Transit & Traffic: A Primer

[@benpassino]

Well done! Well researched and delightfully executed.

[@Rich-MarsEco]

Besides frequency and buses sitting in traffic (which are Priority One,) the biggest issue in LA is the cleanliness. I took the Expo Line earlier this week. Twice once each way, and they both smelled so bad. On the way there, it was like a ranch (I grew up on one, it's the smell of hay and manure) and on the way back, smelled of human piss. This is on one of our newer Tram Lines, which are above ground. So I am not even going to compare it to the subways. One thing i disagree with is also the look of the stations, this is biased because we do not have frequency or quick transit in LA. So yea, in the meantime time, not seeing rotting food on the tracks, gum/drink stains/stick on the floors/stairs, loitering, etc. do matter. And LA will never have the frequency, because they are and still design their Tram Lines with far too few stops. They could have doubled on so many of them lines, they treat them like Regional Rail (because they look at the county more than they look at the city density.) Not saying one should be ignored over the other, but if I have to walk 9 blocks to get to a subway stop that only goes to dtla, then what's the point. (9 blocks is generous, and i am speaking from a renter POV not a Single Family Home Owner.) Example: The Regional Connector in DTLA, they didn't add a stop at the most densely built crossroads in all of LA at 6th next to the Library, because it was and i quote "too close to the other stations." In fact, there are no less than 3 other stops that are just as close or closer together than that, and in WAY LESS dense environments. Yes, stations cost more, but that is because of so much large scale waste. Compare any other nation's subway or tram line stops to ours, like our roads, they are much to large especially when ours are used much less. Other examples of places that recently needed and could easily had stops, (besides the one mentioned,) Florence & Inglewood Ave in Inglewood, (in planning) Manhattan & Inglewood Ave in Lawndale (part of C/K extension and yes im aware Lawndale didn't want a station, too much bureaucracy and they shouldn't have so much power to veto while simultaneously asking for a "future infill option" to be part of it, so damn wasteful,) (in planning) 190th & Hawthorne Blvd in end of Torrance (major crossroads, next to Business District, next to Prominade,) (planning but would be an infill after the Oil Industry Ends & can be redeveloped) Del Amo & Prairie in Torrance, Wilshire & Wilton in K-Town, Wilshire & Robertson in Beverly Hills, Wilshire & Hauser in Miracle Mile (density for it, major N/S bike route,) Wilshire & Doheny or Rexford, (note: the Beverly Dr Stop is not idea with just the 1 entrance & not having a 2nd entrance from the La Cienega closer to San Vicente was a mistake, similarly the Westwood Expo Line stop is pretty bad but unavoidable based on ROW,) between Lone Hill Ave & Gladstone St in (southern) Glendora (it is separated by 2 freeways, dense commercial area with future redevelopment opportunities, by major roads & a park,) Arrow Highway & Wheeler Ave (other end of the large Business District, near the High School, major crossroads, near expanding University fields & parks, near airfield,) and also Towne Ave & Towne Center Dr (major road, residential & office density, near High School. And that is just the ones I can remember from recent/soon projects not including past or further future projects or further extensions/other rail line possibilities. The last few stops were the Foothills extension, literally the last 3 stops on the extension (if they even do them all,) would only be to existing Regional Stops. That basically proves my point, they are spacing and only serving as a regional line, for independent city's Downtowns that want/need commute into LA's Downtown. It isn't functioning as a Tram system, which it is, to connect dense residential, downtowns, commercial, and office areas as an alternative to their vehicles. Cities are redesigning and focusing on less commute natures that we made our cities into, and Metro needs to get with that. I am all for more stops, faster stop (we dont need as much wait time, if someone misses it, there should be matched frequency every 10 minutes,) and small platforms (especially since there are no amenities anyways) to actually make public transit viable. Infilling later is harder and more expensive and just makes what was built prior, like a waste of money until more money is spent, when it was just purposely poor planning from day 1. (NOT TO MENTION, connecting stations to their greater areas, including for cyclists/scooters, walkers/skaters/boarders, location & timed close by buses or in some cases shuttles, pet areas, water amenities (including pay per use restrooms with auto-cleaners & occupancy timers,) and in some of the most used areas specially designed stops that represent the past or future of the city, like an Art Deco Station would fit in nicely at La Brea and Wilshire (per the surrounding historic buildings.)