Selected Historic L.A. Transportation Resources
1993 Dual Hub High Occupancy Vehicle Transitway
This proposal would have linked the Harbor and El Monte transitways through downtown with high speed, high capacity service, and directed more local lines to feed transitway stations.
1993 Review of the Transportation Planning Process in the Southern California Metropolitan Area
This report covers the time period just prior to the merger between the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission and the Southern California Rapid Transit District. It is a formal, comprehensive review of the planning process in the Southern California metropolitan area, conducted by Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA), with input from state, regional and local transportation entities. Provides information on the sometimes strained relationships between Caltrans, SCAG, SCRTD and LACTC.
1985 Olympic Impact Report
If you weren't among the 25% of the population that went on vacation during the 1984 Summer Olympic Games, you probably noticed that there was no freeway congestion. This report authored by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) details the efforts made to reduce congestion for the Olympics and analyzes the effectiveness of those changes.
1981 SCRTD Operators Handbook
A classic! This version included guidelines and diagrams for maneuvering a bus safely in a variety of situations, information that was dropped from later versions.
1976 Assessment of Community Planning for Mass Transit: Volume 6 Los Angeles Case Study
This report on urban transportation planning in the Los Angeles metropolitan area is one of nine case studies undertaken by the Office of Technology Assessment to provide an information base for an overall assessment of community planning for mass transit. It details the various intergovernmental and community relationships over the years that guided public policy up to 1976. Includes interesting background detail on the struggle to obtain final approval the Metro Rail project.
1973 California Steam Bus Project
In 1968, The Urban Mass Transit Administration (UMTA) co-funded an alternative fuel research program with William Powell Lear (of Lear Jet fame). The year-long demonstration project in Sacramento, San Diego and Los Angeles studied the possibility steam powered urban transit buses. None of the three buses survive, all three were dismantled after the demonstration period and the steam engines recycled by Mr. Lear into a race car that later set a land speed record.
1968 Tomorrow's Transportation: New Systems for the Urban Future
President Lydon Baines Johnson transmitted a report on new systems for urban transportation to the U.S. Congress in May of 1968. The study was undertaken by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in accordance with the Urban Mass Transit Act of 1966. It identifies research and development that offers promising prospects for transportation improvements in what was then the near future. Dial-a-bus, Personal Rapid Transit, dual-mode vehicle systems, and other ideas are highlighted.
1963 Los Angeles Mass Transit Plan
The first MTA, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority (1951-1964), was committed to obtaining funding for a new mass transit system in Los Angeles. The documents below are speeches from a 1963 press conference held to lobby the California State government for that system. The Executive Director's statement includes a visionary hypothetical future commute that includes the first reference to fare payments via a "smart card" among other interesting items.
- 1963 Speech by the Chairman of the MTA Board A.J. Eyraud
- 1963 Speech by the MTA Executive Director C.M. Gilliss
- 1963 Conceptual Drawings
- A History of LAMTA (date written and author unknown)
- Excerpt from February 1962 LAMTA Emblem Magazine, Wilshire Subway Groundbreaking Ceremony Featuring Governor Pat Brown
1954 Monorail Proposal
The 1954 Monorail Proposal is the subject of Los Angeles urban legend. The 168 page report, officially known as "Report to the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority on a Monorail Rapid Transit Line for Los Angeles" dated January 15, 1954 by Coverdale & Colpitts, Gibbs & Hill, Inc. and Ruscardon Engineers, contained three parts: economic feasibilility of the monorail system by Coverdale & Colpitts; traffic, population and economic data by Ruscardon Engineers; and monorail system design estimates of construction costs and operating expenses by Gibbs & Hill.
The proposed system was featured in the July 1954 issue of Fortune magazine in an article entitled "Anyone for Monorail?" which explained both the engineering and local politics of the time.
1925 Rapid Transit Plan
Report and Recommendations on a Comprehensive Rapid Transit Plan for the City and County of Los Angeles. Kelker, De Leuw and Co. From the transmittal letter: "This report contains the general plan for a transportation system adequate to meet the demands of a city of 3,000,000, with data and discussion of its legal and financial phases. The fundamental principles of the problem have been stated and, wherever possible, descriptive detail has been omitted, so that the entire plan is presented in a manner that will aid the officials of the City in formulating a "comprehensive elevated railway and subway plan" as required by the provisions of the new City Charter. The Report also deals with the entire metropolitan district and it is believed that it will prove of value to the Board of Supervisors in providing for the transportation needs of one of the largest counties in the United States." Plan includes subways, at grade and elevated rail.
Keywords:
historic resources
