This paper discusses transportation policy in the city of Los Angeles, California. A variety of aspects of transportation
specific to Los Angeles will be mentioned. There will be some discussion of the evolution of the transportation system in Los Angeles. Though a variety of transportation systems will be dis-cussed, the emphasis will be upon rapid transit systems for the city of Los Angeles. Thus, an emphasis will be placed upon dis-cussion of the planned Metrorail system for Los Angeles. The evolution of Metrorail systems and their economic status, ease of use, etc. will be a primary discussion topic for this paper.
It should be noted at the outset of this discussion that there is a spectrum of options available in urban transportation modes. These options can be viewed as mass transit, paratransit, and private. The mass transit options include the commuter rail, rapid rail, light rail, streetcar, and bus. The paratransit options include the jitney (a combination between the taxi and minibus), vanpool, carpool, dial-a-ride, shared taxi, and premium taxi. Private options include automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrian modes.
These varied options can further be classified as to their carrying capacities. Carrying capacities of the transit options vary from high capacity to low capacity. The low capacity transit options are the bicycle, motorcycle, automobile and pedestrian modes. The high capacity options are the bus, streetcar, light rail, rapid rail, and commuter rail. Intermediate capacity is represented by the jitney, vanpool, carpool, dial-a-ride, shared
These options also vary in whether they are flexible or fixed. The rail lines are fixed, whereas modes such as the bi-cycle and pedestrian are relatively flexible in comparison (Gray & Hoel, 1979, p. 206).
Los Angeles is currently thought of as being a freeway city. Los Angeles' history as a freeway city goes back to the establish-ment of the Pasa...