Los Angeles Metro 2020–2060
The Future and Growth of Los Angeles Rail Transit
Los Angeles is on the verge of precipitous change. For decades, autocentric growth has sent the city down a path of wildly unsustainable and inequitable development. The orgiastic construction of freeways throughout the 20th century divided and destroyed neighborhoods, created well-documented environmental issues, and fostered reckless sprawl. To address these problems, the city is now embarking on a decades-long program of investment in its public transportation system. The purpose of this article is to make this program easily understandable, outlining and explaining all of the existing, proposed, and under-construction rail projects in and around the Greater Los Angeles area.
A few notes before diving into the maps:
Rail transit alone is necessary but not sufficient to solve the social and environmental problems embedded in the built environment of Los Angeles. Also necessary is densifying the city, specifically around Metro stations. Various proposals to upzone around high-frequency transit stops have been put forward, most recently by State Senator Scott Weiner [D-11] with SB-50 (which has since failed). Without fostering more dense land usage around new transit lines, Metro’s massive capital investment will significantly underperform on its promise to transform the city for the better.
Furthermore, due to the sheer immensity and sprawl of the region, buses will likely always play an important role in the transportation system of Los Angeles. The rail and BRT system under construction will cover the vital arteries of the city, with buses serving as the veins and capillaries. If planned properly, regularly scheduled buses will provide seamlessly timed transfers to rail, and vice-versa. Like a pulsating heart sending blood throughout the body, buses and trains will regularly and frequently converge at shared hubs across the city, to then be dispersed across the system after enabling quick and easy transfers. Switzerland has famously used this “pulse” system for years, enabling seamless transfers between modes all across the country.
Many reading this will dismiss the necessity of drastic change (as they have perhaps already done at the ballot box, voting against the many transit-initiatives that have appeared before voters), but the fact of the matter is that there is little time to heed opinions based on propaganda or the unconsciously ingrained car culture. (Examples of such disingenuous media in Los Angeles include information put out by hysterical organizations such as “Stop the Purple Threat” and “Livable California”.) The time for NIMBYism has passed. The climate is changing, and automobiles are among the highest contributors of greenhouse gas. The switch to transit is not simply nostalgia for the past, but rather a mathematical necessity: more people in fewer vehicles means less CO2 released.
Moreover, this system will help to heal the socio-economic and racial balkanization of the Greater Los Angeles area. By physically connecting the stratified communities of LA County, Metro will play a vital role in repairing the historical wounds of the region. Historically isolated communities such as Inglewood and Crenshaw will be connected with jobs centers around the county. Children for whom a journey to the beach, to Griffith Park, or to Los Angeles’ many cultural institutions was previously an impossibly complicated and impenetrable knot of long bus rides and transfers, will now have easy access to the opportunities of the region.
The shift from a built environment based on automobiles to one based on transit will be difficult, expensive, and long. But in the end it will be worth it. Communities will be more just, the air cleaner, and the economy stronger. And while some of us may be significantly more grey by the time these projects open, as the saying goes: the best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago; the second best time is right now.
Now onto the maps.
Note: this was written before the start of quarantine; it has yet to be seen how recent events will affect Metro’s plans. Regardless, keep in mind: Density Is Normally Good for Us. That Will Be True After Coronavirus, Too.
2020: Present Day
Starting with the system as it is today, the first project to discuss is Metro’s upcoming nomenclature change. Until this year, lines of the Metro were referred to by a mix of colors (e.g., the Red Line) and geographic route names (e.g. the Expo Line and the upcoming Crenshaw Line). In a move to standardize the mix of line designations, Metro is converting to a letter-based system, similar to the B-Division of the New York City Subway. In the aim of future-proofing, I have decided to implement my own lettering system, rather than the temporary one Metro is employing before the opening of the Regional Connector (more on that project shortly). It is as follows:
Heavy Rail (aka HRT, powered by third rail)
- A Line (Today’s Red Line )
- B Line (Today’s Purple Line)
- C Line (Dark Green; the future Sepulveda Pass Subway)
- D Line (Light Blue; the future Vermont Subway)
Light Rail (aka LRT, powered by overhead catenary)
- E Line (Gold; a combination of today’s Expo and Gold Lines)
- F Line (Blue; a combination of today’s Blue and Gold Lines)
- G Line (Brown; the future Crenshaw Line)
- K Line (Pink; the future West Santa Ana Branch Line)
- L Line (Today’s Orange Line)
- S Line (Today’s Green Line)
- V Line (Dark Purple; the future East San Fernando Line)
Busways (aka BRT)
- M Line (Today’s Silver Line)
- N Line (Teal)
- R Line (Light Green)
2024: The Beginnings of an Integrated Network
By 2024, LA will begin to see the fruits of Measures R and M. The projects are as follows:
The Regional Connector
First and foremost is the Regional Connector. By merging together the Blue, Expo, and Gold Lines into a north-south line (F Line) and an east-west line (E line), this project will shift Metro’s current radial topology to the beginnings of a more grid-like system. The project itself is a light rail subway between the current terminus of the Blue and Expo lines at Metro Center and the Gold Line south of Union Station. Upon completion, the Gold Line will be split in two, with the Foothills segment joining the Blue line and the East LA segment joining the Expo. This project will also create two additional subway stations in the densest region of Downtown: Bunker Hill and Broadway.
The project is unique among rail construction in the United States as it is focused on strengthening the core of the system rather than continued expansion outwards. While a project such as the Regional Connector is more expensive per mile than projects outside of the core, it will ultimately serve to the benefit of the entire system by reducing transfers and allowing significantly greater operational flexibility. Outward expansions are often desirable, opening up new regions to the benefits of improved transit — but they too-often come at the expense of the system’s core, overloading already heavily trafficked infrastructure. This has been the case in several cities with systems comparable to Los Angeles, including San Francisco, where outward expansion of BART has increased ridership and resulted in crush loads heading through the chokepoint of the Transbay Tube; Washington, D.C. where expansions in Virginia have resulted in reduced service on other lines due to limitations at Rosslyn Station; and Dallas, where several poorly planned extensions all clog together on the single route through downtown. By investing in the most crucial portion of the system, Metro is creating critical redundancies and ensuring that new expansions won’t reduce the effectiveness of the existing lines.
It’s worth noting that because the A (Red) and B (Purple) Lines are heavy rail (HRT) they are inoperable with the existing Expo, Blue, and Gold Lines; these lines are light rail (LRT) and use a different electrical system (overhead catenary versus third rail for HRT). Thus the Regional Connector seeks to tie together the light rail systems of the region and create redundancies through Downtown.
G (Crenshaw) and S (Green) Line Reconfiguration
Furthering the shift to a grid-based topology, the G (Crenshaw) Line is a new light rail line which will run a north-south path between the current S (Green) and E (Expo) Lines. The G Line will take over the majority of the present day S (Green) Line’s route, leaving the South Bay portion as a shuttle. This rather unfortunate arrangement is necessary as both the G and S Lines are two tracks only. This means if Metro wanted to operate both lines along the full length of the route, the two westerly branches would be forced to operate at half capacity, as they would be limited by the capacity of the trunk. Metro is having the full line proceed north rather than south as the LAX and Inglewood stations are expected to see significantly higher ridership than those in the South Bay, in addition to providing a transfer to the E Line.
B (Purple) Line Extension Phase 1
The idea of the “Subway to the Sea” along Wilshire Boulevard — the densest corridor in Los Angeles and one of the busiest in the United States — is as old as the idea of the Metro itself. Mayors from Tom Bradley to Antonio Villaraigoso have made this project a centerpiece of their campaigns, only to have a series of historical and political mishaps delay the start of construction for decades. Indeed, for many Wilshire is Los Angeles’ “main street.” The street is home to tens of thousands of jobs and residences, some of LA’s premiere cultural institutions, as well as passing close to the UCLA campus in Westwood. Unsurprisingly, Wilshire carries some of the busiest buses in the existing system. Of all corridors in the region, Wilshire is in most need of a subway.
In fact, the original “wounded knee” configuration of the first planned Metro line (what would eventually become today’s A [Red] Line) continued far down Wilshire, but a methane explosion along the route stoked fears (mostly without merit) about the safety of construction along the corridor. Planners subsequently changed the route to that of today’s A (Red) Line, leaving only the stub end to Koreatown built, today in service as the Purple Line.
Construction is now proceeding apace on the first phase of the B (Purple) Line’s extension down Wilshire, with tunnel boring machines chugging their way past such LA institutions as LACMA and the La Brea Tar Pits. The first, 3.9 mile segment of the extension will have stations at La Brea, Fairfax, and La Cienega and is expected to open in 2022.
Due to the significant reduction of traffic caused by the ongoing quarantine, Metro has recently decided to expedite construction under Wilshire, taking advantage of the opportunity to close the street at a time which will impact the fewest people.
Orange County Streetcar
The Orange County Streetcar is a 4.2 mile modern streetcar which will connect Downtown Santa Ana with Garden Grove. While its current iteration misses key nearby locations such as Disneyland and John Wayne Airport, future extensions (more on these later) will bolster its usefulness. Furthermore, while much of the route will run in mixed traffic — a design decision which has cursed many modern streetcars to a life stuck in traffic — this can easily be fixed in the future by removing private vehicles from the right of way.
2028: The Olympics
Metro’s ambitious plans for 2028 focus on completing as many projects as possible in anticipation of the Olympics. While many of these are unfortunately highway- and road-focused, there are many worthy Metro projects prioritized in the plan.
Twenty Eight by ‘28
As proposed by Mayor Eric Garcetti, Metro has dubbed its capital program “Twenty Eight by ‘28,” in reference to 28 projects it is attempting to complete in time for the 2028 Olympics. In particular, Metro is aiming to better connect Westwood into the system as the Olympic Village will be located near the UCLA campus. The projects listed in this section all fall under the umbrella of the 28x28 initiative.
B (Purple) Line Extension Phases 2 and 3
Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the B (Purple) Line’s extension will carry the line 5.2 additional miles down Wilshire. Along the way the line will pass through some of Los Angeles’ densest areas, including Century City and Westwood.
When these extensions open, the B (Purple) Line is expected to become the busiest route on the system, carrying well over 150,000 riders a day. During the Olympics, it will connect venues at UCLA — including the Olympic Village — directly with Downtown and the rest of the Metro system. While 150,000 is still relatively low compared with lines of similar lengths on other systems, densification around station areas will bolster ridership over time.
C (Dark Green) Line: the Sepulveda Pass Subway
The Santa Monica Mountains create an immense natural barrier between the dense Westside of LA and the populous San Fernando Valley. The 405 Freeway currently funnels over 400,000 people daily through the Sepulveda Pass in a congested, pollution-spewing, soul-sucking trudge. Metro is evaluating options for transit through the pass including heavy rail (aka a traditional subway versus light rail) and a monorail (an option which will likely be eliminated due to its inoperability with other Metro lines, and thus inability to share maintenance yards and rolling stock). Heavy rail is by far the most sensible solution, as well as the one with the highest potential ridership. Once completed, this will reduce travel times from over an hour in traffic to roughly 20 minutes through the pass.
V (Dark Purple) Line: East San Fernando Valley LRT
This 9.2 mile long light rail line will connect the terminus of the new C (Dark Green) Line with L (Orange) Line busway as well as the San Fernando/Sylmar Metrolink station. This line will pass straight through the heart of the San Fernando Valley, linking some of the area’s densest neighborhoods.
K (Pink) Line: West Santa Ana Branch LRT
This new light rail line will reactivate a portion of the Pacific Electric’s former West Santa Ana Branch corridor (WSAB), which once connected Downtown LA with the city of Santa Ana in Orange County. Stopping just short of the border with Orange County, this new line will begin to provide access to the Gateway Cities. The line also features a new route through downtown with a station in the Fashion District.
LAX People Mover
After much ado, by 2028, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) will finally be connected to the Metro system. This automated people mover, similar to those found at airports the world-over, will connect LAX and a new rental car center to the G (Crenshaw) Line. While the most logical route for the people mover would have been around the infamous “horseshoe,” budget constraints are sending it through the middle of the terminal area, to be connected to the terminals by skybridges.
Dodger Stadium Gondola
Access to Dodger Stadium is currently limited by its mountainous topography. Private cars and buses alike are caught in the immense traffic before and after games, creating an increasingly untenable position. Private developers are considering constructing a high-capacity gondola from Union Station up the hill to Dodger Stadium. Gondolas have been used in cities from New York to London (and many others) as an economical solution to transit over difficult terrain.
North Hollywood — Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit
The North Hollywood — Pasadena corridor is a roughly 18 mile route which provides a key connection around downtown for north county residents. Passing through Burbank and Glendale, it will provide access to the many jobs and movie studios in the area. It will provide connections with the Metro A (Red), L(Orange), and F (Blue) Lines.
E Line Eastside Extension
The Eastside Extension will take Metro further into East LA by extending the E Line to Whittier.
