One Of Angelenos' Favorite Shortcuts Will Soon Have A Lower Speed Limit

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA — If you're following Bette Davis' legendary advice to "take Fountain," you'll soon need to slow down.

The city of West Hollywood is in the process of reducing the speed limit on busy stretches of Fountain and Fairfax avenues. The change comes after a traffic study that found the speed limits must be lowered on segments of those streets in order to comply with state law, the city said in a release Thursday.

The speed limit on Fountain Avenue between Fairfax Avenue and La Cienega Boulevard will be lowered from 35 mph to 30 mph.

The speed limit on Fairfax Avenue between Fountain Avenue and Willoughby Avenue will also be lowered from 35 mph to 30 mph.

The city will install new signs and begin enforcing the lowered speed limit some time early this year, but has not provided a specific date.

The traffic study looked at a variety of factors — including actual vehicle speeds, collision data, pedestrian and bike activity and on-street parking — across 24 street segments in West Hollywood. It found that the speed limit needed to be changed only on the Fountain and Fairfax segments in order to comply with state law that sets rules based on those factors, according to the city.

The City Council approved the change in October.

(While Angelenos know that Fountain Avenue is often a great alternative to congested east-west boulevards, it's up for debate whether Davis even uttered the "take Fountain" quip widely credited to her.)