EDITORIAL: focused on FIXING THE PROBLEM
Someone has commented that I'm "channeling fear into brilliant creativity" with this blog. (I appreciate the compliment but I don't work for the Bush Administration. I ain't no Karl Rove! Not that the "brilliant creativity" part would apply to them, anyway - just the "channeling fear" part, I guess. They are Masters at that, that's for sure!).
I forgot to add a disclaimer to the blog entries I quoted yesterday, which I quoted to bring in other perspectives on the problem into the discussion (you can all feel free to comment as you wish).
That disclaimer should have read: "I neither endorse the comments below nor speak for their authors. I quote them to add different perspectives on this issue. As two of the quotes claim, traffic is WORSE elsewhere in the country than in L.A. This goes to show that we're trying to have a balanced view on the subject and that traffic has become a NATIONAL, NOT a LOCAL, problem. It is affecting ALL the metropolitan areas of the country. Solutions that work in L.A. might work elsewhere. Solutions that have worked elsewhere might work in L.A." (Or if you prefer legalese: "ALL OPINIONS STATED ARE THOSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL AUTHORS AND ARE NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ITALIANESCO. ITALIANESCO SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOST PROFITS OR REVENUES, COSTS OF REPLACEMENT GOODS, LOSS OR DAMAGE TO DATA ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS SITE." :-)
I'd like to stay focused on FIXING THE PROBLEM, not on sensationalist bashing of a city. L.A. in a unique city, in a unique location, with unique weather. It's too bad that this is happening to this city. In order to fix the problem, we need to make people aware of the problem and the issues involved. I wouldn't go so far as to call it "channeling fear."
The person who made the comment obviously had not read the entire blog. This blog cannot be judged by one entry (well, just like no book should be judged by its cover, no blog should be judged by its latest entry). There's a cumulative progression of points we are trying to make here. Just like L.A traffic is a sum total of MANY different problems, this blog is a sum total of many different posts. Because of this, we need to do a RECAP of EVERYTHING we have said so far with a complete index - in addition to the search functions provided by blogger and technorati, this blog is also highly cross-referenced - so that you can have, at a glance, on one page, a good perspective on where this blog is coming from and where it is going. L.A. traffic sucks [stop!] - THAT can be easily proven. Let's fix it [go!] - THAT is the point of this whole thing - and the REALLY HARD part.
FULL INDEX AND RECAP: complete index of posts so far with summary.
Blogs are "counter-chronological" (your first post is at the very bottom) and should be read "bottom-up" ("counter-post-wise" :-). If you are trying to make a point and the order of posts is a key to that point, new readers may miss that point and judge the entire blog by the latest post, or some post found through blogger search or technorati, and stop reading.
Just like we need to do with L.A. traffic, this index and recap attempt to bring some "order out of chaos."
Post #1
Sunday, April 23, 2006
"L.A. traffic sucks! Let's fix it once and for all!
Fist post - introduction
"While the first part of the title says it all ("L.A. traffic sucks!"), it is the second part ("Let's fix it once and for all!") what we would like to concentrate on. Ranting and raving might bring attention to issues, but I doubt it ever solved anything. I would actually like to propose some simple SOLUTIONS that came to mind while driving around in that maze..."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #2
Monday, April 24, 2006
Do angelenos dream of electric "air surfing" and flying saucers?
"L.A. probably needs to take a very bitter pill to cure its chronic traffic artereosclerosis. But that's not what I'd like to concern myself with here. I'd like to focus on smaller, much smaller scale things that are "do-able" (like "good diet and exercise": get those "arteries" flowing!) without spending millions and without involving the politicians and the public in any major political struggle ("triple bypass surgery": a complete subway system). I'd like to make suggestions that, if followed, would speed up traffic ALMOST INSTANTLY and take ALMOST NOTHING to implement except a little determination to MAKE THINGS BETTER."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #3
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks #1: Serving too many masters on your daily commute
Before proposing solutions, we might want to figure out WHY L.A. traffic sucks so bad. "WHY" there is a problem might yield some answers on "HOW" to solve it.[...]
Calling for uniform, standard and comprehensive traffic rules for the whole L.A. area (L.A. County) might be a good way to speed up traffic. Part of the traffic "artereosclerosis" of the place comes from its "patchwork design," from all these different cities having developed and doing things in ways that keep traffic from flowing smoothly as cars pass from one to the other."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #4
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks #2: Bad (or not exactly forward-looking) design
"...the whole 405 from Sunset to Venice needs to ELEVATED (or INTERRED) to allow more traffic to flow UNDER IT (or OVER IT) east to west and west to east.
This is about as realistic a project as expecting a complete subway system or a monorail to be built any time soon.
The SOLUTION has to be keeping those lights GREEN long enough to allow as many cars as possible to flow past as many intersections as possible. In other words, these major streets (Sunset, Wilshire, Santa Monica, Olympic, Pico and Venice) should become for three to five minutes, if not longer, "virtual freeways."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #5
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Putting "Ingenuity, Creativity and Resourcefulness" back into "American."
I came across Andrew's post "Begging for L.A. monorail" on his blog www.hereinvannuys.com. So sent him an e-mail about this blog.
On 4/26/06, andrew hurvitz replied:
Thank you. Your site is full of interesting ideas.
Andrew
www.hereinvannuys.com
I replied back:
If you like the ideas and think they'd be worth trying (they're a lot cheaper and more realistic than a subway system or monorail at this point), then please tell others about my blog. The only way to bring about change is to have enough people pressure enough politicians into making that change.
My ideas are all about putting "Ingenuity, Creativity and Resourcefulness" back into "American."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #6
Thursday, April 27, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks #3: Bus'em and clog'em
"While buses, as part of a public transportation systeam are good to move more people with fewer vehicles, in a city where millions refuse to take them and prefer to drive, they slow down traffic with their constant start and stops.[...]
The ONLY way that buses can stop and unload or pick up passangers without disturbing and slowing down traffic is by creating "INDENTS."[aka, "bus pullouts" or "bus turnouts"]
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #7
Friday, April 28, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks #4: Pesky annoying quirks: Unprotected Lefts
"There is NO QUESTION ABOUT IT: unprotected lefts are slowing down and clogging traffic in the L.A. area. [...]
At whatever cost, PROTECTED LEFTS need to be added to ALL major intersections WITHOUT EXCEPTION as soon as possible in the whole L.A. area. Period. Case closed. End of story."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #8
Friday, April 28, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks: OPEN DISCUSSION #1: Up in Arms!
With this post, we started our OPEN DISCUSSION series: replying to comments "out in the open" on the blog itself rather "hidden" under comments. Also, as a way to let readers know that their views and opinions are valued and appreciated and to encourage them to participate. calwatch <> took issue with my suggestion of "bus pullouts" on the "WHY L.A. traffic sucks #3: Bus'em and clog'em" post.
