Megathread: How to make Los Angeles a World Class City (2015, theater)

[BB_210]

LA is the worst world class city I have been to.

[PDF]

Originally Posted by capoeira

Definitely! I miss the LA downtown of the 1980's where one could drive up to Chinatown or Little Tokyo and park easily on the street. Now I live in San Francisco but I have not been to downtown San Francisco since December 2008.

Lol, you want cities without good Downtown areas? Good luck with that.

[spoolin]

Originally Posted by highlanderfil

Question for you: have you ever heard of good quoting practices?

The thought crossed my mind, but I wanted him to understand the magnitude of all of the changes he is suggesting. The length of his post makes this all the more apparent. Not my fault he wrote a wall of text.

[spoolin]

Originally Posted by Maison Margiela

It’s really not as expensive as you think and I think LA should cut whatever it is wasting money on and devote it to infrastructure, police, and updating regulation codes which is the sum of what I listed. The state and federal government should be doing the heavy lifting with the transportation projects and police situation is just a matter of reallocating existing resources. Who knows. The express lanes, trains, buses, etc. can make a profit over time. And a lot of what I also said is just more zoning and regulation.

Oh I see. Glad you have a firm grip on the finances behind municipal budgets!

[Maison Margiela]

As I said before. Alot of what I proposed builds on what is already happening. Every. Single. One. of my transportation suggestions earn revenue or provide a big enough benefit to be worth the cost. Also you must not know how things work so quit the condescension because maybe you could learn a thing or two.

Lesson#1:
Tolled Express Lanes = Revenue
More train/bus/bike along with a subscription service and app = Revenue

Lesson #2:
Cities don't pay the entire share of transportation projects. In fact if it is something like an interstate or something important to the state or national economy, other entities will spend the money and not the municipal. Improvements to I-5 I-405 such as the aformentioned additional express lane could be entirely funded by the state of federal government. That's one less thing on my list to pay for.

LA can ask for federal assistance for subway and light rail construction. That's another less thing to pay for.

LA can contract a 3rd party to develop the Metro App and receive profits from subscriptions to the Metro Service.

Proper zoning of urban cores, especially a urbanzied tech center with companies, shops, restaruants, easy commuting can only help LA get more business so that's a net GAIN.

The Riverwalk plan is literally just a zoning endevor. It would be up to private developers to finance it.

The crime one involves more reallocation of existing resources than spending.

[Maison Margiela]

Wow what a tough crowd of non-readers and critics.

Would be nice to actually have my ideas read and contributed to instead of going off topic with criticisms that were already addressed or that are entirely irrelevant to the discussion.

[The Illusive Man]

Originally Posted by Maison Margiela

Wow what a tough crowd of non-readers and critics.

Would be nice to actually have my ideas read and contributed to instead of going off topic with criticisms that were already addressed or that are entirely irrelevant to the discussion.

I actually don't want LA to attract more people. It's already too crowded as it is, so if current LA keeps people who don't like it away, I'm more than happy with that. Keep it as is.

[spoolin]

Originally Posted by Maison Margiela

As I said before. Alot of what I proposed builds on what is already happening. Every. Single. One. of my transportation suggestions earn revenue.

Tolled Express Lanes = Revenue
More train/bus/bike along with a subscription service and app = Revenue

Proper zoning of urban cores, especially a urbanzied tech center with companies, shops, restaruants, easy commuting can only help LA get more business so that's a net GAIN.

The Riverwalk plan is literally just a zoning endevor. It would be up to private developers to finance it.

The crime one involves more reallocation of existing resources than spending.

You talk about revenue as if there are no expenses involved with anything. If I get $1 in revenue but my expenses are $5, it does not matter that I used to have revenue of $0. Because I just lost $4.

From the very first paragraph of your suggestions I'm going to point out every single thing you suggested that costs money.

