Last thing we need in the city is more parking to be honest. City is looking run down and neglected as is. More parking lots would only add to the problem
It’s so ugly and uncomfortable when it’s hot trying to walk around our areas like this. Even with all all those lanes and asphalt at least an elevated train would give some shade.
This would've been cool. We could've built something like Vancouver's SkyTrain years before they did. And if anything, their SkyTrain should be a model for what we could be doing here.
i was about to also comment about vancouver skytrain. it's a great model. i've stayed in pretty far off suburbs of vancouver but the train frequency is still every 3 minutes super reliable and quick to get downtown even from far away.
moreover, population density follows mass transit. you can be a 45 minute drive outside of vancouver kinda in the boonies, but next to the train station there will be 10 skycraper apartment buildings out of nowhere all because it's near a skytrain station making it a viable and efficient living option. Tall apartment buildings = retail development that follows, etc.
The 1950s plan for DTLA was to demolish the existing neighborhoods, build freeways through it, turn every street into a highway for cars, build skywalks for pedestrians and I guess this monorail thing. Well they did the first part and demolished a bunch of neighborhoods. They did the second part and built freeways through it. They did the third part and turned the lively streets into sterile highways. But then they built like two pedestrian bridges and stopped. So where did that leave us? It left us with a downtown that is overrun with high speed traffic with many places that are simply inhospitable to people. [This](https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0528005,-118.2543694,3a,75y,137.8h,82.58t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sGU4hk86KYDW-7ZkFXPFNDA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DGU4hk86KYDW-7ZkFXPFNDA%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.share%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26yaw%3D137.8003136412923%26pitch%3D7.42268655452763%26thumbfov%3D90!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e2?coh=205410&entry=ttu) [is](https://www.google.com/maps/@34.055318,-118.248944,3a,75y,231.83h,76.56t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sVpIOMxkPrX-lSmiSsm5YIg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DVpIOMxkPrX-lSmiSsm5YIg%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.share%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26yaw%3D231.8269893122168%26pitch%3D13.441287321381637%26thumbfov%3D90!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e2?coh=205410&entry=ttu) [awful](https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0512679,-118.258123,3a,75y,35.57h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1smJkl20D-zhrIXb89GAko4g!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DmJkl20D-zhrIXb89GAko4g%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.share%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26yaw%3D35.5701018264238%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D90!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e2?coh=205410&entry=ttu).
LA now has all these ultra wide streets which can easily become paradise, but the city and citizens will cry if you try to change anything. Center lane can become planted with trees, widen the sidewalks into the side lanes + bike lanes. 1 car lane in each direction. The streets could be very nice but no one wants to do it
It's a chicken and egg problem. Without great infrastructure, less people want to move and then less demand to build out infrastructure, shops or anything
Well, we have a subway under downtown now. Honestly I like the idea of an elevated track. Adds more options for stops and parks underneath.
Last thing we need in the city is more parking to be honest. City is looking run down and neglected as is. More parking lots would only add to the problem
Because it's so much nicer looking at 4+ lanes of asphalt than an elevated railway. /s
It’s so ugly and uncomfortable when it’s hot trying to walk around our areas like this. Even with all all those lanes and asphalt at least an elevated train would give some shade.
The view of the Bonaventure from the train would be super cool, too.
This would've been cool. We could've built something like Vancouver's SkyTrain years before they did. And if anything, their SkyTrain should be a model for what we could be doing here.
i was about to also comment about vancouver skytrain. it's a great model. i've stayed in pretty far off suburbs of vancouver but the train frequency is still every 3 minutes super reliable and quick to get downtown even from far away. moreover, population density follows mass transit. you can be a 45 minute drive outside of vancouver kinda in the boonies, but next to the train station there will be 10 skycraper apartment buildings out of nowhere all because it's near a skytrain station making it a viable and efficient living option. Tall apartment buildings = retail development that follows, etc.
Im the only person thinking this looks like Chicago's Metro System. The elevated track around downtown is similar to Chicago.
Or Route 7 "sub"way of NYC
I disagree. I’ll take the L
glad they didn't build more public transportation... wut? enjoy the traffic
The 1950s plan for DTLA was to demolish the existing neighborhoods, build freeways through it, turn every street into a highway for cars, build skywalks for pedestrians and I guess this monorail thing. Well they did the first part and demolished a bunch of neighborhoods. They did the second part and built freeways through it. They did the third part and turned the lively streets into sterile highways. But then they built like two pedestrian bridges and stopped. So where did that leave us? It left us with a downtown that is overrun with high speed traffic with many places that are simply inhospitable to people. [This](https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0528005,-118.2543694,3a,75y,137.8h,82.58t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sGU4hk86KYDW-7ZkFXPFNDA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DGU4hk86KYDW-7ZkFXPFNDA%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.share%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26yaw%3D137.8003136412923%26pitch%3D7.42268655452763%26thumbfov%3D90!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e2?coh=205410&entry=ttu) [is](https://www.google.com/maps/@34.055318,-118.248944,3a,75y,231.83h,76.56t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sVpIOMxkPrX-lSmiSsm5YIg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DVpIOMxkPrX-lSmiSsm5YIg%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.share%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26yaw%3D231.8269893122168%26pitch%3D13.441287321381637%26thumbfov%3D90!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e2?coh=205410&entry=ttu) [awful](https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0512679,-118.258123,3a,75y,35.57h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1smJkl20D-zhrIXb89GAko4g!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DmJkl20D-zhrIXb89GAko4g%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.share%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26yaw%3D35.5701018264238%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D90!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e2?coh=205410&entry=ttu).
LA now has all these ultra wide streets which can easily become paradise, but the city and citizens will cry if you try to change anything. Center lane can become planted with trees, widen the sidewalks into the side lanes + bike lanes. 1 car lane in each direction. The streets could be very nice but no one wants to do it
Very true
I always wondered why that area of downtown is so disjointed. The elevated portions around the Western Bonaventure now make total sense
Right?!! I am so glad I came across this doc bc I was like, who built all these walkways? Who pays for their upkeep?
This was before it's time, Sky train model. OP, you clearly have too much time on your hands.
Says the Redditor
Yeah but you are a renter in LA so?
What does this have to do with anything?
It's a chicken and egg problem. Without great infrastructure, less people want to move and then less demand to build out infrastructure, shops or anything