from 6 p.m. to 11p.m. along Santa Monica Boulevard from Doheny Drive to La Cienega Boulevard. Some streets will close as early as noon.

Actress Ricki Lake will be crowned Queen of the Carnaval, and there will be live musical entertainment.

The Halloween Costume Carnaval has prompted the following street closures, according to the city of West Hollywood:

-- Santa Monica Boulevard between La Cienega Boulevard and Doheny Drive, noon today through 6 a.m. Sunday.

-- Robertson Boulevard between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, noon today through 6 a.m. Sunday.

-- San Vicente Boulevard between Cynthia Street and Melrose Avenue, noon today through 6 a.m. Sunday.

-- La Cienega Boulevard between Holloway Drive and Santa Monica Boulevard, 4 p.m. today through 6 a.m. Sunday.

-- Sunset Boulevard eastbound and westbound turn lanes onto La Cienega Boulevard from 6 p.m. today through 7 a.m. Sunday.

-- La Peer Drive eastbound turn lane onto Santa Monica Boulevard, noon today through 7 a.m. Sunday.

The city said it will "suspend permit parking for the Halloween Carnaval from 5 p.m. Saturday, October 31, 2009 to 6 a.m., November 1, 2009. Meters will be enforced."

For more information and parking tips, check here.

-- Shelby Grad

--Nicole Santa Cruz

Photo: Miguel Bravo, Fernando Vink and Javiar Gama at the 2007 West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnaval. Credit: Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Natalie DeJohn]

One of these years I'm gonna go to the West Hollywood Halloween thing. The traffic and parking just seems to scary...

[Mike]

It's a shame that there aren't a dozen bus lines -- some 24 hours -- that go through West Hollywood.

Oh wait, there are.

[Anonymous]

ommmggggghe! en ceriiooooo ahhh! hoow funn! c(:

[Anonymous]

hehe nice komment Natalie Dejh0n

[Jim Q. Citizen]

Don't count on Metro to get you out of Weho after the party. The few owl service buses will be over-loaded and unable to make most stops. There will be hundreds of people waiting at each eastbound stop until 8:00 a.m. on the 1st. Most of these riders will be in costume and intoxicated. It can get pretty ugly out there. Regular riders attempting to make it to work on the morning of Nov. 1st may be delayed.

[John]

How about some more info on the transit detours? Going Metro would be a smart way to get there if we knew what routes are affected...

[Melaine Samson]

Walk to Beverly and call a cab.

[Roxy]

I went to the West Hollywood Halloween Carnival for the first time. It was a lot of fun.

[Stevo]

Coming in from the Westside is impossible via the bus. The bus stops running. In a city the size of LA, one would think the buses could go to a certain point, detour and then continue around it. Nope. Tried it once and it was a disaster. I lived in NYC before this and they would figure this stuff out. Nope, not in LA. Had to walk from West Hollywood, thru Beverly Hills all the way to the Santa Monica Blvd./Wilshire intersection to catch the sporadic bus service. I like the festival, but getting there and parking SUCKS.

[harry.]

hm. oddly enough, a subway route would have been perfect for times like this. in 30 years when it is completed everyone will be ok. so, just wait (30 or more years or so).

[Stefan]

i like this :D