G Line Extension to Norwalk
One of the most noticeable missed connections on the system today is the current S Line (by 2028 to be overtaken by the G line; see above), which stops about a mile-and-a-half short of the Norwalk Metrolink station.
Closing this gap will create increased regional connectivity, providing Orange County residents with easier trips across LA County and vice-versa.
S (Green) Line Extension to Torrance
Plans to extend the S Line to Torrance should be relatively simple given that Metro already owns the right of way, known as the Harbor Subdivision.
Foothill Extension to Montclair
This extension of the F (Blue) Line (today a part of the Gold Line until the Regional Connector opens; see “Regional Connector” above) will take the system further eastward across the county line into San Bernardino County. With a terminus near the campuses of the Claremont Colleges, this extension will provide students and residents a quick trip between Downtown, Pasadena, the foothills, and the Inland Empire.
2050: The Grid Ascendant
By 2050 many of Metro’s largest planned projects will be complete and operational. With the construction of three new north-south routes and a new east-west route, the switch to a grid topology will be complete and vast swaths of the city will be accessible without a private vehicle.
G Line Northern Extension: West Hollywood LRT
This project will carry the G Line north from its current terminus at Expo/Crenshaw on the E Line north to Wilshire/La Cienega on B Line and through West Hollywood, until connecting with the A Line at Hollywood/Highland. While not currently slated to begin construction until the 2060s, the City of West Hollywood is pushing hard to expedite the schedule. WeHo’s desire for rail is understandable: it is easily one of the densest and most walkable areas of Los Angeles. Moreover, projections show that once built the northern extension will be the busiest light rail line in the United States (ahead even of the Boston Green Line and the San Francisco Muni Metro).
Metro is currently deciding between a variety of options for the extension, but the best would be a route down La Cienega (shown above) as that option would have the highest ridership (see below). If La Cienega is not chosen, Fairfax would be the next best, followed by La Brea (which has ample opportunity for densification).
This extension will further cement Metro’s grid topology, providing another invaluable north-south connection intersecting the A, B, and E lines.
C (Dark Green) Line Phase 2
Phase 2 of the Sepulveda Pass Subway (C Line) will carry it further southward towards a terminus at Los Angeles International Airport (connecting with the other lines available at LAX Gateway), providing connectivity between the Valley and the Westside never before seen.
L and N Line Busway-to-LRT Conversion
Metro has long planned to convert the L (Orange) busway to rail. In fact, the corridor was originally meant to be a surface-level portion of the present day A Line, but political opposition to surface-level rail forced the project to scale back to the terminus in NoHo. Though today’s busway represents a consolation prize, this may have been for the best as the density in the Valley hardly justifies heavy rail; LRT is more appropriate. Converting both the L and N busways to light rail will allow them both to be merged with the East San Fernando LRT (V Line — see above). This will create a Valley-wide LRT network connecting to the A, C, and F lines.
North San Fernando BRT
This project will create a BRT route through the northern San Fernando Valley, providing connections between both branches of the L Line as well as the A Line.
D Line: the Vermont Subway
After Wilshire Boulevard, Vermont is the second busiest transit corridor in the county. While Metro is currently building a bus rapid transit-like system down the route, eventually rail will be necessary. Indeed, Metro has already studied the possibility of rail, though the timeline remains unclear. As transit-data savant Alon Levy says in his article on the subject,
The most successful urban rail corridors are the ones built to replace the busiest bus corridors; transportation consultant Jarrett Walker puts it as, “The best case for a rail project is an overcrowded bus line.” This is the logic underlying the Wilshire subway extension. Since Vermont is the second busiest corridor, this by itself suggests that the MTA should seriously consider rail on Vermont, and not BRT.
The line will stretch from the north end of Vermont (and potentially further up the A line depending on track configuration) to 120th Street in West Athens. The line will also serve to relieve crowded buses on the busy Western Avenue corridor.
Inglewood-LAX People Mover
While Inglewood will soon see service in the form of the G Line, unfortunately the line misses key portions of the city, including the under-construction Rams Stadium. To address this, the city has proposed a people-mover system similar to the one being constructed at LAX. Due the similarity of the technology and the adjacency of the proposed station, I have consolidated the two systems into one, providing connectivity directly from the airport to Downtown Inglewood and the Rams Stadium. The Los Angeles Times has recently endorsed the construction of such a people mover.
