LAT: A Cool Way to Unclog L.A.

[question everything]

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/sunday/commentary/la-op-buses17apr17,1,613203.story

A Cool Way to Unclog L.A.

A smart mayor can help cure our poor circulation
By William Fulton
William Fulton is president of Solimar Research Group and a senior scholar at the School of Planning, Policy and Development at USC.

April 17, 2005

Everyone in L.A. is stuck in traffic. There is no longer any distinction between rush hour and the rest of the day. Whether freeways or surface streets, it's crawl, crawl, crawl.

Both Mayor James K. Hahn and his election opponent, Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa, are pushing big transportation platforms. Hahn touts express buses and money for a Gold Line extension. Villaraigosa promises more signal synchronization and more bus and rail service.

But is there really anything either candidate can do to decongest Los Angeles? Yes. The next mayor can make it cool to get around town without driving.

(snip)

But the power of rail — and rapid bus transit as well — is not in moving people today but in shaping the city tomorrow. In the last 30 years, rail transit has changed several U.S. cities, most notably Washington and San Francisco, where BART now connects far-flung communities in the East Bay and South Bay to the city's jobs and recreation — and even the airport — transforming time and space in a way that drivers and bus riders could never have imagined. L.A. is much bigger and more spread out, but the city's central parts are as dense as D.C. and San Francisco. One can easily traverse downtown, Hollywood, Mid-Wilshire, Pasadena and parts of South L.A. on the rail system. That was impossible a decade ago.

(snip)

A generation from now, when freeways are even more sluggish, most of the remaining transportation capacity will be along rail lines and busways. And much of the underutilized land available for higher-density development will be near the stops. The market, so far, has ignored the development potential along the Blue and Green lines. New development along rail and busway stops, especially for housing, will be more than an attractive alternative. It'll be the only solution left.

[enid602]

1. Metro

Between Metro Rail and Metrolink, Southern California has created 600 miles of commuter rail in the last 20 years. No other city on the face of the globe has added more miles of rail during this period. Even conservative Riverside County is going ahead with plans to extend existing Metrolink service with new lines going to the Perris Valley and Palm Springs. Given trends in gas prices, I'd say they've made the right decision. Downtown to North Hollywood in 20 minutes . . unthinkable 20 years ago.

[SoCalDem]

2. The power of "rail".. ya mean they way it USED to be

before the concrete,rubber & car lobbies convinced municipalities to dump their streetcars, busses & intercity trains??

Gee ..now it will only cost 1000 times more to rebuild them :eyes:

[DBoon]

3. The price of gas is pushing many to use the rails

A large number of commuters to downtown LA already use the rail system.

[enid602]

4. LA

Because the New York metropolitan area covers a lot more area (and suburban areas there have more exclusive zoning which restricts suburban density) the Los Angeles area is actually more densely populated overall. LA's zoning was changed a few years ago, making it possible for developers to build residential properties (WITHOUT HAVING TO PROVIDE PARKING ACCOMMODATIONS) within a 1/3 mile radius of heavy rail stations. With almost 200 such stations in the 5 county area, the potential for building a vast network of TOD's (transit-oriented developments) is impressive. Ironic that the city who lost rapid transit in the 40's and 50's will be at the Vanguard of those who might possibly achieve an automobile-free lifestyle.

Given that Southern Californians (due to a mild climate) already use little energy for heating and air conditioning, they might well be the first to accomplish sustainable growth. LA's DPW (the Department of Power and Water) has been operating a solar farm in the Mohave for twenty years which produces 15% of the city's energy requirements. Although it has not been expanded since Reagan's first day in office, now maybe they will be able to expand more into solar.

[DBoon]

5. Yes, and thanks to the city-owned DWP

we received a 50% subsidy to our photovoltaic system in our home. 2.5kWh's worth