Los Angeles Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne has announced a new year-long project titled “Reading L.A.” Each month, Hawthorne will be examining Los Angeles through the lens of classic writing in the fields of Southern California architecture and urbanism. He…
Category: All Posts
All Posts
New And Notable: L.A. As “Smogtown,” Ethics Of Metropolitan Growth & Integrated Transport
Following the retirement of the MTA’s last diesel bus and our post about the 1943 “birth of smog” in Los angeles, we wanted to highlight the recent acquisition of Smogtown: The Lung-Burning History Of Pollution In Los Angeles. Encapsulating the…
“Angeleños?”: You Say AN-jell-ease, I Say AN-juh-luhs
People who live in Los Angeles may find themselves asking a deceptively simple question more than residents of other cities: Who are we? Los Angeles’ history is shorter than most major American cities, but it is vastly complex and obviously…
New & Notable: Language Of Towns And Cities, Urbanism And Climate Change & History Of The Paris Métro
Weighing in at more than 800 pages, Dhiru A. Thadani’s new work is destined to be the final word on the language of urban planning and design. The Language of Towns and Cities: A Visual Dictionary is a landmark publication…
Los Angeles’ First Diesel Buses: A Look Back At The Fleet & The 1943 Birth Of Smog
Today, the Los Angeles County Metrpolitan Transportation Authority retired its last diesel bus from its fleet of over 2,200 vehicles. This historic day marks Metro’s claim to be the first major transit agency in the world to operate only alternative-fuel…
Research Roundup: Climate Change In State Transportation Policy, OCTA’s Draft Long Range Plan & Green Jobs From Freight Rail
With a comprehensive climate bill stalled at the federal level, many are turning to the states to make progress toward reducing carbon emissions. Are the states ready? Getting Back On Track: Aligning State Transportation Policy With Climate Change Goals (66p.…
Recent Research: Urban Congestion Trends, High-Speed Rail Lessons & Travel Assistance Device Deployment
Is traffic congestion getting better or worse? The Federal Highway Administration collects various statistics each year to help us understand whether traffic is improving or increasing. We wanted to take a closer look at a document titled 2009 Urban Congestion…
New And Notable: Oil On The Brain, Transport Geographies & Early Downtown Los Angeles
Oil On The Brain: Petroleum’s Long, Strange Trip To Your Tank is a smart, surprisingly funny account of the oil industry — the people, economies, and pipelines that bring us petroleum, brilliantly illuminating a world we encounter every day. Americans…
Resources To Know: California Transit Association & Its Annual Legislative Summary
Since its founding in 1965, the California Transit Association (CTA) has been a primary advocate for public transportation in the state. The Association’s team of legislative advocates works to promote multi-year transit funding and to represent transit’s interests before the…
New And Notable: Smart Growth Manual, “Unplanning,” & Asphalt And Politics
Everyone is calling for smart growth…but what exactly is it? In The Smart Growth Manual (New York: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2009), two leading city planners provide a thorough answer. From the expanse of the metropolis to the detail of the window…