LA planning to pull off a 'car-free Olympics'

We're a state of “Big Dreams,” as author Bill Barich once chronicled in his tour of California from top to bottom. But in our biggest city, dreams of a car-free Olympics are poised to remain just that: dreams.

- Joshua Seawell, Tribune News Service

Only about a third of Metro's “28 Projects by ‘28 Games” transit proposals are complete, even after a reshuffle of plans to be more realistic. Meanwhile, the city is being sued by a concerned transit blogger for failing to implement Measure HLA, which commits it to executing its “Mobility Plan 2035,” including new bike lanes, bus lanes and pedestrian improvements. And rust will soon surface on the big dreams of high-speed rail between LA and San Francisco, with its funds rescinded by the Trump administration almost understandably after 15 years of work with precious little to show. When it comes to transit, climate hawks and urbanists get the message: Keep dreaming.

LA's lack of progress isn’t for lack of effort. As we prepare to host the world yet again, the city is conducting the largest public transit buildout in the US by far, financed by twin ballot measures (Measures M and R) that provide ample resources and at least some direction. LA Metro has staffed up accordingly, with an increasingly large and competent team and plans to bring more functions in-house and under its direct control.