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Transportation Justice
Los Angeles may be regarded as the car capital of the world, but
for the working poor and other people with limited or no access
to a car who depend on public transit, it can be almost impossible
to get to work, school, the market, parks, forests, beaches,
doctors, or many other basic needs of life.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
(MTA) is under a court order to improve transit for all
the people of the Los Angeles region by investing over $2 billion
in the bus system. MTA
agreed to the Consent Decree to settle a historic class action
lawsuit charging MTA with operating separate and unequal bus and
rail systems that discriminated against bus riders who were disproportionately
poor and people of color, the largest civil rights settlement ever.
MTA agreed to improve public transit by reducing overcrowding on
buses, lowering transit fares, and enhancing county-wide mobility.
Executive Director Robert García served as one of the
lead attorneys in the MTA case, and has co-authored the chapter "Crossroad
Blues: the MTA Consent Decree and Just Transportation," in
the book on transportation justice edited by Professor Karen Lucas, Running
on Empty. "Crossroad Blues" chronicles this historic
struggle for transportation justice.
Better, cheaper, safer, clean-fuel bus service is the backbone
of the transportation system in Los Angeles. Over 90% of MTA's
riders ride buses. Subway, light rail, and commuter rail systems
depend on buses to get people to and from stations. Buses reduce
the need for cars on streets and highways.
Without an effective bus system, the rail system will not work.
Roads will become more congested. Pollution, related human health,
and global warming problems will worsen. Janitors, housekeepers,
day-care providers, factory workers and other low-wage workers
are not able to tend to the children, homes, offices, factories
and workplaces of Los Angeles without an effective bus system.
All the people who depend on these workers to get on with their
lives—all the people of Los Angeles—suffer as a result.
Buses keep Los Angeles moving.
In cities across the U.S., like San Francisco, Atlanta, Baltimore,
Pittsburgh, and New York, advocates are
extending the lessons of the MTA case. The plight of the working
poor and others with limited or no access to a car throughout
the nation illustrates the need for a transportation policy
agenda to provide choices to people who currently lack them.
Access to public transportation is also important to increase
access to our natural lands and public spaces. A very good
example is access to Southern California's four national forests.
According to a study by students
in the USC Department of Geography (1.6 MB [PDF]),
there is virtually no good way to reach the four forests of
Southern California by public transportation. Access to parks,
forests, beaches, and other green spaces is important for the
benefit of all Southern California residents. Public transportation
to these areas is especially vital in this region because Los
Angeles is park-poor with fewer acres of parks than any major
city in the United States. Residents cannot simply walk to
neighborhood parks like people in other cities because they
often do not exist.
A good model for transportation to public lands can be found in
Good Practice Guide:
Integrated Transport Measures in National Parks (1MB PDF),
a report released by England’s Department
of Transport. This report examines the vital role transportation
plays in maintaining the economic and social vitality of the National
Parks in England and Wales. Integrated transportation measures,
including public transportation services, play a key role in offering
a sustainable way for local communities and visitors to access
the National Parks in England.
While The City Project supports public transit, we oppose the high speed
train proposal that would disproportionately hurt low-income
communities and communities of color. The City Project has submitted public
comments to oppose the high speed train (414 KB [PDF]).
Visit the California
High Speed Rail Land Impact website for more
information.
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