Staten Island to get modernized bus fleet this year
Beware of Greeks bearing gifts:
Let’s say there’s a neighborhood in which public transportation has been grossly neglected for years, maybe even decades. Buses are frequently late, the bus stops are in complete shambles and the bus maps faded and falling apart. Residents have been bitterly complaining about these deplorable conditions for years, but no matter how much they do, the city just drags its feet pleading poverty or pretends to be looking into it while doing nothing in the process.
One day the city goes, "Great news, residents! We finally listened to you! We’re going to finally do all those repairs you asked for. We’re going to rebuild all the bus stops that have been falling apart and replace the old and faded bus maps."
"But we’re going to do a whole lot more. We’re going to go above and beyond what you wanted. We’re going to launch a new fleet of energy-efficient, WiFi-enabled buses that use state of the art fare boxes that accept smart phones. The bus stops are going to be made of the finest fiberglass and steel, complete with computerized touchscreen maps that are easy to read and provide live updates of when each bus is due to arrive! And we’re going to have USB ports where you can charge your devices and everything. What’s more, you’ll be the very first neighborhood in the entire city to get all of these great improvements. Isn’t that awesome?"
Long-neglected residents rejoice and welcome the changes with open arms. Then, lo and behold–a year or two later after all the bus shelters, digital maps and other fancy shmancy gadgetry have been installed–gentrifiers start moving in by the droves. Predictably, property values go up. Mom and pops are driven out in favor of chain stores and high end retail, leading to an erasure of affordable options for local residents. Finally, a new luxury development is proposed, then two more, then five more. Now the residents, who’d been "blessed" by the city with changes to their bus route, are priced out of their own neighborhood.
Digging finishes on the Westside subway’s first tunnel
Yeah none of the areas around Brentwood, like Sawtelle, rank that high either. It’s just much less dense, but I’m sure your diligent study of Google Maps is somehow more reliable than the studies being done by the metro, oh heroic commenter.
Digging finishes on the Westside subway’s first tunnel
Brentwood ranks 216 because miles of empty Santa Monica Mountains land are included. The southern part of Brentwood and the northern part of Sawtelle (where the station would be located) are almost entirely zoned R3 or R4 with about a dozen 30-story buildings within a block of the proposed station. It’s one of the densest areas of the city outside of K-town or Hollywood and also one of the most transit dependent. Google maps or ZIMAS would show this. The VA has almost negligible transit ridership. I’d say once a month does my bus actually pick someone up there. The ridership is so low on the Blue Bus VA routes that the feds have to subsidize it.
Digging finishes on the Westside subway’s first tunnel
Instead of "looking at Google Maps", how about you look at some data? Out of LA’s 272 neighborhoods by density, Brentwood ranks 216. The only area west of the 405 that ranks in the top 50 is Palms, which is nowhere near here. West of the 405 is simply far less dense. And yeah, I’m guessing the anoraks at Metro know how to use Google Maps. http://maps.latimes.com/neighborhoods/population/density/neighborhood/list/
Digging finishes on the Westside subway’s first tunnel
Not true at all about the area west of San Vicente.
It is all dense apartment blocks and University High off of Wilshire. Look at Google Maps to see how wrong you are. On Wilshire there are massive office and apartment high rises (and a new 34 story apartment tower is being built right now). Furthermore, the VA itself creates a massive traffic obstacle that results in gridlock to all areas to the West.