R Line Busway: Lincoln Boulevard BRT
This 10 mile BRT system would connect Downtown Santa Monica and the beach directly with LAX. In addition, the line will pass through some of the densest communities on the beach, including Venice Beach and Marina Del Ray.
Glendale Streetcar
Glendale, which by 2050 will see service from the L Line, is considering a streetcar to connect its downtown to the nearby Metrolink station.
E Line Eastside Extension Phase 2
Phase 2 of the Eastside Extension of the E Line will create a new branch from Atlantic to South El Monte, further tying the Eastside into Metro. In addition, I am proposing an extension of the previously constructed Eastside Extension into Uptown Whittier, a dense and walkable neighborhood.
K Line Completion
The Pacific Electric’s West Santa Ana Branch (WSAB) once sent trains from Downtown LA over the county border through to the suburbs of northern Orange County. With current plans to build the K Line from Metro Center to Artesia, it would be relatively simple for Metro complete the line and send trains further down the nearly fully in-tact WSAB right of way to Santa Ana. The line could then tie into the Orange County Streetcar, providing access from across the county to destinations such as Disneyland and the John Wayne Airport. This extension would provide Metro with its second direct airport connection after LAX.
Orange County Streetcar Extension
The initial segment of the OC Streetcar will be of limited use, relegated mostly to downtown Santa Ana. However, a northern extension to Anaheim and a southern extension to John Wayne Airport will significantly increase its usefulness both for commuters and tourists alike. The new extensions will provide a one seat ride between John Wayne and Disneyland.
A Line Extension north to Burbank Airport
The terminus of the A Line is two miles short of the Burbank Airport. The airport has studied an A line extension northward, which would provide significantly augmented access. In addition, the extension would create two intermediate stops in the eastern valley, creating the opportunity for additional transit oriented development. This extension would provide Metro with its third direct airport connection and would provide a one-seat ride to DTLA.
A Line Extension south to the Arts District
Because the A and B Line’s primary maintenance yard is just adjacent to the burgeoning Arts District, this extension should be a relatively simple matter. By cordoning off a portion of the yard for passenger service, Metro can provide heavy rail service directly to this portion of downtown, which includes the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) as well as several new housing developments. Having stations adjacent to railyards is a common practice to maximize revenue track on metro systems around the world. For instance, the 148th-Harlem Station on the New York City Subway sits within the system’s Lenox Avenue Yard.
F Line Extension to Ontario
Furthering Metro’s reach into the Inland Empire, this extension would connect to both the Ontario Airport and the East Ontario Metrolink station, with intermediate stops along the way. To construct this extension, a bill has been proposed to create a separate construction authority to design and build the line. While a similar authority was created by Representative Adam Schiff (D-28) in 1999 (famous as of late for leading the recent presidential impeachment, but also known in the San Gabriel Valley as the “father of the Gold Line” due to his efforts to bring light rail to the Foothill Cities during his time in the State Senate), Metro’s procurement and construction processes have matured to the point where the creation of such an authority today is likely not the most efficacious move. This extension will provide Metro with its fourth direct airport connection.
2060: Filling the Gaps
K Line Sunset Extension
This is a proposal of my own to extend the K line through a portion of the tunnel of the Regional Connector and down Sunset Boulevard through Echo Park and Silverlake. In Hollywood the K would join with the G. There, K trains would become G trains and run the rest of the G route (and vice-versa). This would provide a one-seat ride (albeit rather circuitous) from Downtown to LAX Gateway, as well as connecting the dense, historic neighborhoods north of Downtown. Under this proposal, some G trains would terminate at Hollywood/Highland, while others would continue on serving the K Line. Having one train seamlessly transition between different lines without requiring passengers to disembark is a common practice in Japan, and Portland does something similar on its orange and yellow LRT lines.
B Line Completion: the Subway to the Sea Realized
By 2060 the dream of the “Subway to the Sea” may finally be complete. By extending the B line from Wilshire/San Vicente to it’s natural end at the beach, the dream of a one-seat subway ride from DTLA to the beach will finally be realized. Along the way, another dense corridor of Santa Monica will be added to the system.
D Line Extension to San Pedro
This is a proposal of my own to extend the Vermont Subway to San Pedro, providing high capacity transit to the dense southern town. This service would supersede M Line bus service to San Pedro and would further Metro’s grid southwards, while allowing opportunities for denser development along the southern leg of Vermont.
