Railtown: The Fight for the Los Angeles Metro Rail and the Future of the City
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.15 (774 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0520278275 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 320 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2015-11-14 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
"Generally known as the car-commuter capital of the country, Los Angeles has had a long and complicated relationship with public transportation, and Elkind has taken on the daunting task of mapping out the messy saga."--Daniel Davis-Williams"LA Magazine" (01/21/2014)"A fascinating account of LA's move away from an almost religious attachment to the automobile."--Dan Farber"Legal Planet" (02/24/2014)"Essential reading."--Josh Stephens"California Planning & Development Report" (03/11/2014)"A fascinating account of LA s move away from an almost religious attachment to the automobile."--Dan Farber"Legal Planet" (02/24/2014)""Railtown is a must-read for everyone interested in the still-unfolding renaissance of rail in LA and a recommended read for any urban scholar wanting to be fascinated by the intricacies of local infrastructure decision-making."--Deike Peters"International Journal of Urban and Regional Research" (06/01/2015)"For those wanting to understand the details of Metro Rail s checkered history, this is the book to read."--David R Godschalk"Urban Land" (06/26/2015)"
"Best Book for LA's Modern Rail History" according to Greg Justice. No other book captures the history and complexity of LA's modern rail system - light and commuter. Must read for history, transportation and public policy aficionados, and Elkind's access to personal interviews and accounts are unmatched, even by other academic papers and publications, as they do not capture the evolution of LA's multimodal approach to transportation alternatives, and the social and legal obstacles that stood in the way.. "A great read of our LA Metro Rail System!!!" according to jgacis. Elkind's "Railtown" is a fascinating read of the Los Angeles Metro light-rail system. The book sends the reader on a historical journey of rival politics, financial hurdles, and NIMBY opposition that have shaped the light-rail network maps posted across L.A's Metro stations today. After reading this book, you'll know why - the Blue Line was chosen as the first light-rail corridor (instead of a subway) in Los Angeles - the Green Line veers south to El Segundo. Fascinating history For those who live in LA and wonder how we ended up with the Metro rail system that we have, this is a superb read. Elkind is a great story-teller who understands the subject material incredibly well and takes the reader along the journey without overwhelming you with details.For those who have either never been to LA or think it's just the car-infatuated post-apocalyptic landscape as it's often portrayed in popular media, this book provides an eye-opening i
Ethan Elkind brings this important story to life by showing how ambitious local leaders zealously advocated for rail transit and ultimately persuaded an ambivalent electorate and federal leaders to support their vision. Traffic, air pollution, and sprawl motivated citizens to support urban rail as an alternative to driving, and the city has started to reinvent itself by developing compact neighborhoods adjacent to transit. The familiar image of Los Angeles as a metropolis built for the automobile is crumbling. This engaging history of Metro Rail provides lessons for