why isn't los angeles' public transit system as good as NYC?
why does l.a.'s public transit system suck so bad? if you expect someone to pay $1,800/month for rent, isn't the outrageous price of rent usually offset by not having to purchase a vehicle and pay car insurance? hello??? nyc? d.c.?? chicago?? san francisco? pay ridiculous rent prices, car insurance, and gas .. and god knows gas is a trillion dollar industry in l.a.
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The city of Los Angeles is huge. It has almost 500 square miles of land area. That's ten times as large as San Francisco, or half the size of the state of Rhode Island. There is a mountain range which runs through the city. This has the effect of forcing detours in what would look like straight routes on a map. Let's not forget about the earthquake danger, which is a very real cliche. That will complicate any designs, making them more expensive to build. Also, Los Angeles, being a young city, is home to a lot of "not in my backyard" (NIMBY) people. They have a tendency to sue to block construction of anything which will be in their neighborhoods. The transit systems in NYC, Chicago, and SF were built before such lawsuits became popular.
To the city's credit, they are working on the problem to the extent that available funding will permit. The federal Davis-Bacon Act, which requires people working on government-funded projects to be paid union wages, puts a major crimp in that game plan.
Because LA is so much larger and more spread out than other cities, it would be much more expensive and complicated to build. (So much more negative and dangerous stuff went on when building the subway/light rail here than was publicly reported.) LA was built up at a time when cars were becoming very popular, it's not as old as the cities with good subway systems that were built up pre-car. There was likely also the issue of Federal money available for highways vs private rail systems. And because some corporations didn't want certain types of public transportation.
Great American Streetcar Scandal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_American_street...
You can live in LA and use public transportation, lots of people do. You just have to plan your life well and live near where you work or go to school. But if you want freedom here, you need a car.
Actually, it isn't that bad at all. However, it has only recently started building its rail system, so give it time. Actually, Los Angeles is nothing like the freeway laced, low density city it is stereotyped to be. In 1990, LA built its first light rail line. Since then, LA has built four light rail lines, two BRT lines, and two subway lines, as well as seven commuter rail lines. Several years ago, LA county voters approved measure R, which provided funding for 5 new rail lines, two of which have opened this year. LA is building rail faster than any other city in America. This year, LA county voters will be asked to approve measure R2, which will be 3 times the size of measure R, and bring rapid transit to every corner of the region. The false narrative of LA as a giant suburb is disappearing rapidly, as LA is truly becoming the city of the future, and it is really quite exciting.
l. a. is the main important city interior the international - with Toyko being a special 2d. once you're 15miles off of enormous apple Island you're interior the sticks. once you're 30mins out of downtown Chicago you're very plenty interior the suburbs. From the San Diego border to previous Santa Barbara (2 hundred+ miles) and 60+ miles inland you're in an city section. that's extremely puzzling to retrofit public transportation - it would take billions of dollars
LA was designed to be all about the auto and speed (streamline moderne is a popular early design style in LA). The auto was coming into its own and was being celebrated for its revolutionary features and gas was dirt cheap. The whole mind set of LA was far different from east coast, older cites.
Because NYC knows what it's doing. It's been around a lot longer and they've had more time to perfect it. LA is just sloppy too.
Just make the adjustment and get a car!