S Line PCH Extension
Proposed as a “future project” in then-Mayor Villaraigosa’s “30/10 Iniative,” this extension would take the S Line from its terminus in Torrance and along the Pacific Coast Highway to Long Beach, with a transfer to the new D Line on the way.
Metrolink Electrification/Link Union Station
Union Station is one of Metro’s central hubs and the primary connection point between Metro and long-distance rail: Metrolink, Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner, and other long-distance Amtrak services (1, 2, 3, 4). In the coming years it will see a complete overhaul of its operational capacity with the construction of new tracks and concourse areas. Most critically, this project (dubbed “LinkUS” ) will enable “through-running.” Through-running is the difference between being able to push a grocery cart all the way through a checkout aisle versus having to go in, then back out. By allowing trains to run all the way through rather than having to reverse and switch tracks, the station will safely be able to handle significantly more trains.
The station’s art-deco architecture will be preserved, while the station’s capacity will increase significantly. To maximize on the potential of these changes, advocates have proposed electrifying certain Metrolink lines. In addition to the environmental benefits, electrification allows for more frequent service, as trains can run closer together. This is because electric trains — and in particular electrical multiple units, or EMUs, in which there are engines in each car — can both accelerate and decelerate at a much quicker rate than can diesel locomotives.
Electrification combined with through-running will enable Metrolink to transition from the out-dated paradigm of “commuter rail” (which focuses on the morning and evening rushes based on traditional “9–5” jobs) to that of “regional rail” (which provides all-day frequent service). Such systems are commonplace in Europe, where similar upgrades have allowed the transition from infrequent commuter rail to frequent regional rail. In Paris, for instance, legacy systems with stub end stations at the periphery of the city were tied together with through-stations to create the massively successful RER system. Moreover, the construction of infill stations between the widely spaced stops of the current system will enable Metrolink to behave as an express subway system closer to the core, and regional rail further out.
In my proposal I am creating two electrified Metrolink lines which form an x-shape across the county. A northwest-southeast line supersedes the Pacific Surfliner (which is today operated by Amtrak, but in this scenario by Metrolink) and provides all-day, frequent service from Santa Barbara through Los Angeles and south to San Diego. The Pacific Surfliner is the busiest Amtrak line outside of the Northeast — with electrification it could even further bolster its ridership by implementing a clock-face frequency. The second, east-west line is part of a larger project, which is described next.
Harbor Subdivision Reactivation/LAX Express Metrolink Line
The second electrified Metrolink line will combine today’s San Bernardino Line (the busiest on the Metrolink system and obviously worthy of electrification) with an east-west line from Union Station directly to Los Angeles International Airport. In fact, this right of way exists and is already in Metro’s possession. Known as the “Harbor Subdivision,” the route originated as a freight line to the Port. As more direct lines opened, the line fell out of use — all while dense communities grew around it. (Indeed, portions of the Harbor Subdivision have already been utilized by Metro’s G and S lines, as noted above.)
By reactivating and electrifying the line, Metrolink could provide direct, express service from Downtown to Inglewood and LAX. In addition, the line would create another lateral axis in Metro’s grid, providing connections to no fewer than six other lines (D, F, G, K, M, and the LAX-Inglewood peoplemover).
Metro has studied this idea extensively in the past, but has yet to pursue it due to rightful criticism that there are higher priorities in the short term.
Conclusion: Looking Forward
Los Angeles must radically change in the face of economic and environmental realities. In this age of cynicism and propaganda it can be difficult to feel optimistic about much of anything, let alone public investment in infrastructure. Indeed, the history of Metro is a tortured one, with lines being dictated and subsequently prioritized by politics (for a detailed history, see Ethan Elkind’s book, “Railtown,” which delves into the political history of the modern system). However in this rare case there is reason for optimism. No other American city (perhaps with the exception of Seattle) is as aggressively planning, funding, and constructing such an ambitious expansion of their transit system. While legacy systems such as the New York City Subway and the Boston T struggle with issues of basic maintenance and bureaucratic corruption, Los Angeles is one of the few American cities looking to the future. Construction of this system combined with crucial upzoning will make LA an example for many of America’s sprawling cities. If Los Angeles — of all cities — is able to pull off this transformation, then any city can.
If you have any questions or want to see full resolution versions of the maps please email me at adam.susaneck@gmail.com
Adam Paul Susaneck is pursuing his masters in architecture at the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Preservation, and Planning (now online!). He attended UC Berkeley undergrad and is generally hopeful about the future of Los Angeles.
