In the 1920s, to alleviate traffic on a specific downtown to miracle mile commute, macarthur park was split in half and wilshire was cut through the middle of the park. The park remains split in 2016 due to this 1920s era problem.
In the 1950s, due to a lack of downtown parking, pershing square was gutted to be a multi-level underground parking structure with a poorly accessible park on top. Now in 2016, when we want a walkable city, many lament that our one central park is really just a multi-level parking lot.
The central problem here is that when city policy crafts a solution with 80 years of consequences to alleviate a 3 year problem, the urban landscape becomes disjointed and short-sighted.
Instead, this concept, which includes things like bike lanes, high density dwellings, and trains, are people trying to come up with 80 year solutions that are forward thinking.
There's been a problem getting all the right funding and public support on board but it's far easier today then what it took to get that first train to long beach open in 1990. The newer high density housing is still not pedestrian accessible, but that is changing in the buildings that are being planned right now and will be complete in a few years.
I think LA is attracting the right people and fostering the right attitude for a workable city that will blossom with sustainability, creativity, and livability in the upcoming generation.
I think [Grand Park] might be the New Central Park™. But it is, to your point, divided into three sections by streets cutting through the middle of it. =(
[Grand Park] https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0535849,-118.2459343,16.35z
So yes, grand park has been gradually growing in size for about 50 years. It certainly now has a more memorable name. It's going in a good direction...
Cars make surpassing a certain level of urban density really difficult. As parts of LA are getting there, people are finding out they really can't do it and at the same time allocate enough space for everyone to have their own car. The divorce of the 60s onward happend as a physical necessity. I think LA is growing past such reactionary urban planning. I hope so
Almost all crossings were at-grade and rail was being converted to bus as early as 1925.
Trains were being pulled up after the property was sold and many lines averaged under 13 mph as the density and car traffic increased.
The rail lines themselves were cheap material. Many lines were closed when they became too costly to repair.
The anarchy of free market competition is a poor substitute for thoughtful urban planning.
Looking at it another way, how many people would drive from A to B if the road narrowed to a single lane and became a pothole filled dirt road? It probably wouldn't be an appealing commute.
not just with bike lanes - this works for most transportation infrastructure, and in both directions. If you take away a car lane, less people choose to drive. If you add a car lane, you don't get less congestion, you get more people driving. People choose the optimal route, and there's a lot more people going places than the current road network can accommodate. you can keep widening roads for a long time without having much impact on congestion. If you want to actually fix the roads, you need to improve the more efficient means of transportation, like bicycle lanes and mass transit.
Or is this all just conjecture?
Long Beach has the right idea when it comes to bike lanes. They are protected by raised pavement so distracted or aggressive drivers can't just merge into them.
> I get that everyone having a car in LA is not a way to allow greater density, but, it's reality for now and making everyone in that reality suffer isn't a great way to get re-elected.
Got any great advice for changing the status quo? ;)