Christopher Hawthorne, the architecture critic at the LA Times the contradictory evidence surrounding LA's machinations toward becomming a post-suburban city. He finds public opinion fractured as the MTA finalizes plans for two Westside subway lines.
Even the LA Weekly, once a bastion of all liberal views has published an aggressive indictment of the plans for the subway line. Hawthorne believes "attacks on mass transit and worries about creeping density are two sides of the same coin. Both are driven by fears that Los Angeles is losing the characteristics - easy private mobility, room to spread out - that have always made it, as a suburban metropolis, so different from other American big cities."
Those in favor of a more evolved mass transit system have been no less vocal over the past few months. "On Oct. 10, an estimated 100,000 Angelenos, on foot and on their bikes and skateboards, filled the streets to celebrate CicLAvia. The event drew many more participants than even its organizers were expecting, reflecting a growing constituency in Los Angeles for changes to the streetscape benefiting pedestrians and cyclists."
There is little doubt that as he reality comes nearer, the "gap between those who welcome additional density and crave mass transit and those who are on guard again such change is widening."
FULL STORY: There's A Growing Disconnect On A Better Connected LA
High Housing Costs Driving Down Transit Ridership in LA
When neighborhoods gentrify and displace lower-income residents, transit ridership suffers, new research shows.
How One L.A. Developer Uses the Law to Build Apartments
California’s density bonus law lets developers skirt some zoning regulations to build multifamily housing.
How the Iconic Dingbat Took Over Los Angeles
The low-slung, car-oriented apartment buildings represent a mid-century solution to a housing shortage and offer valuable lessons for new development.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie