March 30: This Date in Los Angeles Transportation History

1886:  The Santa Ana, Orange, and Tustin Street Railway Company is incorporated.

 

 

1946:  The Los Angeles Metropolitan Parkway Engineering Committee releases its report titled “Interregional, Regional, Metropolitan Parkways: Presenting Plans And Factual Data In Support Of A System Of Parkways For The Los Angeles Metropolitan Area.”

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The Committee extensively studies traffic, parking and projected growth for Los Angeles, stating that the “trend of transit is toward increased use of buses” and suggesting that the metropolitan region needs a parkway system to compliment the United States Interregional Highway System.

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The report concludes that “the establishment and early construction of a system of grade separated parkways or limited access highways, integrated with the local street and highway system, is the paramount immediate need of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area.”

It also notes that existing funds and sources of funds available for all purposes to local political jurisdictions with the County of Los Angeles are entirely inadequate to meet the local needs for capital improvements and provide the funds for construction of the parkway system.

 

 

1963:  The last electric trolley coach lines run on Pico and Jefferson Boulevards.

 

 

The following day, a fleet of 300 new SilverLiner coaches roll out in their place.

Archival footage captures the last day of service for Los Angeles streetcars until rail service was restored with the launch of the Los Angeles – Long Beach Metro Blue Line on July 14, 1990.