Bike Lanes Los Angeles

Congestion in the big city: Learning from London

Congestion in the big city: Learning from London

Los Angeles (L.A.) and London have many things in common, but as alike they are, they are drastically different. These great metropolises’ have done a great deal in the realm of transportation, pollution, and congestion. While London has set the standard in congestion control, and public transportation, L.A. is still clinging to an archaic network of freeways, highways, and roads. L.A. is one of the fastest growing areas in the United States with a projected population growth of another six million residents by 2025.  With so many people, it can take hours to go just a few miles (SCAG, 2000).

The main issue is that the greater L.A. area in Southern California is still using a freeway system from the 1950’s, adding to polution, stress, congestion, and increasing the regions depedancy on oil. Dispite the fact that traffic and polution are some of biggest issues being voiced by the voters, the local government does not seem to interested in making headway in the field of mass transit (Mittelstaedt, 2008).

Instead of the subways, light rail, and the very advanced bus systems of London Southern California is using a tangled web of roads. While there are buses, they are not very effective and have very limited routes. The sad truth is that Los Angeles had subways, light rail, and trolly cars. Instead of expanding those systems, the city closed most of them down under pressue from the “Big Three” auto manfactures. Part of the system that was dismanntled is in my neighborhood; The bicycle trail that runs near my home once was part of a dedicated light rail line that ran from the city of San Bernadino to L.A. In 1955 when Los Angeles closed down it’s underground it had over 1,000 miles of subway and light rail. It seems some in L.A. are starting regret the decision to shutdown the mass transist system and the L.A. Metro is up and running again, this time with only 73 miles of rail, many call it the trian to nowhere (DeBord, 2007 ).

London has taken a very hardline on congestion, charging people who drive non-alternative vehilces into the city center a congestion charge. This move has pushed more people to drive hybrids, because they are exempt from the congestion charge, but has also upped bus and metro ridership, thus increasing revinues and allowing London to improve its public transportation system. After the congestion charge was put into place there was a 14% increase in bus ridership, congestion delays were reduced by upto 50%.  Bicycle, Scooter and Smart car sales also increased (Litman, 2006). Los Angeles has done little to encourage alteratives, small steps such as the Metro Link train system that links down town to select suburban areas, still leaves many having to find ways to get to work once they get to the few stations in the city.

Many Californias want alternatives to driving, in November 2008 voters will have the opportunity to ballot on a new high speed train that will link L.A. to San Francisco and San Diego. Giving riders an option other than driving when commuting between major Southern California cities. The idea of being able to get to San Francisco in as little as two and half hours is very exciting, but California and L.A. leaders need to work on the internal network of trains within the city. In London, the subway takes passengers right to the airport, but in L.A., the Metro Link stops about five miles away from L.A. International Airport, a concession made to the taxi union. On my last trip to London, I enjoyed the option of driving, that a great public transportation system affords it users. The ability to drive when you want to, instead of being forced to drive out of necessity is a very relaxing experience. London has also taken to installing more bicycle lanes, to encourage a more pedestrian society. In contrast, L.A. and its urban sprawl known as the suburbs, has a poorly planned and disconnected network of bicycle lanes that do not shield riders from traffic. I bicycle to work a few times a week, in one stretch of the trip every other city block has a bike lane-forcing bicyclist to ride on the sidewalk to avoid being struck by the fast moving traffic. Between my home and office, there are no trains, so I attempted to take the bus. After negotiating the confusing schedule, I determined that it would take over an hour to travel just seven miles. Many people in Southern California face these struggles every day because of the limited public transportation system. No options other than to face a grueling congested commute. While Londoners have the option of, the underground, buses, or personal transportation, the people of L.A. are forced to drive.

L.A. leaders have been making promises for years, but if they would study the example that London is setting, not only enforcing congestion controls. London has taken the additional funding from the congestion charges and reinvested in the public transportation infrastructure. Giving citizens a tangible return on the investment, they pay in congestion charges. London as a city also made sure not to make the congestion charges inconvenient allowing users to pay via text message as they drive by. L.A. could impose a plan similar to the London congestion plan. This could mean increased revenues for the city to improve the public transportation that is so desperately needed to relieve the congestion in the greater L.A. area.

Until leaders at the state and local level are committed to making L.A. a truly pedestrian city, we will see no end to the congestion, frustration, and pollution that has L.A. has become known for. London just 100 years ago was known for its grime and overcrowding, now it is the model for a modern green urban metropolis. Can L.A. turn around it addition to the car, and shift into a new era of cleaner mass transit system? As London found it will take more than just providing the option, you have to provide a benefit and incentive. I hope for a cleaner, greener, and easier to navigate L.A.  that will become the standard of what a city should be.

Referances

DeBord, M. (2007 , December 11 ). Seeing the light on the subway. Los Angeles Times .

Litman, T. (2006). London Congestion Pricing – Implications for Other Cities. Victoria, BC,: Victoria Transport Policy Institute.

Mittelstaedt, A. (2008, January 18). Scream If You Hate Traffic. L.A. City Beat .

SCAG Southern California Association of Governments. (2000). Population Growth in the SCAG Region 1950-2025. Los Angeles: SCAG.

About the Author

Michael Satterfield has worked in the automotive industry for over 10 years, the majority of that time focused on Internet Sales and Marketing, in 2007 Michael founded Satterfield Group Int. a consulting firm dedicated to helping small businesses in the automotive aftermarket affordably promote their company on the internet. Michael holds BA Organizational Leadership and holds certificates from Ford Motor Company, Kia Motors North America, and Nichols, Campbell & Morrow in Internet Sales and Marketing. Michael is also an avid automotive enthusiast and has traveled around the world mostly by car, having owned over 60 cars, motorcycles, and scooters, Michael understands the needs of the automotive market from classic restoration to retail automotive sales. E-mail Michael directly at michael@satterfieldgroup.com

Bicycles and Cars in “Road Wars” (News Report – Los Angeles)