Los Angeles

'Bouncy-House Urbanism' Reaches New Heights
When a glass slide installed 1,000 feet up the tallest skyscraper on the West Coast is more than it appears.

Multimodal Transit Hub Planned for LAX
A light-rail link to the Los Angeles International Airport would accommodate bikes and buses, and could be here by 2021.
Housing Initiatives to Appear on Northern and Southern California Ballots in November
Last week the Los Angeles City Council and Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved housing initiatives. "Build Better LA" requires large developments to have affordable units. Silicon Valley voters will vote on a $950 million housing bond.

Who Does Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s New Funding Plan Leave Out?
If the Metro Board passes the proposed $40 billion expenditure plan, millions of Los Angeles residents will still not have access to good public transit for decades.

Landlords Who Evicted Tenants to Make Space for Airbnb Get Their Day in Court
More than 20,000 rent-controlled units have left the market in Los Angeles since 2001—a problem exacerbated by options for short-term rentals. Now the City Attorney's Office is fighting back.

West Coast Cities Redefining Height With Batch of New Skyscrapers
The title of tallest building west of the Mississippi, property of the U.S. Bank Tower in Los Angeles since 1989, will soon go to another building. What does that say about the post-recession of West Coast cities?

Gehry's Plans for Los Angeles River Restoration Gaining Clarity
Details are emerging in the controversial effort by Gehry Partners, LLP to plan a new vision for the Los Angeles River. So far, however, Gehry Partners seems to have been listening more than plotting or drawing.

First Bicycle Traffic Signals Come to Los Angeles
The traffic signals are part of the Los Angeles Street 'full-featured' protected bike lane that also includes transit stop islands and two-stage turn queue boxes. Ribbon-cutting for the cycle track, the third in the city, was held Thursday.
Los Angeles City Council Approves LAX Northside Plan
340 acres of vacant property, granted by the Federal Aviation Authority in the 1970s and 1980s, has a new vision for the future.

The Tough Legal Path to ADA Compliance
Next City examines the fruits of a Department of Justice effort to force cities to bring their sidewalks and other public spaces into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

A New 25-Year Plan for Los Angeles' Water Supply
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has adopted a new 25-year plan that aims to drastically reduce the amount of imported water the city relies on in a given year.

New Promise Zones Include South Los Angeles
South L.A.'s inclusion in the Promise Zones program marks a shift in the way the federal government measures poverty.
China Railway Drops Out of L.A. to Las Vegas High-Speed Rail Project
China Railway, which had agreed to put up $100 million for XpressWest to build a 230-mile, 190 mph train from Victorville, Calif. to Las Vegas last September, withdrew from their agreement, primarily due to the inability to use their own trains.

Rail Transit: You Get What You Pay For
Seattle Transit blog compares rail investments from five cities around the country.

Artist to Help Los Angeles Meet Vision Zero Goal
LADOT’s first artist-in-residence will engage the city’s many subcultures, and its lively art scene, in his effort to improve pedestrian safety.

Los Angeles Metro Releases First Quality of Life Report
Metro's first Quality of Life report measures the impact of the agency's transit investments since 2008.

Light Rail Successes Draw Attention to L.A. Metro's Rail Problems
Two new light rail extensions opened in Los Angeles within two and a half months. Ridership is soaring on the Gold Line extension and preliminary reports look good for the Expo Line, but new riders experience problems familiar to long-time riders.

L.A. Metro and City of Los Angeles to Launch Metro Bike Share on July 7
One thousand bikes will be available exclusively to Metro passholders who subscribe from July 7 to August 1, when the general public will be able to sign-up. Subscribers will use a single card to access both transit and Metro Bikes. Sponsor needed.

Op-Ed Supports Value Capture-Enabled Transit Investments
Two USC professors argue that Los Angeles would be better served if Metro could recapture some of its investment in the county's expanding rail system.

Los Angeles' Ballot Box Planning and Development Initiatives Leaders Discuss Impacts
Two major ballot initiatives would change the state of planning and development in L.A. As the housing and planning crisis reaches new levels, initiative leaders and land-use experts discuss how to create a viable path forward.
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