LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 6.0

[Doctorboffin]

Speaking of projects that take forever, do you think the 101 will ever be capped?

[Resident]

Originally Posted by Doctorboffin

Speaking of projects that take forever, do you think the 101 will ever be capped?

No.

The streetcar has taken FOREVER to get to this point. But now we are finally starting to make progress. It's probably about 3 years behind schedule. If R2 passes expect the timeline to speed up

[ChargerCarl]

MFW valuable R2 money would be diverted towards this joke of a project

[black_crow]

Originally Posted by ChargerCarl

MFW valuable R2 money would be diverted towards this joke of a project

L.A.'s highway system is a joke. We need more public transportation and that ASAP.
The streetcar will bring hundreds of million in tax revenues. Money that will go towards schools, parks and so on.

The streetcar is very important for Downtown. This project will create nearly 5000 new permanent jobs.
It will bring new development to Downtown and trust me people will use the streetcar a lot.
It will be a success like Kansas City's streetcar or like the Expo Line to Santa Monica.

We need to connect Downtown and light railway is the best way (also the only way that works in mega cities like New York, London, Berlin).

[Mojeda101]

Not to mention all the projects going along its path. It has a long stretch on Fig which means It'll go along Circa, Oceanwide, Hanzen, Staple Center, LA live, Fig@7th, Wilshire Grand, and turn on 7th which will pass by all the new adaptive reuse projects that are currently being worked on, along with The Bloc, turning on Hill going along the new Pershing Square, meeting with Grand Park, and then along Broadway, passing Grand Central Market, all the Broadway theaters and shops, May Co, Ace, Broadway palace that's currently rising, Case Hotel, and more. It's as if these projects chose these destinations in anticipation to all be linked together. Every other streetcar project has been a wild success and exceeded expectations. We deserve one too because I know I'll be using it every chance I get.

[ChargerCarl]

Originally Posted by black_crow

L.A.'s highway system is a joke. We need more public transportation and that ASAP.
The streetcar will bring hundreds of million in tax revenues. Money that will go towards schools, parks and so on.

The streetcar is very important for Downtown. This project will create nearly 5000 new permanent jobs.
It will bring new development to Downtown and trust me people will use the streetcar a lot.
It will be a success like Kansas City's streetcar or like the Expo Line to Santa Monica.

We need to connect Downtown and light railway is the best way (also the only way that works in mega cities like New York, London, Berlin).

There is zero evidence for any of this.

https://letsgola.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/should-streetcar-skeptics-stick-a-sock-in-it/

[black_crow]

Originally Posted by ChargerCarl

There is zero evidence for any of this.

https://letsgola.wordpress.com/2014/10/01/should-streetcar-skeptics-stick-a-sock-in-it/

Great article...

There is evidence everywhere in the world and also in L.A! (rail = more development, jobs and tax revenues)

Just wait for the opening day because the street car will come and there is nothing you can do about it (nothing but vote against it).
So you might as well just enjoy the ride.

PS:

I remember Mr X who told me a year ago that the Expo Line wouldn't be a success and that people wouldn't use it that much.
Well Mr X was very wrong. Some projects are easy to calculate and make just sense.

I know public transportation is a delicate subject in L.A., but that doesn't change the fact that we need it more than ever.

[ChargerCarl]

Originally Posted by black_crow

Great article...

There is evidence everywhere in the world and also in L.A! (rail = more development, jobs and tax revenues)

uhhh no...

Good transit = more development, jobs and tax revenue.

Bad transit = waste of resources

[Valyrian Steel]

Originally Posted by black_crow

Great article...

There is evidence everywhere in the world and also in L.A! (rail = more development, jobs and tax revenues)

Just wait for the opening day because the street car will come and there is nothing you can do about it (nothing but vote against it).
So you might as well just enjoy the ride.

PS:

I remember Mr X who told me a year ago that the Expo Line wouldn't be a success and that people wouldn't use it that much.
Well Mr X was very wrong. Some projects are easy to calculate and make just sense.

I know public transportation is a delicate subject in L.A., but that doesn't change the fact that we need it more than ever.

All rail isn't created equal. The streetcar is basically a prettier bus on rails that goes one way.

I'm not against it, but you're way overstating its importance.

[black_crow]

Originally Posted by Valyrian Steel

All rail isn't created equal. The streetcar is basically a prettier bus on rails that goes one way.

I'm not against it, but you're way overstating its importance.

We had that discussion about "bus vs light-rail" already a couple of times.
The most People prefer light rail because they think it's more comfortable and faster (US streetcars are not always faster, it really depends on things like traffic light stops and so on)

It's just good to have different options. I remember my first vacation in Downtown.
My wife and I were from Berlin and used to light rail, subways or trains.
To understand the bus system was a mess and we never came back to Downtown again. We actually ended up renting a car and got used to L.A. traffic.

It's the same with the Expo Line. There was always a bus connection between Downtown and Santa Monica, but everybody was happy about the Expo Line. So happy that Metro will run its trains every 6 Minutes (starting in December).

http://www.lightrailnow.org/facts/fa_00012.htm

[Jun]

Originally Posted by Valyrian Steel

All rail isn't created equal. The streetcar is basically a prettier bus on rails that goes one way.

I'm not against it, but you're way overstating its importance.

Word. If it was a proper system like Toronto's I would be hyped up for it, but its basically a tarted up DASH line.

[SanDiegoGuy]

I would always prefer a streetcar over a bus.

2018 sounds not bad.

[King Kill 'em]

Put me down for Team No Streetcar.

[bobcat]

The problem with projects with long development timelines like the Streetcar or Related's Grand Ave is that DTLA is changing so quickly that it's a very different place now than when these projects were first conceived. The Streetcar was originally envisioned as a catalyst for development and a convenient way for pedestrians to safely bridge all the dead zones between DTLA's activity centers. But with megaprojects slated for virtually every corner and Uber/Lyft now so convenient the streetcar doesn't seem to have the same urgency as before.

I think this will largely be a tourist line, which itself isn't a bad idea. Especially with tourism booming and LA likely to be getting another Olympics within the not too distant future.

[Wally West]

Originally Posted by King Kill 'em

Put me down for Team No Streetcar.

Same here. I was hyped for the streetcar when DTLA was struggling to get any new developments but I think DTLA doesn't need it as much as anymore. That said, I was still in favor for the street car since it's nice to have options.

However, once the official plan for the streetcar is for it to only be one way, I got off the bandwagon. That's not an entirely practical streetcar.

[SanDiegoGuy]

Originally Posted by Wally West

However, once the official plan for the streetcar is for it to only be one way, I got off the bandwagon. That's not an entirely practical streetcar.

Two way would have been ideal, but it's not really necessary.
It's a 4 miles route.

[dktshb]

I ride the subway and light rail. I have never taken a bus. I will use the streetcar and that is the sentiment of a lot of people whether right or wrong. I think the streetcar is a good project and connects a lot of downtown's real points of interest.

[black_crow]

Originally Posted by dktshb

I ride the subway and light rail. I have never taken a bus. I will use the streetcar and that is the sentiment of a lot of people whether right or wrong. I think the streetcar is a good project and connects a lot of downtown's real points of interest.

Same here.

Ok... I did use a bus or my car to get to trains, but that's about it.

It's sad that Metro has not enough trains to give you more space.
I really hope that will change in December (new schedule).

[kelbeen]

Just from today 10/9/16

[WestCoastSupertall]

A little shoutout to you fine folks on SSP

http://laist.com/2016/10/10/la_construction_map_2016.php