"The problem with this idea is that by creating these "indents" (the actual term for them are bus pullouts), you are slowing down bus riders while they have to wait for traffic to clear. [...] Your idea is not transit friendly and would be vehemently opposed by transit riders, which despite the small number in LA are actually a somewhat powerful force."
I replied:
"This IS the problem. L.A . drivers, L.A. "transit riders", L.A. residents have a MESS on their hands. What are they going to do about it? SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE. If every simple solution to every single issue is going to have a politically significant "powerful force" opposing it, we might as well GIVE UP right now! Just live with the mess. I think this mess has grown to the unmanageable proportions it has reached precisely because NO ONE seems to have the POLITICAL WILL or the POLITICAL COURAGE to DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, to really fix ANYTHING."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #9
Saturday, April 29, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks #5: Pesky annoying quirks: NO "left only" lanes
Here we continued with our "Pesky annoying quirks" sub-series of posts on "WHY L.A. traffic sucks."
"Try any of the corners of Crescent Heights from Melrose to San Vicente and feel like flying into "road rage" as you're stuck forever behind someone turning left while all the smart ones whizz by on your right![...]
"This city is past the "urban explotion" point of NO return and is not going back to what it was 60 years ago anytime soon. Urban planners might as well deal with it and prepare Crescent Heights to be the ALTERNATE LA CIENEGA that it ALREADY is.
""LEFT ONLY" LANES NEED TO BE PUT IN ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE THEY ARE REQUIRED TO KEEP TRAFFIC FLOWING IN THE L.A. AREA."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #10
Monday, May 01, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks #6: Pesky annoying quirks: Street parking
IF PARKING IS ALLOWED, SOMEONE ALWAYS VIOLATES THE PARKING RULES AND PARKS PAST 7:00AM OR PAST 4:00PM AND CLOGS TRAFFIC FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. Why should one or two people have the right to clog and slow down traffic for everybody else? Either "left only" lanes need to be put in on that stretch of Crescent Heights and other places where they are needed or street parking cannot be allowed 7:00am to 7:00pm Monday-Sunday. PERIOD. CASE CLOSED. END OF STORY."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #11
Monday, May 01, 2006
RE: "Just to clarify... " ["WHY" L.A. traffic sucks #1: Serving too many masters on your daily commute "]
LA City Nerd
"Major east/west streets that cross different jurisdictions are somewhat limited [...] Also, the east/west jurisdictions are limited to four: Los Angeles (City). west Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and then, on the western-most side of the area: Santa Monica. Hollywood is part of Los Angles City (as is Westwood, Brentwood, & Century City). The true coordination should really be focused between Beverly Hills & L.A. on Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards."
I reiterated my point:
"But whatever the technicalities and/or actual boundaries, I hope the suggestion is well-taken: there has to be some kind of coordination. If there already is, great. Perhaps they can crank it up a notch or two. If not, they need to get cracking on it! That's my whole point."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #12
Monday, May 01, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks: OPEN DISCUSSION #2
calwatch, licensed civil engineer, had a correction to make on
"Actually, your idea is already being implemented. In the June 2006 service change, all Rapid buses will continue to Santa Monica. The facts aren't correct, as an examination of a Rapid Bus schedule or field observation (which I have done several times despite being on the complete opposite side of town for me) will show, that "most" buses end at Westwood. Only 50% of them do."
I countered:
"The mathematical reality ("Only 50% of them do") may be one thing, the field observation may be quite another, but the perception may be the most important one. Because it is this PERCEPTION of a flawed and incomplete system, what makes most people give up on public transportation in America (I did!) or keeps them from even trying it. [...] I may be "idealistic" but I'd like to suggest solutions that are simple, very simple and "do-able" without a lot of politics and money."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #13
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks #7: Pesky annoying quirks: Accident clean-ups
"In ANY accident, they--the victims--should come first, they should be taken care of first. NO question about it, NO doubt about about it. NO ONE (I hope!) is arguing that. But (and here's the big "but"), at the same time, you can't paralize a whole city or whole sections of a city because something happened to one or two people. LIFE GOES ON. [,,]
My SOLUTION?
A SPECIAL TASK FORCE: A special task force should be created for the WHOLE of L.A. area to mobilize QUICKLY, clean up the accident--ANY ACCIDENT ANYTIME ANYWHERE--and get traffic moving as soon as possible."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #14
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks #8: Pesky annoying quirks: Dips and Potholes
"A modern city needs well-paved roads to keep traffic flowing smoothly. [...]
"A city of SO MANY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE who pay their taxes DESERVE WELL-PAVED ROADS. Torn-up roads full of dips and potholes affect traffic: there is NO question about it."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #15
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks: OPEN DISCUSSION #3:
calwatch takes issue with my idea to turn major roads into "virtual freeways" by keeping light GREEN from 3 to 5 minutes for long stretches over many intersections" in my post: "WHY L.A. traffic sucks #2: bad (or not exactly forward-looking) design".
"Once again, this idea [keeping light GREEN from 3 to 5 minutes for long stretches over many intersections] , while interesting, ignores the fact that at those side streets there are cars and pedestrians that want to cross the street. And they won't be able to do so in the hours you mention."
I countered:
"No, I did not ignore 'the fact that at those side streets there are cars and pedestrians that want to cross the street. And they won't be able to do so in the hours you mention.' I did say that some kind of north-south uninterrupted traffic would have to be allowed for traffic to flow east-west uninterrupted. Overpasses, or better, underpasses, might solve this problem. The pedestrians can EASILY be take care of with skywalks or pedestrian crossing tunnels. Many American cities already have them and use them."
He also mentioned the Laurel Canyon Freeway (SR-170) and the Beverly Hills Freeway (SR-2), which would have solved the north-south traffic problem in the middle of the Westside, but had been canceled by governor Jerry Brown.
I comment on the DAMAGE that politians without foresight can cause to a city, a state, a country.
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #16
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks: OPEN DISCUSSION #4: "I only ride my bike in LA"/The Italian Solution
Bill German offered a suggestion from our WHY L.A. traffic sucks: OPEN DISCUSSION #1: Up in Arms!
"I only ride my bike in LA. (i get great gas mileage and my heart thanks me)"
I agreed and said I had done that in another city but that in L.A. the distances and traffic made bike-riding impractical and a bit dangerous.
I offered the Italian solution: Vespas!
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #17
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks: OPEN DISCUSSION #5: "turnout lane for buses"/MTA vs. Big Blue Bus
Wad commented:
"MTA is responsbile for running the buses, but it cannot singlehandedly demand a turnout lane for buses. The roads and sidewalks are still the jurisdiction of the individual cities."
