Olympic Boulevard

Despite fierce opposition from residents and concerns by two City Council members, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has ordered Los Angeles transportation officials to implement a plan to make Pico Boulevard mostly one-way eastbound, and Olympic Boulevard mostly one-way westbound. Under the mayor's plan, which had stalled earlier this week in a City Council committee, parking would be forbidden on all but a few stretches of Pico and Olympic during rush hour beginning March 8.

After months of controversy, the fates of Olympic and Pico boulevards edged toward a resolution Wednesday, as a judge heard arguments over a city plan to turn them into quasi-one way streets. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge John Torribio said that he expects to issue a ruling Friday. Two groups have sued Los Angeles, saying more environmental study is needed.

There are a lot of ideas for fixing traffic in L.A., but almost all would cost a fortune. Subway to the sea: $5 billion. Extending the Expo Line: $800 million. Widening the 405: $1 billion. Then there is an idea that would cost comparatively little and is generating growing buzz around City Hall and the Westside: turning Olympic and Pico boulevards into one-way streets from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica.

IF THE CITY of Los Angeles goes ahead and converts Olympic Boulevard into a one-way street, my easy, familiar eastbound drive from Fairfax Avenue to downtown will vanish. There will be plenty of aspects of the drive that I won't miss, starting with the triple threat that welcomes me to the world each morning: the meeting of Olympic, San Vicente and Fairfax, stretching, it seems, the distance of a football field, with traffic signals pointing noncommittally in all directions.

Converting Olympic and Pico boulevards into one-way streets from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica could increase capacity on the roads by up to 20%, according to a county transportation study to be released today. The finding by a traffic engineering firm represents the first solid evidence that the conversion idea could reduce congestion.

Olympic Corridor Office Net Abosrption (in millions of square feet) Eight-quarter average: 0.03 million square feet The Olympic Corridor contains 3 million square feet of office space along Olympic Boulevard between Beverly Glen Boulevard and Bundy Drive * Olympic Corridor Office Vacancy Rates 1st-quarter 1998, with sublet: 10.9% Without sublet: 8.4% Note: Net absorption reflects the gain in rented space.