Only Los Angeles could spend $1.5 billion to make airport traffic worse
by Jacob Wasserman
When millions of people come to Los Angeles for the World Cup, Olympics and Paralympics, their first taste of the city will probably be the infuriating congestion of LAX. Now, do we want to treat our guests — and ultimately ourselves — to an even worse welcome: a half-finished, $1.5-billion roadway project at LAX that will only end up making traffic more gridlocked?
Whether you are crawling along in holiday traffic — achingly close to the terminal just hoping you’ll make the flight — or are making your daily commute to work at the airport and the many businesses that surround it, the approach roads to LAX are already one of Angelenos’ least favorite places. Now, LAX’s board has approved what they call a “modernization” project to reroute and expand the roads leading into the airport’s infamous “horseshoe.” This project isn’t scheduled to be completed before the 2028 Olympics. And what’s more, it won’t fix traffic at the airport — it will only make it worse.
Why? For one, any short-term travel-time improvements won’t last. Most drivers use Google Maps and Waze to algorithmically navigate shifts in traffic when heading to the airport. So even if a new ramp is temporarily faster, it will soon fill up again as traffic is directed there and as drivers gain familiarity with the routing. The idea that new lanes quickly become congested again as they draw in drivers from other routes, times of day and modes of travel is what planners call “induced demand.” This same thing happened in 2014, when authorities widened the 405: traffic got worse within just nine months as people shifted their travel onto the new lanes.
Moreover, there is still only so much curb and road space along the LAX horseshoe. Imagine using a wider funnel to fill the same bottle. That’s what will happen with these new roadways: pushing more cars into the same bottleneck.
The project’s own estimates forecast almost 41,000 new miles of vehicle travel each day once complete. And its environmental review concludes that the new traffic and emissions are a “significant and unavoidable impact” with “no feasible mitigation measures.”
Spare a thought here for residents of Westchester, Inglewood and El Segundo. They already live with cut-through traffic and the dangerous crashes and pollution this traffic causes. This project threatens to make all of that worse, risking lives and livelihoods for not just the immediate neighborhoods but the nearly 1 million people living within seven miles of LAX. It’s no wonder residents continue to organize against the plan.
The project was originally part of a larger, long-discussed expansion of the airport, formally announced in 2019 with the initial aim of adding two new terminals in time for the Olympics. But with passenger counts still down after the COVID-19 pandemic, LAX authorities scuttled the terminal expansions. And yet, the roadway plan marches on, despite having less traffic demand than before and no new terminals to serve. With much of its justification dead, it has become a “zombie project.”
This is all the more disappointing after LAX has done so much to open the airport to options other than private cars. Despite continued delays in its opening, the Automated People Mover promises to connect the terminals to each other, to rental car facilities and to drop-off points outside the horseshoe. Metro recently opened the beautiful LAX/Metro Transit Center, a rail station and bus hub at 96th Street and Aviation Boulevard at the end of the coming People Mover, finally allowing people to take transit between LAX and Metro’s growing network.
Inside the horseshoe, LAX reserved the lower inner lane for buses and moved economy ride-hail pickups to the consolidated LAX-it area. Soon, you’ll be able to take a train, bus, Lyft or Uber — or be dropped off by a friend — and zoom past traffic to your terminal on the People Mover.
Yet LAX authorities still plan to throw bad money after good. The roadway project proposes to build concrete walls and supports around the airport, making it all the more difficult for anything but a car to enter LAX.
Instead of a counterproductive roadway scheme, the airport should double-down on their multimodal successes. With expanded FlyAway service, you could take a frequent, comfortable bus from locations across the region and speed along transit-only lanes into LAX. With a safe and direct network of paths, you could walk or bike to your job at LAX, instead of navigating through a spaghetti bowl of roadway ramps. And with proper regulations and curb management, you could even take a shared autonomous vehicle to your terminal.
Decades of research and experience prove that adding more lanes doesn’t fix traffic. Though the People Mover will offer an alternative to traffic in the horseshoe, the only way to end it is congestion pricing. A dynamic toll — set just high enough to keep cars free-flowing and with provisions for disability access — could finally ease gridlock at LAX. Plus, it could earn money for the city’s beleaguered budget, offsetting its billions in costs. The transponder infrastructure to collect tolls is already in place today. With the free-to-use People Mover soon to open, now is the time to consider pricing the existing roads at LAX — not tearing them up and fruitlessly enlarging them right as the world comes to our doorstep.
The “LAX-pressway” is the last thing our airport needs. With the LAX board’s approval, only intervention from officials like Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Traci Park now can pump the brakes on this project.
This op-ed was originally published by Los Angeles Times. Jacob Wasserman is a research project manager at the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies and a planning commissioner in the City of Santa Monica.
Kaplan on the Social Media Ban for Minors in Florida Florida’s new social media restrictions for children under 14 spark debate over child safety.
A recent ruling by an appeals court now allows for restrictions to be placed on social media use for minors in Florida. This is a result of the lift on the temporary injunction against House Bill 3 (HB3) that requires children under 14 to have parental consent to use certain social media platforms and bans them from having social media accounts.