I countered:
"I brought up the issue of the 'turnout lane for buses' (or 'pullout' like calwatch calls it or 'indent' like I call it) mostly in regards to the great problem created by all those buses, especially the MTA 720 Red Rapid buses, around the intersection of Wilshire and Westwood. I have dealt with this issue at length already on several posts. I have also pointed out that there is a PARKING LOT on the very next block. And I would go so far as to scrap the whole 'turnout lane for buses' idea and suggest a new one: TURN THAT WHOLE PARKING LOT INTO A BUS STATION FOR ALL THE BUSES THAT GO THROUGH WESTWOOD.
That intersection is a mess, a mess compounded by the fact that ALL buses in that area lead to UCLA."
On my wishful thinking wish that the more professional and efficienct Big Blue Bus should take over from the MTA, he said:
"As for Big Blue Bus taking over bus service countywide, the city of Santa Monica does not want to oversee the county's transportation problem."
I countered:
"The 'pie' has been divided: you take this part of town and I take the rest. And we, the consumers, are stuck in the middle. [...]
This is why people give up on public transportation in America, and only those who can't afford a car (and the parking in L.A.!), ride the bus. Then you have millions of cars on the road and you have gridlock everywhere."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #18
Thursday, May 04, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks #9: Pesky annoying quirks: Signs
"L.A. is not a city exclusively for angelenos/locals and newcomers moving to the area. L.A. is a world destination, a city that attracts millions of tourists, businessmen, professionals, conventioneers, entertainment people and just plain visitors. A great number of such people on the road, completely lost or disoriented, at any one time, is a guaranty that traffic will be affected. Hesitant drivers slow down traffic. Confident drivers keep traffic flowing.
"SOMETHNG can be done to make sure there are CLEAR and VISIBLE signs leading you to them and leading you CLEARLY AND CONFIDENTLY to your destination."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #19
Saturday, May 06, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks: Open Discussion #6: Pedestrian Under/Overpasses
calwatch
"Actually, they thought of pedestrian underpasses years ago. [...] The reason they were all chained up and fenced was because people were living in them, and so were only opened during school hours, except bullies would use them to accost their prey. Finally they chained them all up and no one uses them even during school hours."
I comment:
"I'm sure that when it comes to traffic, there's little new under the sun. Perhaps what's going to work is applying the same old idea in a highly INNOVATIVE way."
And offer "skywalks" as an alternative...
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #20
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks #10: Pesky, annoying quirks: L.A. drivers on cell phones!
Bushy offers s suggestion to solve this problem.
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #21
Thursday, May 11, 2006
The mirage of high gas prices: addiction-driven demand?
I came across two interesting posts while surfing the blogosphere on high gas prices and how they seem to improve traffic.
I comment on driving as a possible form of addiction and pose a challenge: "Academics and staticians interested in numbers might want to find out what are all those people doing on the road at ALL TIMES of day and night in L.A. One of the best solutions to the traffic problem may lie in the answers to that question."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #22
Friday, May 12, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks: that "monster," the 405 freeway...
The 405 needs little introduction. Every angeleno is familiar with it. What perhaps they haven't thought about is WHY it is such a problem. I explain and offer some immediate solutions based on the concept of REDIRECTING TRAFFIC. I cite the 90 Marina del Rey freeway as a "great example of what could be done to redirect traffic."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #23
Saturday, May 13, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks: L.A. drivers' "sense of entitlement..."
An anonymous commentator is glad I finally got around to the subject of L.A. drivers and offers, in a nutshell, the reason they "suck": their "sense of entitlement."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #24
Saturday, May 13, 2006
I tie it all together and conclude: "America is the car, the freedom of the open road, individuality on wheels. Try to take that away and you'll get the second American Revolution."
I offer a tip on where to find the cheapest gas in the Venice/Santa Monica area.
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #25
Sunday, May 14, 2006
DRIVING TIPS: SMART FOXES vs. HERDS OF SHEEP.
"How do you get from A to Z? Driving tips to bypass heavy traffic and get there on time. SMART FOXES vs. HERDS OF SHEEP." That says it all.
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #26
Monday, May 15, 2006
SOLUTION TO "WHY L.A. traffic sucks #8: Pesky annoying quirks: Dips and Potholes"
Browsing through http://www.lacity.org I came across the solution to one of the problems I posted.
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #27
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
OPEN DISCUSSION #10: "...mum's the word! Don't give away the secrets."/Thinking BEYOND the GRID.
Studio City Nerd takes issue with my having revealed a by-pass secret on : "The reason that routes like the Palms bypass aren't clogged with traffic is that most people don't know about them. [...] So, mum's the word! Don't give away the secrets."
As I've done many times before, I counter that "SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE." Then I offer than the only solution to gridlock is to start thinking BEYOND THE GRID [GO!] and wonder whatever happened to "American ingenuity."
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #28
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Rush Hour: the modern hell
I offer a modern defitinition for "hell": rush hour, and spice it all with references to two good movies: Fellini's 8/12 and Hollywood's Falling Down with Michael Douglas. I offer a solution that has probably been thought about before but no one seems to have the courage to suggest or implement.
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #29
Friday, May 19, 2006
Testimonials from "out there" (the blogosphere) on L.A. and L.A. traffic.
"I have some road rage inside of me. Traffic, especially in Los Angeles, is a pet peeve of mine."
- Katie Holmes
I let other voices I came across from other blogs weigh in on the problem and give my readers a break from my voice.
Read the whole post: GO!
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Post #30
Saturday, May 20, 2006
California Roll: You Know You're From LA When...
We lighten up and take a break from L.A.'s traffic problem and laugh about it for one post with a "thingie" (one of those lists) that has been making the rounds in myspace.com
Read the whole post: GO!
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Thirty (30) posts and counting!
Vote on the best posts so far!! GO! (click on comments below!:-)
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Make it viral. Make it vital...
Sunday, May 21, 2006
EDITORIAL, FULL INDEX AND RECAP
Saturday, May 20, 2006
California Roll: You Know You're From LA When...
California Roll: You Know You're From LA When...
As promised, today we lighten up and laugh a bit. Are you ready for a good laugh? It's time to take a break from WHY L.A. traffic sucks and WHAT we can do about it. It's time to lighten up and laugh about L.A. and its traffic courtesy of ~G~, Jennifer, and jAx!. Thank you all!
I'm quoting mostly the traffic-related stuff. If you want to read the whole thing (funny), click on their names above...
You Know You're From LA When...
