The Tangibility and Viability of L.A.'s 30/10 Plan

The Brookings Institution's Robert Puentes reports back on a recent discussion about Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's 30/10 plan -- the idea to cram 30 years worth of transit investments into 10.

1 minute read

August 28, 2010, 5:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


Along with Villaraigosa, Senator Barbara Boxer was also in attendance to discuss the plan, which many see as a positive step for L.A.

"We discussed the real and tangible benefits from 30/10 ranging from construction jobs created in the short term, to the economic benefits to the region down the line, to the transportation impacts once the projects are online, and the environmental effects especially in terms of carbon reduction. This is all somewhat intuitive--if done right--but it is admittedly hard to assess with any great deal of precision.

Even harder to quantify--and harder to do right--is to make sure that Los Angeles uses the tremendous opportunity presented by 30/10 to remake the physical shape of its metropolitan area that reflects the transformative economic, demographic and technological changes underway in our country. How our nation thinks about its physical future has enormous implications for our economy and will demand that we change not just the infrastructure we build, but the buildings we live in, and the way our metro areas are growing."

Thursday, August 26, 2010 in The New Republic

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