Los Angeles just elected an urban planner as its mayor

Nithya Raman, who holds a graduate degree in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is officially Los Angeles' Mayor-elect. Raman campaigned on getting Metro the tens of millions in funding it needs for LA28’s bus network and getting the Los Angeles International Airport’s people mover back on track, writes Colleen Shalby for the Los Angeles Times.

Transportation analysts are optimistic that Raman will be more "aggressive" in addressing transit issues than current-Mayor Karen Bass. The Times reports:

 “I do think we’ll see a considerable amount of action on transit and multimodal transportation in the short run on a timeline that puts this work in the context of preparation for the summer of 2028,” said Juan Matute, deputy director of UCLA’s Institute of Transportation Studies.

As mayor, Raman will become chair of Metro’s board and oversee the city’s transportation department. In a statement to the Times before the election, Raman said she would prioritize Metro projects that “give the most benefits to the most riders and help make our network more useful.”