->You're driving on the 101 and see a clear-cut definition of where the smog begins and ends;
->You're sitting in traffic for at least an hour at any given part of the day;
->You begin to "lie" to your friends about where you are (i.e. "Yeah I'm, like, 20 minutes away") - when you know that it'll take you at least an hour to get there);
->You look around at the nice cars around you during traffic, thinking it'll be your favorite Laker or WB star;
->You know it's best not to be on the 405 at 4:05 p.m.;
->Getting anywhere from point A to point B, no matter what the distance, takes about "twenty minutes";
->You know what "sigalert", "PCH", and "the five" mean;
->If your destination is more than 5 minutes away on foot, you're definitely driving;
->Your TV show is interrupted by a police chase;
->You don't stop at a STOP sign, you do a California Roll;
->You've lost your car in the Century City Shopping Center parking lot;
->You've never bought oranges, flowers, cherries or peanuts on a freeway off-ramp;
->You drive next to a Rolls Royce and don't notice;
->You've started crossing a street and returned to the curb when the DON'T WALK sign started flashing;
->When giving directions, you follow up with the phrase: "With/Without traffic";
->Driving along, you see a high-speed police chase approaching in your rear view mirror. You don't panic or even flinch. Instead, you call your friends on your car phone and tell them you're on TV;
->You know that if you drive two miles in any direction you will find a McDonald's or a Starbucks;
->You live 10 miles from work. It takes you 60 minutes to get home;
->Walking out of Jamba Juice, you see that a movie is being shot on-location across the street;
->You are not happy, or even slightly excited that there may be a movie star there. You just say, "They f*ckin' better not be blocking my parking space";
->You've gotten parking tickets from parking in the red zone in front of your house;
->The gym is packed at 3pm...on a workday. [Here's the real reason L.A. traffic never lets up in! :-)];
->The workday starts at 10am...or whenever you get out of your therapy session. [Here's the second real reason L.A. traffic never lets up in! :-)];
->Any invitation comes with, "Starts at 8pm or as soon as you can get through traffic";
->The three hour traffic jam you just sat through wasn't caused by a horrific 9 car pile-up, but by everyone slowing down to rubberneck at a lost shoe lying on the shoulder;
->All the "cool gyms" allow pedestrians on the street a full-view of those working out. Literally, you can't drive by Wilshire without staring into L.A. Fitness. Perhaps a new form of window shopping?
->Your cell phone has left a permanant impression on the side of your head;
->You classify new people you meet by their Area Code. An "818" would never date a "562" and anyone from "323" or "213" is ghetto/second class. Best area code: "310" [this is SO true!!];
->You say you live in LA when really you live in a subsection of a subsection of a subsection of southern L.A.;
->You think you are better than the people who live "Over the Hill". It don't matter which side of the hill you are currently residing, you are just better than them, for whatever reason [this is SO true!!];
->You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends from Los Angeles.
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Photo collage courtesy of italianesco (how'd you like my "California Roll"? :-)
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Make it viral. Make it vital...
Friday, May 19, 2006
Testimonials from "out there" (the blogosphere) on L.A. and L.A. traffic:
Testimonials from "out there" (the blogosphere) on L.A. and L.A. traffic:
I have some road rage inside of me. Traffic, especially in Los Angeles, is a pet peeve of mine.
- Katie Holmes
You don't believe me, do you? My little counter on the right tells me that, so far, since I put in the counter, 160 people from 17 countries have viewed this blog. The great bulk of them-- 130 - from the U.S. And most of you, especially those of you from overseas, are probably going, "nah! it can't be that bad! He's just exagerating! Just ranting and raving!"Well, guesswhat? It's time for some testimonials! No, not about this blog, but about L.A. traffic! I'd like you to hear the voices of others echo what I've been saying. Also, it'd be good for you to hear what I've been saying in different words (my style can be a tad "academic", "intellectual" - if you know what I mean - or borderline "free-lance journalistic" sometimes and it may not be registering with everybody. These people out there speak the real vernacular! :-). If nothing else, I think you deserve a break from my "voice."
So let's hear other voices "out there" say it like it is lest someone accuses me of "L.A. bashing" or "California bashing" or "America bashing"!
Also, my friend Steev is going to be taking pictures. And you know what that means! "A picture is worth a thousand words!" (uh-oh! Are you ready?)
Testimonials from the blogosphere on L.A. and L.A. traffic:
These comments have been edited for length and relevancy only. All emphasis (bold, italics) is mine. Feel free to follow the links to their original source and read the whole comment in its original format. (And needless to say, all comments are those of the individual authors and are not the responsibility of italianesco. Cool?)
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Lele from Houston, TX had this to say on her myspace .com blog
Monday, May 15, 2006
Los Angeles... A Curious Place...
I lived in L.A. for about 5 years or so. I left in '99, but when I go back, it still feels like home in many ways. [...]
Last year, I traveled to L.A. several times, and I am wondering how the land of all kinds of insanity has become so much more irrational. [...]
I am trying to reconcile in my head how L.A. can go on... I mean that. It's hard to explain, but here's trying. Everyone knows that L.A. holds the ingredients of an Apocalypse: fires, floods/mudslides, violence, earthquakes, El Nino... [...]
Since I left, traffic commute times have quadrupled - I am dead serious - quadrupled since 1999. At the same time, real estate prices have virtually matched that. What is going on? [...]
This city needs some serious re-planning. I haven't checked on whatever happened to the subway they tried to build (maybe finally did) since the huge sink hole on Sunset swallowed a car passing by in the initial construction stages that created - guess? - more riduclous traffic... Anyone wanting to move there (especially with a family) has to figure out how to live, work, and educate your kids in the same neighborhood (and I mean within blocks - maybe even walking distance). [...]
Why I am thinking about this now? Because I just got off the phone with the lovely concierge at a hotel in Hollywood where I will be for the next several days. We vented; so I vented here. Guess I wasn't done with the conversation when it ended. ;)
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Mike (orange_appled) from New Orleans had this to say on his livejournal.com blog
Still, there were two layovers I almost wanted to put, just because they were so memorable. The first was NYC. [...]
The other was my layover in L.A. The image of all that smog and all that traffic was horrendous. Eight lane highways with cars rushing (and the pollution they cause was so evident.) Just on that image alone, I do not want to visit Los Angeles, though I know there's a lot of positive things to be said for the city.
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Bob, a political activist and webdesigner from LA, had this to say on his polizeros.com blog
Musings on politics: Anti-war, California, and otherwise
May 14, 2006
Auto dependence: it can’t last
Category: gas prices — Bob @ 6:49 am
On Thursday, I was forced to drive in the Westside of L.A. during rush hour, an area where I lived in for 15 years until moving four years ago. The traffic, which was bad then, was appalling. A drive which normally takes fifteen minutes took nearly an hour. All my sneaky shortcuts, the ones that used to be traffic-free, were bumper to bumper.
People I asked said, yeah, that’s what traffic is like now. If, like me, you’d rather be set on fire than drive in such traffic and deliberately organize your day so you don’t, then when forced to do so every six months or so, you can easily see how hideous and dysfunctional Westside traffic has become. And how it continually worsens, never gets better.
Jim Kunstler at Clusterfuck Nation has any number of wondrous rants on this subject, on how U.S. over-dependence on the automobile coupled with decreasing oil supply and rising prices will, sooner rather than later, create massive social dislocation and chaos.
