Transit ridership is falling because Angelenos keep buying cars, UCLA report says
As for your weekends, you could…
Go eat at Grand Central Market? Go to the Natural History Museum? Attend a game at Staples Center? Go shopping in Santa Monica? Go see a movie at the Chinese Theater?
Transit ridership is falling because Angelenos keep buying cars, UCLA report says
The security concerns on Metro are way overblown. I don’t ride frequently now, but I used to ride the 720 bus and Purple Line on a near daily basis between Brentwood and DTLA. Unpleasant incidents relating to safety & comfort numbered probably 1 in 20 times and most of those 1’s are simple realities of big city life that one would encounter on any LA sidewalk or parking lot. Perhaps, it’s different on other MTA lines, but I sense most of safety concerns are coming from the crowd that feels "empowered" by driving. Transit reliability is a different story.
I always have to question the ridership statistics when the fare evasion is so rampant. I suppose this is more of a problem on rail than bus, but it is worth mentioning. But then again, this has always been problem (I assume) so it may not affect these statistics when comparing over time.
Regardless of the ridership statistics, I applaud our City’s leadership for pressing ahead with developing the rail system, if imperfectly. So many of this city’s problems, from the Hollywood Sign wars, Runyon Canyon tensions, the bland-to-dreary architecture, lack of mobility, are directly tied to this city’s dramatic over-reliance on automobiles (and parking them). We are not talking about eliminating cars, but rather reducing the need for them and their storage. That could make a real difference in the appearance and quality of life in this city.
Transit ridership is falling because Angelenos keep buying cars, UCLA report says
I try to be that person who will skip a car trip a couple of times a week. Where I live I am lucky to have access to a couple of different bus routes that can take me straight into DTLA, Santa Monica or Hollywood with no transfers, this is of course when I am traveling solo and can take my time. But I always, always Uber or Lyft back home after. Not necessarily for safety but more for convenience. For the folks who rarely ride try that, you’ll save a lil’ coin on the way out and might find it useful a few times a month, especially on a the weekends or evenings when you might be meeting friends for cocktails.
Transit ridership is falling because Angelenos keep buying cars, UCLA report says
Agreed, but why not take it on weekends when you’re not on a tight time schedule? I’ve done that many many times. Have gone to the Santa Monica beach from East L.A. Have gone to the Hollywood Bowl from East L.A. Of course, to DTLA from East L.A. To Exposition Park from East L.A. and to Pasadena from East L.A. It’s worked out great.
I live near East L.A. so it’s a short 10 minutes ride to the Atlantic Gold line station for me to the rest of the Metro rail system. But that being said, since I work on the Westside, there is no way I would take it on a daily basis for work. It would take me about 1/2-1 hour longer each way. Maybe once the DTLA interconnect line is open I would take it for work since I wouldn’t have to do the two transfer I would need to make today. It would just be a one seat ride to Westwood. That would be awesome.
Transit ridership is falling because Angelenos keep buying cars, UCLA report says
You’re mostly wrong. And no one can assure anyone of things not happening in your daily life. It’s absurd to ask for assurances from Metro BEFORE you even ride the current Metro system. Take weekend trip to DTLA, Exposition Park or Santa Monica and see how it goes. Don’t be prejudice against the current system through your ignorance of it from the last 30 years.
No, it’s the money that people throw at anything in Santa Monica. I’ve seen SPEC houses bought and stripped to the studs and rebuilt without ever having been lived in. When people throw money around like that, developers take note.
War on suburbs? Most single family home neighborhoods in Santa Monica are zoned in such a way that you’re not going to get an apartment building plopped in the middle of the block. And yes, we DO need more multi family housing along major streets. That doesn’t mean you need to personally move into those units.
What happened to live and let live, and letting the free market dictate what housing should be built? You sound like another big government busybody trying to make more regulations for folks.
Yet if someone wants to build a multi-unit, multi-floor apartment complex the city of Santa Monica has NO PROBLEM with that! It’s all part of the liberal progressive’s war on the suburb life. They want everyone to live in apartments and to take public transportation. Mike Bonin and the rest of LA politicians are like Cultists.