Hollywood Boulevard Shut Down As Oscars Prep Begins

HOLLYWOOD, CA — A busy stretch of Hollywood Boulevard closed today and will remain closed for the next two weeks as preparations ramp up for the Oscars.

Hollywood Boulevard between Orange Drive and Highland Avenue will remain closed to all traffic until 6 a.m. March 13, according to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The closure will allow crews to install bleachers and the red carpet into the Dolby Theatre, where the Oscars will be held at 4 p.m. March 10.

Additional street closures are expected Sunday, including lanes off Hawthorn Avenue south of Hollywood Boulevard and the stretch of Hawthorn Alley behind the El Capitan Theatre.

On March 9, Orange Drive will be shut down north of Hollywood Boulevard, along with a stretch of Orchid Alley north of Ovation Hollywood.

On Oscar Sunday, March 10, Hollywood Boulevard will be closed between El Cerrito Place and Cahuenga Boulevard.

The The Metro B (Red) Line Station at Hollywood and Highland will be closed all day; trains will bypass that stop. Metro bus routes along Hollywood Boulevard will be re-routed during street closures.

Here's a complete rundown of street closures:

From 12:01 a.m. March 10 until 6 a.m. March 11:

• Remainder of Hawthorn Alley from Orange Drive to Highland Avenue
• Orange Drive from Hollywood Boulevard to Lanewood Avenue
• North sidewalk of Hollywood Boulevard from Highland Avenue to 300 feet east of Highland Avenue (no pedestrian access)
• South sidewalk of Hollywood Boulevard from Highland Avenue to 300 feet east of Highland Avenue (8-foot pedestrian access)
• South sidewalk of Hollywood Boulevard directly in front of the north-south Hawthorn Alley (no pedestrian access to cross alley)
• East sidewalk and curb lane of Highland Avenue from Yucca Street to Sunset Boulevard (8-foot pedestrian access south of Hollywood Boulevard)
• Extend closure of west sidewalk of Highland Avenue from Hollywood Boulevard to Sunset Boulevard
• West curb of Highland Avenue from Johnny Grant Way to Hollywood Boulevard (until 9:00 a.m.)

From 4 a.m. March 10 to 4 a.m. March 11:

• North and south crosswalks on Hollywood Boulevard at the Highland Avenue intersection
• Highland Avenue from Sunset Boulevard to Franklin Avenue
• Hollywood Boulevard from La Brea Boulevard to Orange Drive
• Hollywood Boulevard from Highland Avenue to Cahuenga Boulevard

From 4 a.m. March 10 to 4 a.m. March 11, with exceptions for local residents, business access and emergency vehicles:

• Hawthorn Avenue between Orange Drive and La Brea Boulevard
• Hawthorn Avenue between Highland Avenue and McCadden Place
• McCadden Place between Yucca Street and Hollywood Boulevard
• Yucca Street between Highland Avenue and Wilcox Avenue
• Wilcox Avenue between Sunset Boulevard and Cahuenga Boulevard
• Restrict access on streets that end at or intersect Hollywood Boulevard

City News Service contributed to this report.