But the problem is not going away. It’s not five or ten years down the road — it’s here, now. We’re in the zone. We’re entering a world of hurt. The pain will ebb and flow, as the pain of a fatal illness ebbs and flows over the days. The price of oil and gasoline will ratchet up and down, but along a discernable upward trendline.
Can we bust out of this narrow tunnel of fantasy? Can we imagine living differently? Can we turn more fruitful imaginings into action before the American scene becomes a much more disorderly place?
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Carmen had this to say on her myspace .com blog
before you get rachel's version here's mine...
Current mood: sleepy
the guy on the motorcycle was weaving in and out of traffic. he was doing what motorcyclists do when traffic is at a complete stop. the weaving between 2 lanes to pass cars. L.A. traffic is horrible and i was just trying to get from one lane into the next and this jerk comes out from nowhere and we barely miss each other by a good 2 inches. i stare in complete shock and he's giving me dirty looks because i dared to move into "his" lane as he tried to pass cars by speeding through [see our post WHY L.A. traffic sucks: L.A. drivers' "sense of entitlement..."]. he continued to stare back at me as he flew by and when he decided to pay attention to traffic again it was too late. he and his bike bounced off the back of the car in front of us and he landed on his feet with his helmet still attached to his head. we just stayed there watching the whole thing and trying to make sure he was okay but it looked like his pride was the only thing wounded. he looked annoyed, shook his head, looked at the other driver and then picked up his bike. she looked back at him made sure he was okay, gave him a peace sign and drove off. he took off and i still sat there, took in those 2 minutes and then took off also. i guess it was just another day in L.A. traffic because no one else seemed to give a crap.
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Blakely had this to say on her myspace .com blog
Friday, May 12, 2006
One for the road, two for the show. Get ready, traffic!
Hi guys -
I'm reporting from D.C. I'm on location to find a place to move in a few weeks. Seen some interesting stuff. Traffic on the DC area is nuts. It has to be worse than L.A. I mean it took me an hr and a half to go 30 miles today. [...]
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italianesco comments:
Is that possible? Can traffic anywhere be "worse than L.A."? Apparently so! Lump o* Shea* seems to concurr and says that "well actually the traffic in maryland is worse, check the stats!" See below!
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Lump o* Shea* had this to say on her myspace.com blog
[12 May 2006 | Friday] 4:52 PM - i'm going going...back back... to cali cali...
and i'm so excited. [...] i need a vacation, and i need the beach.... [...]
i have often dreamed of moving back to california, but well it's just not the type of place i would want to live. i love living in a big city - but l.a. is just too much... AND ALL THAT DAMN TRAFFIC! well actually the traffic in maryland is worse, check the stats! [...]
the superficiality (is that a word?) of los angeles is just a bit much for me, but it's one of - if not my FAVORITE city to visit... i love it there... so loose & carefree! everybody fits in somewhere & that's great. that kinda place i love - but it's just too much of a beautiful people place... too much cookie cutter-isms... i mean DON'T GET ME WRONG, that's everywhere (ESPECIALLY BALTIMORE) but ...ahh i don't know... i just don't wanna live in l.a. - end of story.
i can't wait to get there.
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This consultant Harris had this to say on his blog Codename: CATALYST
The Countdown
Filed under:Uncategorized — posted by harris on May 12, 2006 @ 8:54 pm
Alright - here’s the plan …
I plan on having a very informative teleseminar free of charge [...]
Oh and btw - I’m still in Los Angeles on vacation. Trying to squeeze in friends, family, fun and keeping CATALYST moving all at the same time is pretty challenging (especially with the wonderful traffic situation in L.A. - whew!) .....
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This gamer Joel, had this to say on his Joel's Press Hotel Press Room Mini-Blog after attending a weekend convention in L.A.
Joel's Press Hotel Press Room Mini-Blog
Hey, everybody! What a week—and...
Thirty dollars of parking later... You can stop worrying: I made it back to the convention center. Of course, while I was braving Las Angeles traffic, our roughneck Kotaku team was putting up lots more stories and video, [...]
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italianesco comments:
Very nice turn of phrase there, Joel: "...braving Los Angeles traffic" as in "braving the elements."
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Well? Do you believe me now?
Wait 'til you see the pics!
Tomorrow we lighten up with some funny thing on L.A. that's being making the rounds on myspace.com. A lot of it is about L.A. traffic... Enough of WHY it sucks and what we can do about it. Tomorrow we LAUGH about it...
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Photo: collage by italianesco: "angelenos" face Carmen, Lump o* Shea*, Blakely, Bob, and Lele.
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Make it viral. Make it vital...
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Tuesday, May 16, 2006
OPEN DISCUSSION #10: "...mum's the word! Don't give away the secrets."/Thinking BEYOND the GRID
Studio City Nerd has left a new comment on your post "DRIVING TIPS: SMART FOXES vs. HERDS OF SHEEP.":
The reason that routes like the Palms bypass aren't clogged with traffic is that most people don't know about them.
If you talk about such routes too much, they will become clogged with traffic.
Or the residents of the (usually residential) areas they run through will get tired of all the "smart fox" traffic, and install speed bumps, No-Turn-During-Rush-Hour signs, or otherwise block off and muck up your favorite bypass.
A while back, some fool actually published a whole book full of these rush-hour bypasses, and the resulting boom in traffic led to a number of them implementing exactly the sort of restrictions described above. Ruined some of the best bypasses in the city.
So, mum's the word! Don't give away the secrets.
Posted by Studio City Nerd to L.A. traffic sucks: Let's fix it! at 5/16/2006 01:55:52 PM
italianesco replies:
Thanks for reading the blog and for your new comments!
I thought about it, and at first I myself was reluctant to post the "Palms secret." But at this rate, how to bypass traffic and get there on time is bound to become the "Holy Grail" of L.A. traffic and we, holders of the secrets, are going to become a Priory of Sion exclusive secret society!! (As long as that sex ritual in the book is part of it and I am appointed "Grand Master," I'm cool with it! :-)
I agree with you that "the reason that routes like the Palms bypass aren't clogged with traffic is that most people don't know about them." But here's the thing. Under this blog's title I wonder whether we should add L.A. traffic to those other two things in life that have NO solution: DEATH and THE MIDDLE EAST. Those in the residential areas are like the Israelis: "We won't give up an inch!" And the rest of us are like the Palestinians: "We need some land!" At some point, it'll turn "Salomonic": should we threaten to cut the "baby" in half for the REAL mother to come forth and give it up rather than see it die? Because that's where L.A. is headed: add 100,00 or 500,000 or 1 million more cars to the roads, and where is all that traffic going to go? (See " WHY L.A. traffic sucks: OPEN DISCUSSION #1: SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE"). Will it spill over into these lovely, quiet neighborhoods right off the main roads? With speed dips and stop signs and everything else designed to discourage me from driving through, I would plow right through those roads parellel to Santa Monica Blvd. in Beverly Hills. Even with dips and stop signs and all, it was FASTER than Santa Monica Blvd.!
