Anyone who escapes the Westwood bubble is all too familiar with the constant gridlock when entering the 405 Freeway from Wilshire Avenue and the smog that clouds the Bruins’ vision all the way to the Pacific.
The initial anger and shock we feel toward Los Angeles for its tiresome and inconvenient traffic tends to subside after our freshmen year, and we begin to accept our new sprawling metropolitan home.
When we take advantage of the other transportation options, we spur our city to move toward a cleaner and safer environment for all residents. The decision to turn to alternate forms of transportation seems more reasonable as parking violation fines increase and meter prices have doubled in the last year.
Though it seems transportation without a car is impossible in this automobile-happy city, many students and faculty members fight against the acceptance of the Los Angeles traffic dilemma by biking and taking public transit to UCLA.
They fight against the difficulties presented by Los Angeles’s meager public transportation options and poor bike lanes, by making the most of other options like Zipcars or taking side streets on their bikes.
Their efforts positively contribute to the prevention of traffic congestion and the reduction of our city’s carbon footprint. Purchasing gas, maintaining car insurance and paying for parking can be pricey endeavors as well. UCLA students and faculty who have gone carless do face inconveniences, but in many ways far less than the average auto owner.
It is an unsaid L.A. philosophy that a car is necessary to survive. However if we adopt this motto, we are only making the problem of lack of infrastructure for other transport worse. Choosing not to drive is a consumer preference ““ we can show the city that increasing public transportation is important to residents by preferring the alternatives.
Last Friday, students demonstrated their support for new and improved bike infrastructure in Los Angeles by hosting an event in Meyerhoff Park. Students came out to review proposed plans for bike lines and to show their support for improved conditions for cycling in the city.
Though UCLA has recently changed its policy concerning cycling on campus, reducing the ability to cycle in hazardous locations like Bruin Walk, there is still hope. Student efforts such as the bike event show that students can still work to make the area surrounding UCLA more conducive to biking, using the Zipcar rental system and the expansion of public transportation.
In the past, students have been able to enact large changes in school and city policy by demonstrating their political voices through consumer preference. Just last year, students pressured the administration to terminate UCLA’s contract with Russell Athletics due to their unfair labor practices.
In the same way, if students and faculty push for the expansion of alternative transportation, improvement in the accessibility of non-car related transit is possible.
Last year, students involved in CALPIRG pushed for the passage of Proposition 1A, funding the California High Speed Rail. Bearing in mind the state economic concerns, the forecast for this proposition was grim. To the surprise of many, it passed and student efforts were rewarded. Students were able to effectively influence California transportation policy.
Change is already in the works, as the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority works to fund the expansion of the subway.
Last week the MTA affirmed that expanding trains to the Westside is a guarantee for the allocated federal funding. The distribution of MTA resources to transportation issues that de-emphasizes the convenience of auto travel is a critical success.
Significant change is in sight, despite alternative transportation being seen as an unobtainable goal for Los Angeles in the past. Student and faculty who ride both the bus and bicycles are impacting the city’s projected plans.
The more students and faculty show interest in the future of transportation in Los Angeles by choosing to live without an auto, the more likely policy will support this lifestyle.
Los Angeles does not need to be synonymous with traffic or continue to be the city in the nation with the worst traffic congestion.
E-mail Mier at smier@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.