Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the commission may relinquish to the City of Los Angeles the portion of Route 170 that is described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), pursuant to the terms of a cooperative agreement between the city and the department, upon a determination by the commission that the relinquishment is in the best interests of the state. [CS&HC Sec. 470(b)(1)]
A relinquishment under this subdivision shall become effective immediately following the recordation by the county recorder of the relinquishment resolution containing the commission's approval of the terms and conditions of the relinquishment. [CS&HC Sec. 470(b)(2)]
On and after the effective date of the relinquishment, both of the following shall apply:
Part (1) is unconstructed. Caltrans has no plans to adopt the route.
Part (2) is unsigned at Routes 2 and 101. The routing was originally planned as freeway in 1965 along a routing that followed Laurel Canyon. It was never constructed. Today it runs entirely on Highland Boulevard, where the route is sporadically signed. Most maps will show where the route runs.
Route 170 from:
Part (3). It is called the "Hollywood Freeway" (just like its daddy Route 101).
Also, the interchange of Routes 101, 134, and 170 is named the "Bruce T. Hinman Memorial Interchange," named after the CHP officer who was killed while assisting a disabled motorist at the interchange by an awry drunk driver.
Before 1964, Signed Route 170 was to have been the La Cienega Freeway, running from Los Angeles International Airport to nowaday Route 2. La Cienega Boulevard between Route 405 and Rodeo Road is partially built to freeway standards. It is now maintained by the county.
Also, from Daniel Faigin: "Had the freeway routing been constructed, it would have been named the 'Laurel Canyon Freeway'. Maps based on the 1956 freeway planning maps show this as continuing N from US 101 to I-5, joining at what would have been a hell-of-an-interchange: the Laurel Canyon freeway, the Sunland Freeway [Route 64], the Hollywood Freeway (present-day Route 170), Golden State Freeway (I-5). Laurel Canyon refers to the canyon in Hollywood Hills; the portion in the flats was originally called Pacoima Avenue."
Route 170 crosses the center of Hollywood, one of the most famous points of interest in the world. Numerous museums, theatres, and events are immediately accessible at Highland and Hollywood Boulevards. The first and most recent is the Hollywood & Highland shopping and entertainment complex. The Kodak Theatre located inside hosts numerous concerts and events, including the annual Academy Awards show. Next to it is the world-famous Chinese Theatre, where movie premieres and subsequent star-smooching occur regularly. Across the street from that is Disney's El Capitan Theater, which shows typical Disney fare in a rather extravagant and luxurious setting that was restored in the late 1980s. Still near it on Hollywood Boulevard is the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, host of the first Academy Awards show in 1929. At the southeast corner of Hollywood and Highland Boulevards is Ripley's Believe-It-Or-Not Odditorium. If you come down for the summer, the Hollywood Bowl at Odin Street offers nighttime outdoor concerts and fireworks shows.
The freeway portion of Route 170 is surrounded by little parks. Most aren't very accessible from Route 170. However, there is one park in particular you can get off and take a look: North Hollywood Park, east on Magnolia Boulevard. This one has a library aside. From there, you'll also be able to get to the core of North Hollywood.
HOV lanes run on part (3) in its entirety. Occupancy is 2 or more people per vehicle and are open all day.
Route 170 on Highland Avenue runs in front of Hollywood High School. Alumni include Rita Wilson, Mickey Rooney, James Garner, John Ritter, John Huston, and Carol Burnett. You will notice it by the large mural of Hollywood stars painted over the entrance of their auditorium.
The Metro Red Line runs close to Route 101 from North Hollywood to Downtown Los Angeles and Union Station. The heavy-rail subway is accessible from Route 170 at Magnolia Boulevard in North Hollywood and just below the aforementioned Hollywood & Highland complex at Hollywood Boulevard. The North Hollywood station has 1,101 Park and Ride spaces to park your car. The subway features the most excellent examples of public art in Los Angeles, as well as wonderfully rendered stations that focus on California themes, in particular the Hollywood and Vine and Universal City stations. If you plan to visit Hollywood, my suggestion is to park at North Hollywood and ride the subway, since parking in Hollywood is expensive and curbside parking restrictions are plentiful and pricey. For more information, visit the Union Station page.
As it is, Route 170 and Route 187 are the only state highways to run entirely within the city limits of Los Angeles.