Update: As of Saturday, November 3, 2007, the roads to the Griffith Observatory were re-opened to private vehicle traffic. The observatory shuttle is no longer running, and there is no longer any cost associated with visiting the Griffith Observatory. Read more here and here.I have been watching the Griffith Observatory shuttle/reservation website from time to time, and checked in today to see if the free tickets for hikers/bikers would be available as promised, 48 hours in advance of Friday's public opening.
A few weeks ago, there was notification that there would be a limited number of free tickets available for hikers and bikers, and parking would be available at the Greek Theatre parking lots just below the observatory on Vermont Canyon Avenue.
I found this information on the website today:
3) A limited number of timed-entry reservations will be made available free of charge 48 hours in advance of the day planned for visiting. Parking for those with free reservations will be at the Greek Theatre. A special shuttle will run from the Greek Theatre to the Observatory. ONLY those with free timed-entry reservations will be able to board this shuttle; those with reservations for parking at Hollywood & Highland or the Los Angeles Zoo may NOT park at the Greek and ride this shuttle.
While these free, 48-hour-advance reservations are available to anyone, they are especially designed to accommodate those wishing to hike or cycle to the Observatory. Like all visitors, hikers and cyclists need a timed-entry reservation to enter the Observatory building and grounds. They should park at the Greek Theatre or anywhere else in Griffith Park to start their hike or ride.
If you go to the page that has available reservation times, there are 17 time slots between 11:30 AM and3:50 PM for Friday, November 3rd, the first day of operations. Each time slot has "8+" slots available, or at least 136 possible slots for the first day.
The number is far fewer than the 1200 free tickets the city had earlier anticipated, but with nothing reported in the mainstream press, I was surprised to find the free shuttle service has been created. The reservation purchase page claims that it is an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) shuttle, but there is no mention of this in the reservation and ticket description page.
In any case, this means that a lucky few will be able to visit the new Griffith Observatory free of charge. It's not easy to find, but it's better than nothing, and I hope some people of limited financial resources come across the service and are able to use it to visit the observatory.
