While outgoing Mayor Villaraigosa has made great strides in building L.A.'s public transit and bicycle culture, there's still room for improvement, argues Harris Silver. He suggests 6 ways to further reduce Angelenos reliance on the automobile.
"Residents move around Los Angeles in a transportation mono-culture that is environmentally unsustainable and puts a friction on the economy by wasting billions on congestion every year," says Harris. "Although LA has an extensive bus system and a more limited rail system that is still under construction, 97% of all trips are in automobiles and 90% of those trips are single occupancy."
Harris details six ideas for making the city more livable, and less reliant on the automobile:
- Improve the walking environment.
- Encourage people to try Mass transit.
- Encourage People to ride bikes instead of taking cars to the beach.
- Introduce variable pricing models at large events based on vehicle occupancy.
- Bring [Electric] Bike Sharing to LA.
- Commit to LA being the first City in the world with an all electric Taxi Fleet.
FULL STORY: Six Transportation Ideas For LA's Mayor Elect Eric Garcetti

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians
Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie