Project by J.Z.
This project examines how a polycentric transit framework could restructure the Los Angeles Metro into a more effective regional system by aligning transit investment with actual demand and land-use patterns. Using a Metro Demand Index based on population density, income, and vehicle availability, it evaluates how existing metro lines support residential and employment areas within a 10- and 20-minute walking radius of stations across 2013, 2018, and 2023. The research explores how key nodes, including Downtown LA, Santa Monica, Long Beach, the Westside, Torrance, Carson, Downey, Monterey Park, and the San Fernando Valley, could evolve into interconnected transit hubs. Ultimately, it questions whether a conceptual LA Loop System could reduce car dependency and better connect Los Angeles’s dispersed urban fabric.
