Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard (officially known as West Sunset Boulevard, except in Beverly Hills) is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades.

Related Topics:
Street - Los Angeles County, California - Downtown Los Angeles - Pacific Coast Highway - Pacific Ocean - Pacific Palisades

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Approximately 22 miles in length, the famous boulevard passes through or near Echo Park, Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Bel-Air, Brentwood and Pacific Palisades. Other than West Hollywood and Beverly Hills, which are independent incorporated cities, the places named above are all districts and neighborhoods in the City of Los Angeles. In the Bel-Air/Brentwood area, Sunset Boulevard runs past the campus of UCLA.

Related Topics:
Boulevard - Echo Park - Silver Lake - Los Feliz - Hollywood - West Hollywood - Beverly Hills - Bel-Air - Brentwood - Pacific Palisades - Los Angeles - UCLA

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The boulevard runs through very rugged terrain and is very winding and treacherous. It is at least four lanes in width for all of its route. Car accidents are common due to its numerous hairpin curves and blind crests, and the lack of a center divider on most sections. Sunset (along with Santa Monica and Wilshire Boulevards) is frequently congested with traffic loads far beyond its design capacity. As a result, it is also notorious for cracks and potholes.

Related Topics:
Lane - Car accident - Center divider - Santa Monica - Wilshire Boulevard - Congested - Pothole

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It used to be longer, starting at Alameda Street near Union Station and beside Olvera Street in the historic section of Downtown, but the portion of Sunset Boulevard east of Interstate 110 was renamed César E. Chávez Avenue, along with Macy Street and Brooklyn Avenue, in honor of the late Mexican-American union leader.

Related Topics:
Union Station - Olvera Street - Interstate 110 - César E. Chávez - Mexican-American

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Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood has also gained notoriety as a red-light district, due to its relatively high share of prostitution, drag queens and other unusual activity, especially at night. This type of activity was common for many years, especially around Western Avenue. In the 1970s the area between Gardner Street and La Brea Avenue became seedy and afflicted with street prostitution that continues to a lesser extent to the present day. It was at the corner of Sunset and Courtney Avenue that actor Hugh Grant pulled over and picked up prostitute Divine Brown in the early morning of June 27, 1995. He then drove a few blocks east and parked at the corner of Curson and Hawthorn Avenues. Police arrested him and the prostitute for lewd conduct in a public place and he was later fined $1,200.

Related Topics:
Red-light district - Prostitution - Drag queens - Western Avenue - 1970s - Street prostitution - Hugh Grant - Prostitute - June 27 - 1995

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That same area of Sunset in Hollywood is sometimes called "Guitar Row" due to the large number of guitar stores and music industry related businesses. Also, many young, struggling actors, musicians, and the like continue to live in the area.

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The best-known section of Sunset Boulevard is probably the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, which is an epicenter for nightlife in the Los Angeles area.

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The boulevard is the namesake of a famous movie and an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.

Related Topics:
Famous movie - Andrew Lloyd Webber - Musical

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