Yes, I know. I was a bit amazed to discover all these quiet, lovely neighborhoods RIGHT OFF the bustling, wild city roads and boulevards. It's like a whole different world one block away! And L.A. needs those quiet, lovely neighborhoods for their residents to keep their sanity. But drivers are going insane with frustration out there, too (I know I was!).
SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE.
THINKING BEYOND THE GRID
I think this whole thing is the fault of urban planners. I think that by now, SOMEBODY should have come up with an urban layout for a city OTHER THAN the GRID. The GRID leads to GRIDLOCK. And the cities of the future CANNOT afford this problem. There must be some other design, layout, blueprint for cities other than GRIDS. Perhaps circular or semi-circular designs that allow traffic to flow in different directions without getting jammed somehow. I am sure that a group of mathematicians (topologists: see image above), computer scientists, architects and urban planners can come up with such a design. And perhaps existing GRID layout cities can be slightly modified to make traffic flow without disturbing and upsetting ANYBODY.
Whatever happened to American ingenuity? Did they leave it up there somewhere on the surface of the moon 37 years ago? Or does it take a Sputnik to bring it out? Perhaps America is like France. DeGaulle said that "France is not herself unless she's engaged in a great enterprise." Perhaps for Americans traffic and urban planning are not a great enterprise, but a space race with the Soviet Union was.
We have to start thinking beyond the GRID, or traffic in all the cities of the world is indeed bound to become the third thing that has NO solution after DEATH and the MIDDLE EAST.
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Photo collage by italianesco: Moebius strip over aerial view of city grid
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Make it viral. Make it vital...
Monday, May 15, 2006
SOLUTION TO "WHY L.A. traffic sucks #8: Pesky annoying quirks: Dips and Potholes"
RE: my own post: WHY L.A. traffic sucks #8: Pesky annoying quirks: Dips and Potholes (Wednesday, May 03, 2006)
Scanning the webpages of http://www.lacity.org I came across the solution to this problem:
http://www.lacity.org/BOSS/index.htm
"The Bureau of Street Services delivers valuable services to customers in a timely, easy-to-do, business-with manner that positively impacts the quality of life for the community. Every customer contact is a positive experience resolved with courtesy, empathy, and professionalism. We maximize our funding potential."
But these "valuable services to customers" are not about to deliver themselves. YOU have to request them. Dips, potholes, torn-up streets, or any of the other problems below, slow down traffic. So if you are aware of any of these, especially dips, potholes or torn-up streets anywhere in L.A., please fill out the request form or call the number below.
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http://www.lacity.org/boss/request.htm
Bureau of Street Services
Service Request Form
This form is intended to be used by the public as an easy way of submitting Street Services Service Requests electronically.
Please complete the items below and select Submit.
If this is an emergency, please call us on (800) 996-CITY or (800) 996-2489. You must be using a Forms-capable WWW client to be able to submit comments.
If your WWW browser does not allow you to submit this form,
please e-mail your request to: BOSS@bss.lacity.org
Name:
Address:
Phone Number:
email Address:
Type of Problem (please select one of the following}:
Pothole or request for street repairs
Street Needs Resurfacing
Tree needs Trimming
Tree or branch fell in street
Alley needs cleaning
Street needs sweeping
Object/debris in street
Leaf blower violation
Broken or damaged sidewalks
Sidewalk obstruction
Problem with/on median island
Damaged guardrails
Downed palmfronds
Others
Enter problem description below:
Enter below the location/closest address to the problem
(If no address, please tell us the name of the street and the nearest cross street)
Enter additional comments below:
Reset: Submit:
Thank you for your input. Please feel free to e-mail us, if this form will not work for your web browser: BOSS@bss.lacity.org
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There you go!
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Photo courtesy of Martin Reis/Martino from his blog Bike Lane Diary
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Make it viral. Make it vital...
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Sunday, May 14, 2006
DRIVING TIPS: SMART FOXES vs. HERDS OF SHEEP.
How do you get from A to Z? Driving tips to bypass heavy traffic and get there on time. SMART FOXES vs. HERDS OF SHEEP.
The powers-that-be in L.A. need to start finding ways to redirect traffic to UNCLOG freeways and main roads (see my post "WHY L.A. traffic sucks: that "monster," the 405 freeway..."). And angelenos need to stop being herds of sheep clogging the freeways and main roads and start thinking of CREATIVE ways to bypass traffic. There are OTHER WAYS of getting there. Believe me. Forget your high school geometry. In L.A., the shortest distance between two points is NOT a straight line.
Suppose you are in Marina del Rey (Washington at Pacific) and you need to get to West Hollywood by 6:00 and it's 5:00pm. How do you make it?
Take I-10 East, exit La Cienega North and voila`?!? That'll take you two hours, if you're lucky! That's the herds of sheep way. That's WHY is is CLOGGED. What's the SMART FOX way of getting there?
Some people swear by Venice, others swear by Olympic. The truth is, neither is a good alternative unless they implement my idea of turning them into "virtual freeways" by keeping the lights GREEN for a longer period of time (5 to 10 minutes).
Here's what you do.
You are on Pacific and Washington Blvd. right by the ocean. And you're starting to despair (I'll never make it!!"). Take it easy. Have no fear, italianesco is here, and will tell you how to get there in no time at all.
Go East on Washington Blvd. Make a left on Lincoln. Go past Venice Blvd. And then--careful! don't miss it!--make a right on PALMS. Yes, PALMS!! Go east on Palms. At Penmar, Palms jogs. So make a right on Penmar and then an immediate left right back onto Palms. But STAY ON PALMS! After Walgrove, Palms widens a bit and starts getting wonderful. And the most important thing: up to now, NO traffic! NO traffic at all!!
And here's the truly, really WONDERFUL THING ABOUT PALMS: unlike a lot of other small streets, Palms has an OVERPASS over the 405!!! Can you believe it? An overpass!!! Go right over it, and once you are on the other side of the 405, you're half way there!
Stay with us. It gets interesting...
Once you get to I-10, guesswhat? Palms has an UNDERPASS under I-10!!! An underpass! Can you believe it? Whoever did Palms was a GENIUS! Palms is L.A. DONE RIGHT. If ALL the streets that cross the 405 and I-10 were like Palms, there'd be hardly any traffic problem on the Westside. (see my post "WHY L.A. traffic sucks #2: bad (or not exactly forward-looking) design")
After I-10, you wonder, "Where in the world did lovely Palms go?!? It was great!!" Well, guesswhat? It turned into National. And National is a heavy-duty traffic street. Stay away from it! Make a left onto Castle Heights Avenue. Then make a right on Cattaraugus Avenue. Then make a left on S. Robertson Blvd. A bit of traffic here, but don't panic! As soon as you get to Olympic, MAKE A RIGHT! Here--way, way, way East of the 405--three-lane Olympic ROCKS!! Go East on Olympic and then make a left on Crescent Heights, and you've made it!! We got you there!!! And right on time! (ahem... Give or take a minute, of course... In L.A. you NEVER know...)
