One of the major issues is Santa Monica is transportation — in all its forms. Of course “traffic” is the ubiquitous hot button issue among those who have little else to worry about. My “line” on traffic is that it cannot be improved by using the approaches that have failed in the past — i.e., by adding capacity for more cars and by limiting development. (Not that there are not other reasons for limiting development in any given urban situation.) But traffic should be addressed by means of either or both (i) limiting automobile traffic and (ii) providing alternative means of mobility.
In the years that I have been writing my Lookout column, specific transit alternatives have been issues in Santa Monica — mostly notably the Expo line light rail that is currently (in 2009) under construction from downtown L.A. to Culver City and which will be extended to Santa Monica as Phase II, probably by 2015. I’ve written numerous columns about that, as well as columns about prospects for extending the Wilshire Boulevard subway to Santa Monica (the so-called Subway to the Sea). Another idea I have written about is how to use point-to-point buses to connect Santa Monica’s job centers with the communities where employees live, and I have also written about how to price transit.
Below are links to some of the columns I have written about transportation.
On point-to-point buses and shuttles:
“Getting to the Point to Point” April 16, 2007 (http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/columns/FrankGruber/FG-2007/04_2007/04_16_2007_Getting_to_the_Point_to_Point.htm)
On the Expo Line:
On Metro’s study of the Wilshire busway proposal vs. Expo — June 22, 2001 — (http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/columns/FrankGruber/FG-2001/6_2001/6_22_2001_Speaking_of_This.htm)
“The Return of Railroad Avenue” Oct. 29, 2007 (http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/columns/FrankGruber/FG-2007/10_2007/10_29_2007_The_Return_of_Railroad_Avenue.htm)
“John Percival Jones Would be Happy” Feb. 9, 2009 (http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/columns/FrankGruber/FG-2009/02_2009/02_09_2009--John_Percival_Jones_would_be_happy.html)
“Transit and Good Urban Design, Unite” Feb. 17, 2009
(http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/columns/FrankGruber/FG-2009/02_2009/02_17_09--Transit_and_Good_Urban_Design_Unite.html)
On pricing of transit:
“The High Cost of Cheap Bus Fares” April 9, 2007 (http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/columns/FrankGruber/FG-2007/04_2007/04_09_2007_The_High_Cost_of_Cheap_Bus_Fares.htm)
On the Subway to the Sea:
“Killing Machines and Deadly Streets” Jan. 29, 2007 (http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/columns/FrankGruber/FG-2007/01_2007/01_29_2007_Killing_Machines_and_Deadly_Streets.htm)
“Promenade to LACMA in 14 Minutes?” Feb. 5, 2007 (http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/columns/FrankGruber/FG-2007/02_2007/02_05_2007_Promenade_to_LACMA.htm)