There is a significant divide in perspectives on HB3. Supporters say it protects children from harmful content online while critics argue that it violates the first amendment and interferes with parental authority. Professor Emeritus of Social Welfare at the Luskin School of Public Affairs Mark Kaplan shared his perspectives with Fox13, stating, “There is impact of social media on kids’ well-being…we’re talking about kids’ depression, depressive symptoms, suicidality and self harm.”
This action has also resulted in a legal battle involving a federal lawsuit filed by tech industry groups NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association whose membership includes platforms like Google and Meta. This lawsuit will most likely move to federal court where the final ruling will be made on whether or not HB3 will stand.
Yaroslavsky on Rob Reiner’s Legacy of Progressive Advocacy
Zev Yaroslavsky, director of the Los Angeles Initiative at UCLA Luskin, spoke to the Hollywood Reporter about Rob Reiner’s legacy as a progressive policy advocate.
The slain actor, director and producer was also a Democratic power player, championing causes including same-sex marriage, environmental conservation, and early childhood education.
Yaroslavsky recalled Reiner’s energetic support of Proposition 10, a 1998 California ballot measure that levied a tax on tobacco products to pay for a variety of early childhood programs across the state, many of which are still in existence.
“Nobody had ever proposed something of this magnitude before,” said Yaroslavsky, who for decades served as an elected official in Los Angeles. “That was his baby, and it’s made a huge difference that’s helped hundreds of thousands of kids.”
Taylor on Why Traffic Is Getting Worse
UCLA Luskin’s Brian Taylor spoke to LAist’s AirTalk about traffic congestion that in some places has equaled or surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
Personal travel has waned, but delivery trucks and other commercial transportation have increased. And hybrid work schedules have added unpredictability to rush-hour traffic patterns.
Taylor shared the counterintuitive fact that Angelenos actually drive fewer vehicle miles per capita than most motorists in the nation’s 70 largest urbanized areas.
Southern California has a moderate level of density over a very big area, he explained. While the region is much denser than areas such as Memphis, Dallas or Kansas City, it is not dense enough to be walkable and transit-focused like San Francisco, New York and Boston.
“We actually have modest levels of driving but a very large number of people on a relatively limited road system, and that results in high levels of congestion,” said Taylor, a professor of urban planning and public policy.
In a megalopolis as enormous as the LA region, “there’s traffic because there’s 18 and a half million people who are trying to move around along with lots of goods.”
Scrutiny Grows Over Measure ULA Claims, Mike Manville Weighs In
Measure ULA, the voter-approved “mansion tax” that was meant to address Los Angeles’ housing affordability crisis and boost construction jobs, is drawing new scrutiny. An April news release from the tax’s oversight committee claimed that, within its first two years, Measure ULA helped create 800 new affordable homes and 10,000 union construction jobs. Those figures are now facing serious questions about their accuracy.
LAist cited Professor and Chair of Urban Planning Michael Manville’s input on these controversial numbers. According to Manville, these statistics are highly implausible as there hadn’t been a lot of construction resulting from Measure ULA happening at the time the claim was made.
“What it suggests to you is the possibility that the people at work sort of promoting and, in theory, even regulating this measure aren’t that interested in the details, aren’t that interested in the rigor and are more interested in just promoting a particular storyline,” he said.
Further investigation revealed that the method in which the estimate was obtained was fundamentally flawed and the post has since been altered to reflect these insights.
Why Small Businesses Fail: Key Findings from the Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal breaks down the biggest reasons small businesses fail, drawing on national data, expert insights, and real-world examples of entrepreneurs navigating early-stage risk.
They turned to UCLA Luskin’s Robert Fairlie for his expertise, citing his finding that “only half of new businesses survive two years, and only a third last five years.” The piece underscores how early-stage entrepreneurs often underestimate cash-flow needs and overestimate initial demand, leaving them vulnerable within those early years of growth.
It also points to the advantages held by those with prior business exposure — whether through family enterprises or past industry experience — which can translate into stronger planning, better decision-making, and higher sales. “The children of family-business owners were more successful and less likely to exit,” with family work experience linked to roughly 40% higher sales, says Fairlie.
Fairlie also guides the discussion on financing gaps, especially for minority-owned businesses, explaining that they’re more likely to exit due to limited capital access. His data shapes its core conclusions about why startups struggle and what factors boost survival.
Cohen on Prolonged Withdrawal Symptoms After Discontinuing Antidepressant Use
Antidepressants are taken by millions of adults in the United States and are one of the most commonly prescribed medications. Some decide to discontinue their medication use due to side effects like elevated heart rate and blood pressure, but this can also lead to serious withdrawal symptoms, even in people tapering off the drug.
Professionals in the field of psychiatry have shared their perspectives on these cases of prolonged withdrawal symptoms, with some stating these narratives do not largely reflect what they observe in research and in their practice and others highlighting the importance of not dismissing people’s experiences and ensuring patients have medical supervision when tapering.