Originally Posted by Maison Margiela

Trains:
I would keep the same expansion plans but I would change the color system to a NY style lettering system. A line, B line, etc. There needs to be a security presence in all major stations and in lines that go through the more dangerous areas of the county. There needs to be increased funding for cleaning and maintainence crews to keep the trains clean. All projects need to be sped up with additional funding (would be nice to get it from the federal government). There needs to be a massive marketing campaign to get Angelinos on the train. Ads should target billboards, flyers, region-specific Instagram and Snapchat ads. Marketing campaign can tie with the olympics (“Experience the future of LA now, ride Metro.” “Transit that’s wins Gold” “We are expanding our network for the 2028 games, give it a try!” “Wifi+Comfort+No Cars = best Olympics ever”). Subway stations need to be places of connection. Major stations should have lounges, small restaurants, clean vending machines, etc. Major stations should be future proof for High Speed Rail and Hyperloop connection to other metropolitan areas. Trains should have WiFi. Subways should be used for DTLA, Hollywood, Chinatown, Beverly Hills, and the rest of the “urban core”. Light rail should be used to medium distances such as to Santa Monica (already done). Heavy commuter rail (above or at grade) should be used to connect LA to Orange County and San Bernardino. High Speed Rail/Hyperloop should be used between major regions.

Basically your first paragraph ALONE costs BILLIONS of dollars. So I will ask again, who is going to pay for it? You do know that LA MTA currently heavily subsidizes rail transit and for the most part it doesn't make money on riders. Right?

Not even going to comment on your distinction between suburbs and "urban core" with the examples of which geographic areas you mentioned because it is irrelevant to this discussion on costs vs revenue. But it makes no sense.

[Dane_in_LA]

Originally Posted by capoeira

If there is a contest for the most hilarious CD post you have a winner here. This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of. When I go shopping I fill up the trunk and back seat of my car. The main thing I look for in a shopping area is easy parking. It is useless to have a walkable shopping area unless one is not planning to buy much. And if one is not planning to buy much why waste the time on a semi-useless shopping trip?!

If you live in a walkable area (I used to, back in Yurp), shopping habits are likely to change. I didn't go on a "shopping trip", I walked by the store on my way home and popped in to get something for dinner or whatnot. It's a different mindset from the giant-haul-every-week from the local big box store.

[Maison Margiela]

Originally Posted by spoolin

You talk about revenue as if there are no expenses involved with anything. If I get $1 in revenue but my expenses are $5, it does not matter that I used to have revenue of $0. Because I just lost $4.

From the very first paragraph of your suggestions I'm going to point out every single thing you suggested that costs money.

Basically your first paragraph ALONE costs BILLIONS of dollars. So I will ask again, who is going to pay for it? You do know that LA MTA currently heavily subsidizes rail transit and for the most part it doesn't make money on riders. Right?

Not even going to comment on your distinction between suburbs and "urban core" with the examples of which geographic areas you mentioned because it is irrelevant to this discussion on costs vs revenue. But it makes no sense.

Literally just had a spiel about staying on topic and laying off the criticisms that really don't have anything to do with this topic. These are literally just ideas that can improve LA.

But I'll bite.

Color System is already going to be changed. Just saying that I want to to happen.

If other "World" cities can have police at major station I don't see why LA doesn't have money for it. Next.

Increased funding for cleaning trains, maann look at all those billions go.

Should have clarified. I want the projects sped up with Federal funding since we are getting the Olympics in 2028 and it would be worth having some of the far off projects completed by that time and not in funding limbo.

All I mean by that is to have some space at a station such as Union station for the inevitable HSR or Hyperloop project. That would also be funded by the State of California or in the Hyperloop's case private funding.

WiFi on Trains, wow already lost a trillion there buddy.

Heavy commuter rail between LA and Orange County would be expensive but is 100% doable and the benefits of Orange County residents being able to reach LA without traffic would be enormous.

Wow so you're saying Los Angeles has to pay for the High Speed Rail or Hyperloop line from San Diego to San Fransisco? Doesn't sound fair to me.

Try harder next time.