So that's the SMART FOX WAY OF GETTING THERE! You get on the roads that rock, not on the roads that suck! If you'd rather be stuck for two hours on I-10 East or Venice or Olympic like a herd of sheep, be our guest!! Hope you have plenty of good music with you or a good audio book, or, since you're not really going to be driving but going bumper to bumper, then, yes, why not? go ahead and talk on your cell phone all you want for two hours. At least, it'll keep you sane... That's what sheep do when they are in a herd, anyway, go "beehhhhhhhhh!!" The SMART FOX will get there quicker than you and win the prize... No "sense of entitlement," no rudeness, just smartness. That's all it takes...
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Make it viral. Make it vital...
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Saturday, May 13, 2006
WHY driving sucks: the rising price of gasoline
WHY driving sucks: the rising price of gasoline
There are two interesting articles in today's nytimes.com site on the rising price of gasoline:
"Full Tanks Put Squeeze on Working Class" by By ROBIN POGREBIN and "Gas Prices and Rate Worries Rattle Consumer Confidence" by VIKAS BAJAJ and JEREMY W. PETERS.
The first article says that "The latest New York Times/CBS News poll showed that 63 percent of respondents had cut back on their driving because of the gas price increase." The second article, apparently contradicting the first one, says, "[...] economists note that for all the worries over gasoline, expressions of lower consumer confidence often do not translate into weaker overall spending. That may be particularly true when incomes are rising and jobs are plentiful, as they appear to be today."
Whichever article is closer to reality, one thing is clear: it is those of lower means who are hardest hit by the price increase in gasoline as the first articles explains.
The question is, how much of a difference in traffic is that making? And if it is making a difference, is it fair? Will the high price of gas make driving a privilege affordable only to those of higher means while those of lower means have no viable alternative?
The first article goes on to say, "Ms. Lopez could try to car-pool. But she values her autonomy. 'I don't want to depend on nobody,' she said. 'I'm not that kind of person.'" So if car-pooling is not an option and public transportation is not an option, then what's the alternative? Biting the bullet?
In his 20/20 Special last night, John Stossel was debunking the myth and singing the praises of "Price-Gouging", while at the same time he debunked the myth that "The World is Running out of Oil".
Stossel argues, with the help of three Nobel Prize price-winning econonomists, that price gouging is the only incentive to bring in badly needed supplies in a disaster situation such as hurricane Katrina and that the alternative is scarcity. Images of gas stations with signs that read "NO GAS" from the 70's flashed on as he said this. Meaning what?
Here's what he had to say about the myth that "The World is Running out of Oil":
"With the price now up to $70 a barrel, and gas at $3 a gallon, how can that not be true? Isn't that why the price is high?
But what people don't know is that there's a vast supply of oil just 500 miles north in Canada.
'The tar sands of Alberta alone contain enough hydrocarbon to fuel the entire planet for over 100 years,' according to Peter Huber, co-author of "The Bottomless Well."
What is he talking about? The Canadian tar sands are a Florida-size patch of sand and rock, mixed with oil. Lots of it.
Huber said people think we're running out of oil because we're running out of cheap oil, the kind that's found in the Middle East, which is already liquid, clean and ready to refine.
"It's very cheap to get that oil out of the ground. So, of course, that's where people go first,' Huber said.
They can pull it out of the ground for five bucks a barrel.
It costs three times as much to get oil out of Canada's tar sands, because they have to add hot water to the sand to separate the oil. But now that oil is expensive and likely to stay that way, companies find it profitable to do this. " [emphasis mine]
In other words, if you want to keep driving hydrocarbon-fueled vehicles and you don't want to see lines at the pump, expect to pay for gas as much as--if not more than-- you are paying now. There is plenty of oil, but if you want it, you'll have to pay for it at the pump because "cheap" Middle Eastern oil is getting too "expensive" politically and militarily.
Is this good news for traffic? Is it an incentive for public transportation to get its act together? Will driving become a luxury? How long before you get a howl out of Detroit and Japan? The car industry and the oil industry go hand in hand. The minute car sales drop, there will be pressure on the oil industry to find a way drop prices or find cheap oil.
The answer to this is, of course, hybrids (many of which are already on the road in L.A.) or alternative clean-fuel engine cars. But then, if Detroit and Japan were to produce a lot more such cars, you'd a get a howl from oil industry, "hey, wait a minute!"
You can't win. Like the health care system and the pharmaceutical companies, the car and oil industries are far too powerful and have a vested interest in keeping things just the way they are.
America is not Europe or Japan with their well-established and comprehensive public transportation systems. America is the car, the freedom of the open road, individuality on wheels. Try to take that away and you'll get the second American Revolution.
TIP: cheap gas in Venice/Santa Monica
Here's a tip on where to find cheap gas in Venice/Santa Monica. The United Oil gas station on the corner of Washington at Abbot Kinney in Venice had the lowest prices in that area. Sometimes, the Arco station on the corner of Pico at 4th Street in Santa Monica would beat their price, though. If you are in that area, check them out. I always refueled at either one of these two.
Anybody has any tips on where to find cheap gas in the rest of L.A.?
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Make it viral. Make it vital...
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WHY L.A. traffic sucks: L.A. drivers' "sense of entitlement..."
I wondered when you'd get around to the subject of L.A. Drivers. L.A. traffic sucks because L.A. drivers have a sense of entitlement that leads them to believe that waiting for pedestrians, slow or lost drivers, tourists, emergency vehicles or for more than one cycle for the light to change - no matter how far back in line they are - is for suckers. And don't try to merge in front of one in traffic on the freeway. They take it as a personal affront.
Posted by Anonymous to L.A. traffic sucks: Let's fix it! at 5/12/2006 03:22:44 PM
italianesco replies:
Thank you, first of all, for reading the blog and now for your very, very incisive and apropos comment. Why L.A. drivers make L.A. traffic suck? YOU'VE SAID IT! IN A NUTSHELL! I don't think anyone could put it any better than that! Thanks again...
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Friday, May 12, 2006
WHY L.A. traffic sucks: that "monster," the 405 freeway...
WHY L.A. traffic sucks: that "monster," the 405 freeway...
Setting aside for a moment L.A. drivers addicted to driving and addicted to driving while talking on their cell phones, let's turn our attention for a moment to that "monster," the 405 freeway. Let's focus first on traffic going south--from the Valley to points south. On this stretch of the 405 from, say, the Ventura/101 exit in the Valley to the Century Blvd/LAX exit, the 405 is ALWAYS clogged. Perhaps not 24/7 but certainly from, say, 6:00am to 9:00pm MON-SAT (let's give Sunday MORNING a respite. But dare venture onto the 405 anytime Sunday afternoon or evening, and see what you're in for!).
