Hollywood Knolls residents say traffic detour has become a neighborhood safety issue

HOLLYWOOD HILLS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- People who live in the Hollywood Knolls neighborhood say they are being tortured by traffic, which they say has turned into a public safety issue.

"Some people run out of patience and they drive down the hill on the wrong side of the road to get closer to the signal," said Jay Gibson, who lives on La Suvida Drive.

"I know neighbors who have been hit in cars," said William Kauffman, who lives on Lake Hollywood Drive. "I know neighbors who have almost been hit as pedestrians."

"We're not safe. I mean, we're really not safe," resident Lori Allen said.

Lake Hollywood Drive, Primera Avenue, and La Suvida Drive are all being used as cut-throughs to main roads: Barham Boulevard and Cahuenga Boulevard.

"This is a cry for help for those of us who live right down at this intersection," Gibson said. "You know, they could put up no pass-through signs."

But, Raman says that's not possible.

"There is a state law that prevents the city from being able to restrict traffic to public streets," Raman said.

Residents say tourists using the narrow streets to get close to the Hollywood sign are also contributing to the problem.

People who live in the area say an emergency could be catastrophic.

"God forbid there's another fire, which we're in a high fire hazard situation. It's never, ever been like this," Allen said.

The neighbors have also contacted Waze and Google Maps, asking the GPS apps to avoid these streets, but haven't had much luck..

Councilmember Raman added that she is doing everything she possibly can to alleviate the issue for residents.

Eyewitness News heard back from Google, and the company said, "We route drivers on public roads based on local laws and street designations from cities."