This weekend is Proof that the 405 Needs Toll Booths at Mulholland

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by pwright1

This is the only city in the United States Of America where its people turn their noses up to public transportation. It's really bizzare imo.

The car culture is thoroughly ingrained into the collective L.A. consciousness, due to the undoing of the areas mass transit operations so many decades ago by car manufacturing interests. No one wants to leave behind their great 'symbol of ultimate freedom', even if it means spending a great deal of one's waking hours going nowhere, inhaling fumes.

[Captain Obvious]

Originally Posted by pwright1

This is the only city in the United States Of America where its people turn their noses up to public transportation. It's really bizzare imo. Honest to god I've never seen anything like it. But we will see what two extra carpool lanes do to help the gridlock along the busiest stretch of freeway in America.

Other people would turn their noses up at public transportation if they could. The reason that other cities embrace public transportation is because they don't have a choice. Essentially it is cost prohibitive to have a car in the city and it is faster to take public transportation. I used to live within walking distance to the Gold Line (in Pasadena) and excluding the days that it rained it would still be faster for me to take my car into Downtown LA.

Until it gets to the point that it is more convenient to take public transportation or cars become prohibitively expensive I just don't see anything changing in LA.

[Mashi]

Gregg,

Let's be honest about what's really bothering you: You don't want "low class" SFV people taking advantage of lower cost housing across the hill and then coming to work in your "high class" neck of the woods.

Did the traffic issues just pop out of the blue? When you moved to the area, was the crappy infrastructure not a dead giveaway that traffic is going to be an issue? Have you driven Sunset Blvd from the beach to the 405? It's a four lane road that's basically a two lane road. The two outer lanes being so uneven, cramped, and unpredictable to drive that they're worthless. This is the road that serves as the major artery for your entire area.

People streaming along the 405 isn't your issue, it's your local crappy infrastructure. None of this is news. You knew this when you bought there. I'm sure you brag about how quiet the area is and how charming and walkable the neighborhood is, but when it's time to drive and those same facts come back to bite you on the behind you have a problem with it.

Realize, LA is always going to be crowded. People are going to keep coming and coming. I'm sure that bothers you when you think about your commute but has you wringing your hands when you think about your home value. Bottom line, you either accept it as a tradeoff for living where you do, or you get the hell out and find a place with less traffic and an easier commute. You can't have it all.

[Carlite]

Right now, Metro is studying what kind of transit to put through Sepulveda Pass from the Westside to the Valley. They've had meetings about it, you can see more of their website. This is a Measure R project which could be acclerated if Measure J on the November ballot passes (with a 2/3 vote). http://www.metro.net/projects/sfv-40...jects/sfv-405/

[K 22]

Originally Posted by Carlite

Right now, Metro is studying what kind of transit to put through Sepulveda Pass from the Westside to the Valley. They've had meetings about it, you can see more of their website. This is a Measure R project which could be acclerated if Measure J on the November ballot passes (with a 2/3 vote). http://www.metro.net/projects/sfv-40...jects/sfv-405/

This might be the Valley's one and only shot to get LRT. I don't see the Orange Line getting "upgraded" anytime soon if ever.

[greggd1]

Originally Posted by Mashi

Gregg,

Let's be honest about what's really bothering you: You don't want "low class" SFV people taking advantage of lower cost housing across the hill and then coming to work in your "high class" neck of the woods.

Did the traffic issues just pop out of the blue? When you moved to the area, was the crappy infrastructure not a dead giveaway that traffic is going to be an issue? Have you driven Sunset Blvd from the beach to the 405? It's a four lane road that's basically a two lane road. The two outer lanes being so uneven, cramped, and unpredictable to drive that they're worthless. This is the road that serves as the major artery for your entire area.

People streaming along the 405 isn't your issue, it's your local crappy infrastructure. None of this is news. You knew this when you bought there. I'm sure you brag about how quiet the area is and how charming and walkable the neighborhood is, but when it's time to drive and those same facts come back to bite you on the behind you have a problem with it.

Realize, LA is always going to be crowded. People are going to keep coming and coming. I'm sure that bothers you when you think about your commute but has you wringing your hands when you think about your home value. Bottom line, you either accept it as a tradeoff for living where you do, or you get the hell out and find a place with less traffic and an easier commute. You can't have it all.

I havent been on this forum for a longwhile but do need to respond...

You really missed the point.. I dont consider an individual/family living in the Valley to be low class..Thats your hangup..

My point is that people deserve to have a certain quality of life and someone shouldnt have to sit in an hour + of traffic to drive a normal 5-10 minute errand from one side of the neighborhood to another. I agree with you about the infrastructure and that is why I think a rail line along the 405, 10, 5, etc is essential to the long term sustainability of these cities.. I've lived here my entire life so I didnt come here from elsewhere..

I also think a little personal responsibility on the part of the commuter is in order as well...sitting in SM to Valley traffic twice a day seems to be a bit foolish. A person would be better served living closer to their place of employment and even better served having an efficient means of public transportation if they decide to live further out.

No worries though, I have the entire sunset/wilshire/san vicente issue resolved.. I don't wait at all anymore.

[Marv101]

You cannot compare public transit users here in LA to those in cities with world-class public transit systems such as Toronto, Montreal, DC, NYC or San Francisco for two extremely simple reasons.

1)---Public transit riders in La County are at the bottom of the income scale (under $18K/year according to the MTAs own data).

2)---Density---As Joel Kotkin pointed out in the O C Register last Sunday, less than 6% of LA's citizens utilize public transportation to go to work, as opposed to 30% of the residents of NYC.

New urbanists have been exposed as frauds because Portland, OR, their #1 example on how public transit works so well in serving the locals as they've always believed based on what they learned in their educational institutions of higher ignorance, is contemplating doing away with upwards of 70% because the percentage of the local population which uses public transportation is lower than it was in 1980.

I certainly don't think that the subway extension the the VA Hospital in Westwood (it's not going any farther) would make much of a difference, and especially in a city as addicted to imported automobiles (from econoboxes to really pricey ones) as LA is.