WHY?
Simple. The 405 has at least 4 to 6 lanes (in some stretches) in each direction--plenty of lanes to carry quite a bit of traffic. BUT, as it approaches the I-10 junction, those 4 or 6 lanes narrow down to a TINY bottleneck of TWO measly lanes as the far right lane becomes the "Exit Only" ramp to enter I-10 West and the second right lane turns into the "Exit Only" ramp to enter I-10 East. The designers of this freeway probably assumed that most of the traffic from the north was going to go into one of these three directions--South, I-10 West, I-10 East--in equal proportions. Well, guesswhat? They guessed wrong. DEAD WRONG. MOST of the traffic is actually going south (LAX, for one!). And not only that. RIGHT BEFORE the 405/I-10 junction, FIVE (5) of the major East-West boulevards--Sunset, Wilshire, Santa Monica, Olympic and Pico--feed into the 405 hundreds of cars, thousands of cars, from the East and from the West. And ALL OF THIS almost RIGHT BEFORE THE 405/I-10 junction where the freeway narrows to a bottleneck of a mere TWO lanes and so many cars have to negotiate where they are going: South on the 405? East on I-10? Or West on I-10?
Right after this two-lane bottleneck, the freeway widens again into more lanes. BUT guesswhat? the ramps from I-10 East and West feed even MORE cars into the 405. So you have a jam before the bottleneck and a jam after the bottleneck. And this jam is not disolved until you reach the Century Blvd/LAX exit.
This is TERRIBLE DESIGN. I don't care WHO did it, I don't care WHEN they did it, I don't care WHY they did it, it is TERRIBLE, ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE DESIGN. Whoever created the 405 created most of the traffic problems on the Westside. (See my April 26, 2006 post: "WHY L.A. traffic sucks #2: bad (or not exactly forward-looking) design"). And this jumbled junction, right before FIVE (5) of the major East-West boulevards--Sunset, Wilshire, Santa Monica, Olympic and Pico--feeding into it, causes a major backed-up bottleneck traffic jam GRIDLOCK all the way to the Ventura Blvd. exit in the Valley. It is ridiculous. It is ABSURD. It is one of the reasons -- perhaps not the only reason, but certainly one of the MAIN reasons, if not THE MAIN REASON-- the 405 is ALWAYS jammed. You don't have to be a rocket scientist or a civil engineer to figure this one out. Anybody with a modicum of intelligence can figure out what the problem is by driving through this juction. Now that the problem has been created--who knows how long ago--the hard part is, HOW to solve it.
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX IT? SOLUTION: REDIRECTING TRAFFIC
There is construction work on the 405 from Wilshire all the way to Century Blvd. It looks like they are trying to widen the freeway and improve some entrances/exits (and/or put in those ridiculous ineffective HOV lanes. Does anyone know?). Depending on WHAT they are trying to do and HOW LONG it will take them to complete it (anyone's guess!), anyone expecting the 405 to get any better anytime soon is dreaming.
The solution, again, must be to redirect some of that north-south traffic ELSEWHERE, and that "elsewhere" can only be either onto Sepulveda or onto Sawtelle. That in turn cannot be done without creating an unbelievable jam at the five or six major roads--Sunset, Wilshire, Santa Monica, Olympic, Pico, Venice--that intersect Sepulveda and Sawtelle. The 405 needs a break! But it can't be given a break at the expense of all those other major roads. What to do?
OVERPASSES OVER WILSHIRE, SANTA MONICE, OLYMPIC, PICO AND VENICE ON SEPULVEDA AND/OR SAWTELLE
My idea of turning roads into virtual "freeways" by keeping the lights GREEN for a longer period of time would not work here. Those major roads--Wilshire, Santa Monica, Olympic, Pico, Venice--need to be turned into virtual "freeways" themselves or East-West traffic will continue to be jammed as it is. Overpasses might be one possible solution, if not the only viable solution. Redirecting traffic has to become one of the KEY SOLUTIONS to traffic problems in L.A. The major freeways and major roads cannot handle the current volume of cars hoisted onto them. Enlarging all the freeways, or even building new ones (major ones), is, if not politically, certainly financially impossible. Building a comprehensive subway system or a monorail in earthquake-prone California is, if not politically, certainly financially a long way off (it ain't happening tomorrow! I can tell you that much!). It is time for CREATIVE solutions to intractable problems that work NOW--RIGHT NOW. It might not be pretty (overpasses tend to uglify intersections) but gridlock is even uglier--and unhealthier. SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE.
THE 90 MARINA DEL REY FREEWAY
The 90 Marina del Rey freeway is a great example of what could be done to redirect traffic. If you are coming North on the 405 and heading towards Marina del Rey, Venice or downtown Santa Monica, The 90 Marina del Rey freeway is a very wise, if not the very best, alternative. TAKE IT. You'd have to be crazy to stay on the 405 when you can take the 90.
Driving Tip #1:
Once you get to Lincoln, make a right and go as far as Washington Blvd. Make a left on Washington and you'll get anywhere in Marina del Rey you need to go. You're going to Venice? Make a left on Washington and then make a right on Abbot Kinney and you'll get anywhere in Venice you need to go. You're going to downtown Santa Monica? Make a left on Washington and then make a right on Aboot Kinney. Stay on Abbot Kinney until it "tees" with Main. Make a right on Main. Make a left on Rose (DO NOT GO THROUGH THE REST OF MAIN!! Too many lights and too much pedestrian traffic! Nielssen rocks!). Make a right on Nielssen Way and stay on Nielssen until it turns into Ocean Blvd. and you'll get anywhere in downtown Santa Monica (Third Street Promenade) you need to go. This way you will have bypassed all the traffic and gotten to your destination a lot more quickly than by staying on the 405 (I did this ALL THE TIME!).
This is the kind of CREATIVE redirection of traffic that needs to be done all over L.A. to unclog the freeways and major roads and get traffic flowing.
This is the other possible solution based on the same premise of redirecting traffic: build more SHORT freeways like the 90 Marina del Rey freeway.
Whoever had the idea of building the 90 Marina del Rey freeway had an excellent idea. L.A. needs a lot more such excellent ideas!
With this "get there quick" tip, we're going to start a series of helpful "how to get there quick" tips all over L.A. (you're welcome to contribute!!). Finding creative ways of "getting there" by redirecting traffic is the only way to get freeways and major roads UNCLOGGED and find some "breathing room" in L.A.--at least for the time being, until the city faces what it has to do to seek more permanent solutions...
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Photo: FOCUSING ON THE SOLUTION, NOT ON THE PROBLEM!
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Make it viral. Make it vital...
