L.A. - The City Of Traffic Jams - Finds A Way To Get People Out Of Their Cars

Just more than a year after it opened, a new light-rail line is hitting ridership targets it wasn't supposed to meet until 2030

The infamous Los Angeles traffic has been mythologised in films and songs. (Representational)

Los Angeles, of all places, has taken a bold step forward on mass transit.
Few need reminding of the frequent traffic nightmares in L.A., whose soaring cloverleafs and endless traffic jams have been mythologized in film noir, fiction and song. "There are two modes of transport in Los Angeles: car and ambulance," author Fran Lebowitz said.
Just over a year ago, however, the City of Angels rewrote the script a bit when it partnered with Santa Monica to open the Expo Line, a light-rail train that carries riders from downtown L.A. to its neighboring city and its beaches.
The Expo Line runs parallel to Interstate 10, an infamous highway even for L.A., which has been ranked as having the worst traffic in the world. It's worse than Moscow, Bangkok, or Mexico City, according to a study by traffic data firm Inrix. It also takes a toll that goes beyond aggravation: in terms of lost productivity and wasted fuel, traffic jams cost the average Los Angeles driver an estimated $2,408 a year.
So you would think that Angelenos would gladly abandon their cars for mass transit to avoid another soul-sucking commute on "the 10" if they had the chance. But in car-crazed L.A. no one knew for sure.