Public Transit isn't Over, There's still Hope

Happy Thanksgiving!

This article is different than what I usually write, but...

As the news that Donald Trump of the Republican party was reelected by the American people to become the 51st President of the United States broke,

The fight for a better climate, urbanism, and real transit among many more issues may have been setback and likely delayed, there is still a lot of hope (at least here in California).

After spending hours online for more than three weeks trying to figure out "What can we do?", I've found plenty of reasons why we can still make a positive impact.

Let me start by saying that the next 4 years will be challenging. Metro will heavily depend on the residents of Los Angeles and the State to provide strong support for the continuous development of its projects. The Southeast Gateway Line, which will run from South LA to Artesia (Phase 1), and the ESFV LRT (East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Project) will likely encounter significant obstacles in securing matching funds from the federal government. Local LA YouTuber and Legend in his own right, Nandert, has released a video explaining the workings of Transit Funding in the United States and the issues it's facing right now.

I'll be diving into reasons and things that we can do as citizens, this is not a write-up about the state of politics regarding public transit, climate change and Urbanism. Streets for All has a great write-up on the wins accomplished within public transit and other societal needs (in local and state political races). If you enjoy watching documentary-style videos, Nandert's highly anticipated 2024 Metro Update Video is worth checking out. (Just a heads up, it can get a bit grim at times.)

1. Local Politics

There has been a great shake-up to the structure of local politics, with the passage of Measure G, as voters now demand an increase of local county supervisors from 5 to 9 pending implementation by 2030. This will change how things work at the county level (maybe their version of HLA though with a different focus). Also, this will require Metro to change up how the board works (because that is based on the current system that will become incompatible as the new law takes effect).

Measure A

Replaces the previous existing quarter-cent sales tax with a half-cent sales tax for additional funding in public infrastructure and raising money to help homeless individuals.

In a brief view of the wins achieved for progressive voters we have:

Culver City: Buba Fish

West Hollywood: John Erickson (relected as mayor) and Danny Hang

Los Angeles:

In Downtown LA's (CD14), a crucial seat for the city council was up for grabs. Ysabel Jurado had defeated Kevin De' Leon in a decisive win, securing 56% and 44% of the vote, respectively.

2. Activism

   
   

   This is something that puts a smile on my face every morning. I see the train on my morning commute, the fight that Friends for Expo put up so that the initially Bus Rapid Transit corridor of the Exposition line was made into a light rail line. It's not perfect, but it's a rare example of community activism for a good cause.

   
   

   StreetsforAll and MoveLA are some of the most powerful community NPO's that have pushed Los Angeles to follow it's word, Measure R, Measure M (are the works of MoveLA pushing transit expansion in LA forward, gave Metro the vote of confidence it needed to know that the people are right behind them and want it). Measure HLA (One of the most pivotal moves towards safer streets and complete streets, a vote of reassurance from the citizens that we want it and we demand it.) It's been way too long and way over enough that rich people in this city get to mess with important infastrcuture projects that scares nobody but them. Ethan Elkind's book "Railtown: The Fight for the Los Angeles Metro Rail and the Future of the City" has covered this topic in great detail. (If you're interested in the politics that shaped our transit Renaissance, I cannot recommend this book enough). 404 media has a fun read about the NIMBY reactions to the results of Measure HLA.

   
   

   There are many online figures on platforms such as reddit and Youtube that spread the message and importance of the urbansit cause. LEJ, DJ Petesake are just some of them.

   
   

   Nimesh in Los Angeles

   
   

   He is pursuing being a doctor and has also fallen into the world of LA urbanism quite randomly, like I have. He has covered many topics in-depth, similar to Nandert but with more frequent videos and a more diverse focus.

   
   

   Nandert

   
   

   A documentary/filmmaker who has risen in the LA transit space with his legendary once-a-year metro updates, giving us the full picture of everything Metro is doing - the good, the bad, and the horrible. High quality visual animations and voiceover in his videos make him stand out and unique in a space filled with admittedly subpar video production.

   
   
   
   

   Numble

   Last but certainly not least, the old faithful reliable numble. He has been with us for a long time, much longer than the YouTubers above, and often posts updates and statuses for metro projects (The Metro PR we didn't know we needed). (He is on most social platforms including Threads, Instagram, and X).

   
   

On Reddit, inside the LA Metro subreddit, there have been discussions on the potential impacts of the new presidency, and I find it fascinating to see what others are thinking.

Keeping Hope, No were not going to lose ALL federal funds, Art of LA Metro Stations, Measure G's Impact on Metro Board,

3. The 2028 Summer Olympics in LA

This will probably be the most pinnacle event in LA that marks the decade that was the "2020's".

While a lot of our transit expansion and other quality of life improvements are because city leaders don't want to be embarrassed on the world stage, there is a legitimate force at work to make sure that this fight continues until the day Los Angeles can get it together for once.

2008's Measure R, the Blue, Red, Purple, and Gold Lines, and Expo (Phase 1) were built decades before the idea of the Olympics ever crossed the minds of city leaders. 2016's Measure M, approved by voters, was pushed not only as an Olympic expansion plan but also as a "Generational chance for Angelenos to finally get the transit they deserve."

MoveLA, along with many community organizations, is jumping on this opportunity to create a generational legacy within Los Angeles through their Festival Trails concept, which

There is still so much we can do—not just for transit and the environment, but for the health of our democracy. The next few years may not be easy, but we’ve faced tough times before and come out stronger. With determination and collective effort, we can do it again.

Each of us has more power than we’re often led to believe. Joining local coalitions like MoveLA can amplify your voice and empower causes that matter to your community. Advocacy starts with small, meaningful actions, like sending your local politicians a friendly email to let them know that NIMBYs don’t speak for everyone. Your voice matters, and when combined with others, it can make an incredible difference.

As the saying goes: “Be the positive change you wish to see in the world.”

Until next time, stay safe, stay hopeful, and keep pushing for a better future. 🌳