Every car stops. Every direction. Pedestrians own the intersection. That’s what’s coming to Santa Monica Boulevard and N. San Vicente Boulevard starting Thursday night.
The city is rolling out a nighttime all-pedestrian phase at the intersection, running Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. beginning Feb. 26. All vehicle movement stops in all directions, walkers get the whole intersection to themselves, including diagonal crossings.
Up to 2,000 pedestrians an hour
Santa Monica and San Vicente is one of two intersections the city considers its most heavily trafficked on foot during evening hours. The city says it implemented the same program at Santa Monica and Robertson in summer 2019. San Vicente is next.
During the day and on slower nights, the intersection runs normal signals with longer greens for drivers. The all-pedestrian phase kicks in only when foot traffic is heaviest.
Why standard crosswalks fall short
Regular signals let cars and pedestrians move at the same time in the same direction. Turning vehicles can legally pass through crosswalks during walk signals as long as they yield — but at 2,000 pedestrians an hour, that’s a lot of close calls. The new phase cuts out that conflict entirely.
It’s the same concept West Hollywood drivers already know from Hollywood and Highland, where a scramble crosswalk — also called a Barnes Dance — went in during November 2015. Before that, the intersection averaged 13 crashes a year. After zero. UCLA’s Westwood campus has one too, at Westwood Boulevard and Le Conte Avenue. Tokyo’s famous Shibuya crossing runs on the same principle, just 24/7.
The numbers behind the decision
In March 2025, a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on Santa Monica Boulevard just west of San Vicente and taken to Cedars-Sinai. It wasn’t an isolated incident. West Hollywood’s own data shows traffic collisions jumped 30% last year, pedestrian strikes climbed nearly 52%, and fatal crashes doubled.
Questions can be directed to the City of West Hollywood Department of Public Works at (323) 848-6400.
Add blinking light to alert drivers
And encourage pedestrians to not run into the crosswalk as the signal hits 0.
Bravo
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you so much to the city for doing this!!!! Its always so frustrating that pedestrians have to push the button to cross and if you dont you have to wait a whole nother cycle to cross. Kudos for making weho somewhat more pedestrian friendly! Thank you ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Smart move by the city of West Hollywood.This type of operation is in effect at the intersection of Hollywood Blvd. and Highland Ave. in LA and works well for the huge amount of pedestrians present.
This is great to hear! Will cyclists obey the law and not impede pedestrians use? I ask this as so many cyclists refuse to follow the traffic signals. Cyclists are not the same as walking
I agree. Cyclists rarely obey traffic laws. They are a hazard to everyone.
But they are God’s chosen people! Bicyclists can do no wrong.