Los Angeles Metro

Protest Crowd

L.A. Metro CEO Challenges Trump on Infrastructure Funding

President Trump’s most recent transportation budget is projected to cut transportation spending by 13 percent, potentially undercutting many of Los Angeles' ambitious projects to continue the build-out of a full public transportation system.

July 3, 2017 - The Planning Report

Auto Companies Prepare for Decline of Car Ownership

It's no longer just transit agencies that are trying to meet the first mile-last mile challenge—auto companies have also jumped in by offering "mobility services." And it's more profitable than selling cars!

December 27, 2016 - The New York Times

Garcetti Expo Line

Surprising Ridership Data on Los Angeles Metro's New Expo Line Extension

The light rail extension opened May 20 and is already 70 percent toward meeting its 2030 ridership projection. According to a survey conducted in June by Metro, more than two-thirds of riders were new to the Expo Line.

September 19, 2016 - KPCC

Carpool Lane

Fatal Flaw of Express Lanes?

Since transportation agencies decided to make carpool lanes available for non-carpoolers (toll-paying solo drivers or electric vehicles), they've become congested in some metro areas, which can violate federal conditions on their use.

September 14, 2016 - Stateline

Metro Subway Los Angeles

The Vision for a $120 Billion Public Transportation Revolution in Los Angeles

Los Angeles Metro's new Chief of Planning Therese McMillan joins the agency at a pivotal moment, as county voters will decide in November whether to approve a new, evergreen sales tax to fund future Metro public transportation expansion.

July 6, 2016 - The Planning Report

Expo Line

Proposed $120 Billion Sales Tax Measure Polling Well in L.A. County

A single sales tax measure that would add a new half cent sales tax to fund transportation projects in Los Angeles County for 40 years, and extend an existing half-cent sales tax that terminates in 2039, is supported by at least 68 percent of voters.

June 1, 2016 - MyNewsLA.com

Transit May Not Reduce Congestion—But It's Still Important

Laura Bliss argues that rather than promise to reduce congestion, Los Angeles Metro should embrace its real beneficiaries: non-drivers.

April 16, 2016 - CityLab

How High is Too High for Transportation Sales Taxes?

Sales taxes are regressive, but unlike the gas tax, they bear no relationship to transportation. Should a November transportation ballot measure pass, sales taxes in three cities in the county of Los Angeles would exceed 10 percent.

April 4, 2016 - KPCC

Metro Subway Los Angeles

Infographic: Incomes Along Los Angeles Metro Lines

As Los Angeles weighs the merits of more major funding for Metro Rail projects, the current slate of new routes is already coming online. This graphic depicts median household incomes along existing and future rail lines.

March 21, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

$120 Billion Transportation Bond May Be Headed to Los Angeles County Voters

The transit and road measure, based on extending and increasing half-cent sales taxes, would fund a massive amount of light rail, bus, and road measures, including building a Sepulveda Pass tunnel which would accommodate a toll road and rail line.

March 16, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

Op-Ed: Politicians Should Leave the Transit Routes to Planners

While it will certainly comes as a relief to some commuters living in the San Gabriel Valley, the Metro Gold Line extension that opened earlier this month was more the result of politics than planning.

March 16, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

California's Ambitious Transportation Projects Designed to Include Communities

Unprecedented transit build-out in California could transform the state. Now leaders are working to ensure the infrastructure connecting major cities also benefits the communities it touches along the way.

March 4, 2016 - The Planning Report

LA Metro, Wilshire and Western

Los Angeles' Metro Launches New Phase in Effort to Curb Sexual Harassment

After first launching its program in the Spring, law enforcement and Metro are reminding riders to report instances of sexual harassment on trains and buses

October 26, 2015 - The Source (Metro's blog)

Bikeshare Pitched as First-Mile, Last-Mile Solution in Los Angeles

Although the city of Los Angeles is well behind on the trend of adding a bikeshare of any variety, planners hope a recently proposed system will achieve more than the sum of its parts.

July 8, 2015 - Los Angeles Times

The fronts of three double-decker buses in London

Can the Bus Be Sexy?

Transit agencies are increasingly turning to branding and advertising to improve their images. But can conservative bureaucracies embrace what it means to be "cool"? More importantly, can they attract riders?

October 12, 2014 - InTransition Magazine

LA County Transit Agency Tests Public-Private Partnerships

Doug Failing, Executive Director of LA Metro's Highway Programs, proudly shares the agency's $700 million strategy for testing the value of public-private partnerships to finance and accelerate planned transportation upgrades.

July 17, 2013 - The Planning Report

LA Politicos Make Final Cases For and Against Extending Transportation Sales Tax

In 2008 Los Angeles voters passed a half-cent sales tax to finance construction of a new transit system. In November, Angelenos will decide whether to extend this tax to 2069, allowing Metro to borrow more in the short term and expedite construction.

October 26, 2012 - The Planning Report

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.

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The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.