http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Rail_(Los_Angeles_County)
The problem is vision: namely nobody has any. The folks who built NYC at the turn of the century had vision. They didn't just put in subway lines, they put in mostly four-track subway lines with room for express trains. They didn't just build commuter rail, they built a vast system (again with a lot of four-track to accommodate express trains) with stations in numerous little Westchester and Long Island town. Oh, and it was electrified in 1903 (kudos to Tesla, but all-electric commuting is very turn of the 20th century stuff).
Over 100 years later, we're still using that infrastructure. Today, of the 1.6 million people that enter Manhattan every day for work, 80% ride either commuter rail or the subway. This is a movement of people that would absolutely crush any other city despite their extensive highway networks, but New York handles it very well using ancient infrastructure.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_New_York_City_Su...
LA land how is more expensive than NYC land was then, even relative to inflation.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/america-in-...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expo_Line_(Los_Angeles_Metro)
once this is running @ 100% (currently it's at 50% operation) for a couple of years there will be a major change in mindset on the west side and the wilshire line (subway to the sea) will be accelerated.
or at least i hope so.
Bogota does it right, here. NYC is starting to follow a bit with the Select bus lines, as well.
I'm really just shocked that all this time LA didn't synchronise their lights. What have they been doing?! NYC has scientists tuning our lights for a living, and cars aren't our thing.