MetroRiderLA

In a random California suburb a group of boys evade the Feds using pedal power. If there was ever a more powerful and inspirational ode to the power and freedom of bicycles, I don’t know about it.

So I wrote a book about the Long Range Transportation Plan and sent it to Metro. Read it in its entirety here:

As Metro CEO Roger Snoble made it clear on the first page of the 2008 Long Range Transportation Plan Draft, mobility is the glue that holds a city together and in Los Angeles that adhesive is rapidly losing its grip. If we fail to properly address the mobility issues our city faces, if we put the glue in the wrong places or put too much glue in one place while letting other areas lose their bond, the outcome will invariably be a rapid fall from prosperity to ruin. The dream that brings so many people to our sun-drenched city - the dream of freedom, success, recreation, and culture - will remain just that, nothing more than a mere figment of an overactive imagination. But that same imagination can be the compound that forms the glue that will save our city - mobility.

Metro asked us to Imagine a mobile future, and that’s just what I’ve done. As a car-free (by choice) Angeleno and creator of the Los Angeles transit blog MetroRiderLA, I’ve got my fair share of ideas on how to improve mobility in this city.

First and foremost there is the cultural issue, more specifically, the car-culture. Although the foundations of Los Angeles were set with rail, the city is known worldwide as the birthplace and stronghold of the global car-culture. Unfortunately, in a county of over 10 million people and growing, a car-culture is simply not sustainable. Cars require too much space, too much infrastructure, too many public resources, and cause to many problems to be effective as the sole mode of transportation in a megalopolis such as ours. In virtually every major population center around the globe, mass transportation is the main form of day-to-day travel, and for good reason. It is a far more efficient, streamlined, and economical way of moving millions of people about densely populated geographical area. Population centers that don’t have ample mass transit infrastructure and ridership suffer accordingly. Unfortunately Los Angeles falls into this group. Although we are the second most populous city in the United States, our transit ridership is #34. Most of the transit riders in our city are lower income people who simply cannot afford a car. I imagine a city where mass transit is not seen as welfare, but viewed as a mode of transportation for everyone.

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This March Metro asked you to share with them what you Imagine for L.A.’s transportation future. In two days however, the 45-day public comment period will come to a close, meaning you’d better act fast if you want your input on the Long Range Transportation Plan to have an impact.

The last of the seven community meetings being held to discuss the plan is tonight starting at 6 PM at the Marvin Braude Constituent Service Center in Van Nuys. You may also email your comments to metroplan@metro.net or call Metro’s LRTP Hotline at 213-922-2833 to leave a voice comment.

Perhaps you need some inspiration to help gather your thoughts for your own comments. Check out Damien Newton’s testimony over at Street Heat LA. His comments focus on the idea of creating balanced streets where all transportation modes get equal access to our precious streets. Also have a look at the conversation on the MetroRiderLA forum, perhaps Dan Wentzel’s ideas for making the Valley/Westside transit connection a reality is more along the lines of what you’re thinking.

Our very own Wad (who unfortunately has been too busy with real life to write for us lately), sent me his comments on the Long Range Transportation Plan, and his letter, aside from the fact that it contains some of the best recommendations I’ve read, is laid out in a manner that I plan on emulating because it’s organized so logically.

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Ahh, the audacity of hope… for a car-free future.

Last week, Metro released to the public their Draft Long Range Transportation Plan. The LRTP is a document that looks to assess and address the transportation needs of the Los Angeles area for the next 25 years.  A quarter of a century is a pretty big number, it’s hard to say if I’ll still be blogging when I’m 52, but if I am I’ll be able to link back to this post and review how the plan was implemented.

The next 40 days are crucial for the next 25 years, since Metro is allowing public comment on their plan until April 25th.   In order to encourage people to get involved, Metro has launched the Barrack Obama inspired “Imagine” campaign, in which Metro asks people to imagine a better future.  Yes we can!

The Imagine campaign may be Metro’s best marketing campaign yet.  It’s certainly the most complete.  The LRTP document[PDF] itself is beautifully designed, with inspiring photography that spans pages and equally inspiring copy.  The website is bold, colorful, easy to navigate, and interactive.  There’s even what I believe to be a Metro first… a blog! The blog even accepts comments.  There’s also a full on advertising assault, with billboards and posters promoting the Imagine campaign popping up all over the city.

Such audacity!

Join the conversation about the Long Range Transportation Plan in the new MetroRiderLA Forum.

Inspired by a comment by Dan W. on the One Year Without A Car post, I present MetroRider readers with this question:

Poll closes March 5, 2008 at 12:00PM.

What is the main reason you have chosen what is clearly an alternative lifestyle in Los Angeles? Sure, there are many reasons that go into the equation, but for me, the main reason I decided to go car-free was the fact that driving (and car ownership) in Los Angeles just sucks! Everything about it was dehumanizing to me: it was stressful, boring, scary, and annoying. Environment and economics are pluses, but they weren’t really a consideration to me when I decided to get rid of my car. What’s your story?