Tram proposed for Hollywood sign

The Hollywood sign is to Los Angeles what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris and the Empire State Building is to New York.

However, unlike those two popular landmarks, visitor access is an issue.

The neighbors who live closest to the sign have complained loudly about tourists invading their spaces, and have worked with city officials to make parking nearest the Hollywood sign viewing areas off-limits without permits on weekends and holidays. They’ve even put up signs encouraging tourists to turn away.

This week Warner Bros. proposed a better way: Building an aerial tram that would bring tourists from the studio lot to a viewing area.

The “Hollywood Skyway” would “reduce street congestion, improve safety, and ease neighborhood frustrations,” the studio said. “Given our close proximity to the north side of the Hollywood sign, we believe we offer a solution that has the least impact on the environment — protecting and preserving Griffith Park — and the surrounding residential neighborhoods.”

The proposal would have to be considered by the city of Los Angeles and the parks departments.

Don’t expect changes overnight. Chris Baumgart, chair of the Hollywood Sign Trust, which oversees the care of the sign, noted in a statement that Warner Bros. will face a “long road of vetting,” to get the project approved.

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A rendering of the tram to the Hollywood sign. WARNER BROS.