AIA/LA Urban Design Committee - Livable Boulevards: Transit.

Notes

 

AIA/Los Angeles Urban Design Committee

Green Streets/ Great Streets Series

Wednesday, April 22 2009

 

Livable Boulevards: Transit.  How the existing and future transit framework can link to planning, land use and urban design.

 

As part of our Great Streets series of discussions, the Urban Design Committee discussed how transit factors in to the design and use of our city.

 

The five panelists discussed how the transit network can work together with land-use, planning and urban design, to empower plans for TODs along with the creation of more livable boulevards.

 

Many committee members recognized that Los Angeles needs to have a more comprehensive system of public transportation not only to address growing transportation needs of the region but also to be considered amongst the world-class cities.  Much of the Committee's discussion was focused on the "Vision" for Los Angeles rail and the need to plan collaboratively and cohesively so that LA's transportation grows as a true network, rather than a bunch of isolated disjointed pieces.

 

While most of the conversation focused on Los Angeles' existing and proposed rail network, we also discussed the bus network and the importance of enhancing this massive system.  Simple things like shelter, shade, and attractive and thoughtful stations give riders dignity and encourage ridership.  The bus system is extensive and heavily-used and it should be continually developed.  Many participants acknowledged that there is potential for expansion of the Rapid Bus system through lane dedication.  By dedicating a lane to buses, the roadway is more efficient and has a higher capacity; thus an investment in roadways becomes exponentially more valuable.  Note that Measure R funds are not only going to fund rail projects, but are also going towards bus networks.

 

Challenges Discussed

• Departments and agencies work separately and have separate goals and agendas.
• How do we link modes of transit such as buses, high-speed rail, light-rail, cars, bikes, pedestrians?
• We have things like Measure R, which will help create transit, but the public doesn't necessarily see the benefits or the need for this transit network. How do you get the public to get behind a comprehensive transit vision for the future?
• There has traditionally been a disconnect between land use and transportation planning.
• Funding. Sales tax is not sufficient to fund a coordinated and extensive rail and transportation network.
• Timing. It takes a long time to get things done because of CEQA, public engagement processes, etc.  CEQA is not set up to encourage transit.
• The code doesn't always support TOD.
• We don't have to rework the code completely, rather we have to remake the street standards, parking and open space requirements, etc., in the key transit node areas.

Roundtable Panelists and notes on their comments:

 

1. Diego Cardoso, Executive Officer, Transportation Development and Implementation, METRO, Los Angeles

Transit planning is "city-making".  Transportation always has a huge impact on urban development. Along with immigration patterns, transit has shaped and created our cities.  What is happening now is that we are going "back-to-the-future" when it comes to the transit system we are trying to put together (e.g. trolleys that are being planned and the plan for high speed rail which harkens back to the highway-projects of Eisenhower's time). What this means for Los Angeles is a future with an incredible infrastructure network.  The "new frontier" when it comes to transit planning is the recycling, reusing, and re-adapting of network models and of existing right-of-ways.  Rediscovering what's already there, what has been done before and how we can learn from it, is key.  It is smart to work with what we already have; the challenge then is for architects and planners to remake the old ROWs and concepts into new spaces and visions.

Measure R was a very important move forward; the City will increasingly function via public transit. 

 

Transit issues cannot be solved locally. They need support at the Federal and State levels. A sea of changes is needed; while highways are funded around 80% from federal money, much, much less is funded federally when it comes to transit.

2. Jay Kim, Senior Transportation Engineer, City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation

In the long term we need to rely more on transit and indeed this is happening slowly. However people feel that it is not happening fast enough. The truth is, planning transit takes time. In the meantime, we have to focus on changing people's behavior.  Changing people's behavior, for example through financial incentives, has incredible potential to change the urban landscape.  The City has been working on this and there are currently incentives that exist that are underused, such as the Parking Cash Out.

 

You can also change people's behavior by offering them options.  Paris' bike share program, for example, is a wonderful program, but it reaches a limited audience.  A shared-use vehicle program that gave users a choice of travel modes, is an example of how to change people's behavior. 

 

Current methodology dictates that dedicating a freeway lane for transit causes a significant impact. This has to be adjusted if we are to seek transit options.

  

3. Anthony Loui, Community Planner (Team Leader TPE-20) Federal Transit Administration

Under the new DOT secretary who brings a new vision to the department, the FTA is working to develop a new livability and transit-oriented-development green buildings initiative.  This will shift focus onto these important themes.

 

Systems like BART (Bay Area) and WMaTA (Washington DC) are both examples of transit agencies that looked for a grand vision and undertook "systems planning" for their lines.  These agencies worked to unify the system and make sure that it was coordinated regionally.

 

The idea that highway projects would also have to go through the New Starts process, would have a positive impact on shifting the focus away from highways and towards other transportation options.

 

Ultimately, it's not about getting out of your car, it's about reducing your emissions.

 

4. Michael Metcalfe, Principal, Metcalfe Associates

Having poor public policy along with a mixture of jurisdictions with different agendas creates a patchwork of transit, rather than a unified multi-jurisdictional system.  The Regional Connector is a great example of synergistic development with a transit-oriented-development focus. 

 

It's important to address mistakes that have been made when it comes to planning policy to coordinate amongst jurisdictions and departments, and also to unify transportation and land use policy.  The General Plan framework in Los Angeles is good for coordination of land use and transportation.

 

5. Ray Sosa, Principal, CDM

The future rail network planned in LA is extensive, especially with the addition of the regional connector, which connects the gold, expo, and blue lines.  The integration of transportation and land use is a key planning consideration that cannot be overlooked.

 

      6.  Michelle Sorkin, Community Planning, LA City Planning

Michelle Sorkin gave a brief update on the West LA Community Plan process and about the walkabouts that have been taking place.  The walkabouts are helping the process to move along quickly and the Planning Department has been receiving good feedback from participants about the process.