This Is the Future of Your L.A. Rush Hour

From Public Transportation Projects to Express Lanes, Southern California Transit Is Being Transformed. But Will Any of It Speed Up Traffic?

The Los Angeles Times has said that we’re living in a golden age of public transportation in Los Angeles. But try telling that to the people stuck on the 10 and 405 freeways at rush hour. Are new train and bus lines decreasing the number of cars on Southern California’s roads? Will technology speed up L.A. traffic? And how will Measure R investments in transit—funded by a sales tax increase—change how we get around? A panel of transportation experts addressed these questions at an event co-presented by Metro in front …

Is the Sharing Economy Making Cities Less Cooperative?

Airbnb, Taskrabbit, and Other Apps Are Re-Shaping Urban Life—and Breaking Down Communities

These days every city claims to be a “smart” city, or is becoming one, with heavy investments in modern information and computing technology to attract businesses and make the city …

Why L.A. Needs a Resilience Czar

Anticipating Everyday Environmental Threats Is Just as Important as Recovering from Natural Disaster

For the first time in human history, the majority of the world’s population lives in urban settings. Urban living offers many attractions–employment opportunities, higher education, entertainment, healthcare, and public transportation. …

SCAG Executive Director Hasan Ikhrata

He Can Quote ‘Shrek’ By Heart, But Not By Choice

Hasan Ikhrata is executive director of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). Before participating in a panel on the future of the 710 Freeway, he talked Shrek, smoking, and …

Can California’s San Joaquin Valley Conquer Urban Sprawl?

A Law Demanding Long-Term Planning Will Only Work If Communities Change How They See Growth

I studied to become a civil engineer with the goal of building grand things, like the Golden Gate Bridge, the Hoover Dam, and interstate freeways. Thanks to two inspiring professors, …

UCLA Urban Planner Brian Taylor

What Kind of Moron Is Responsible for L.A.’s Traffic System?

Brian Taylor is director of the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies and Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies as well as a professor of urban planning. Before participating in a …