Professor of Social Welfare and Associate Dean at the Luskin School of Public Affairs David Cohen shared with NBC News that he believes there is a need for more research on withdrawal symptoms in the field of psychiatry. “We need large, nonindustry funded trials to examine what happens when people stop antidepressants, using various tapering strategies and long enough follow-up,” he said.
BART Extension Faces Federal Funding Uncertainty
The long-awaited BART extension through downtown San José is facing renewed uncertainty as local officials prepare for potential federal funding cuts under President Trump. BART, or Bay Area Rapid Transit, is the regional train system connecting San Francisco, Oakland, and surrounding suburbs.
The $12.7 billion project relies heavily on a $5.1 billion commitment secured during the Biden administration, and any delay or reversal could further stall progress and drive up costs.
Jacob Wasserman, research program manager at the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, spoke to KQED that this project will likely be fully canceled but warned of serious ripple effects. “It certainly will engender delays, which add cost,” he noted, adding that a federal administration “hostile to California” could complicate the project’s path forward.
Pierce on the Closure of the Santa Ynez Reservoir during the Palisades Fire
News that the Santa Ynez reservoir was empty and closed for repairs during the highly destructive Palisades Fire in January has led to a month-long state investigation ordered by Governor of California Gavin Newsom on whether or not use of the reservoir could have made a difference in combatting the flames.
The resulting report released by California agencies found that use of the reservoir could not have influenced the outcome of the wildfire, as the water flow rate would have been insufficient to keep fire hydrants working and even a full reservoir would not have been able to maintain the necessary water pressure for long. The report emphasized that the Santa Ynez reservoir is part of L.A.’s municipal water system whose primary purpose is not to fight wildfires, but rather to maintain a supply of clean drinking water.
Co-Executive Director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and Director of the Human Right to Water Solutions Lab Greg Pierce shared his views on the report with LAist. “This report confirms what we and others have been saying more broadly regarding water system expectations and capabilities, but does so completely independently and with new details specific to the L.A. fires.”
Wasserman on Efforts to Improve Traffic Flow at LAX
As the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in L.A. steadily approach, the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is picking up the pace on rebuilding its roads to improve traffic flow. This project is predicted to be completed two months before the games begin.
Perspectives on the practicality of this effort have been mixed. LAWA officials claim that it will increase safety and streamline the separation of airport travelers from others on the road. Critics, on the other hand, point out that this plan neglects the “horseshoe,” an infamously traffic-heavy bottleneck at LAX, and argue it could actually worsen traffic.
A recent Los Angeles Times article featuring Research Program Manager Jacob Wasserman at the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies cited his views on the temporality of traffic improvements due to a phenomenon called induced demand.
“Initially, these changes could alleviate traffic in the area and on the freeways to some degree, but it’s going to fill up again. … When there’s less traffic, more cars will naturally file in and it’ll fill up,” he said. “It’s going to move more people in total, but it’s not going to fix traffic.”
Yaroslavsky on the Response to the Lachman Fire
Reports have emerged that firefighters at the site of the January Lachman fire were told to leave the scene of the flames while there was still visible smoldering. Five days later, the highly destructive Palisades fire swept through southern California, killing twelve people and destroying thousands of buildings and homes.
Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass ordered an investigation into the handling of the Lachman fire to ensure that the Los Angeles fire department (LAFD) can enact necessary reforms and improvements.
Director of the Los Angeles Initiative at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs Zev Yaroslavsky spoke with the Guardian about the resulting Palisades fire, describing it as a “Pearl Harbor moment,” and highlighted the importance of transparency to restore the public’s faith in the LAFD.
“Many questions remain and Bass and the LAFD need to provide answers as communities continue to rebuild,” said Yaroslavsky. “I think the morale has been shaken to the core in Altadena and the Palisades.”
A Tradition of Family Sacrifices in the Black Community
A house purchased on behalf of a grandniece in need of stability is the focus of a federal indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James, who has pleaded not guilty. The case has resonated among many Black women in America who have stepped up to help loved ones experiencing hardship.
Research shows that many upwardly mobile Black women and men feel a steep cultural obligation to provide assistance to extended relatives, even at their own expense.
UCLA Luskin’s Jasmine D. Hill told the New York Times that the practice can be especially connected to one’s sense of identity in Black communities.
Hill’s research found that even those “on the verge of economic ruin themselves” sometimes provide significant financial support to immediate and extended relatives, pulling from emergency savings and emptying retirement accounts.
“Black families, and Black women particularly, have had to figure out ways to essentially be an unhonored social safety net in the United States,” said Hill, an assistant professor of public policy and sociology.
Global Study Reveals Best Cities for Walking and Cycling
A new global study analyzed walking and cycling patterns in 11,587 cities across 121 countries, revealing that some cities consistently outperform others for active transportation. Dense cities with extensive bike lanes, such as Wageningen in the Netherlands and Copenhagen in Denmark, top the list, while terrain and climate have less impact than previously assumed.
The research also highlights the influence of policy and pricing: higher gas prices and investments in nonmotorized infrastructure significantly increase walking and cycling rates. Cities like Osaka, Japan, and Nairobi, Kenya, showcase how thoughtful urban design can balance pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles.
Lead author and Luskin professor of urban planning Adam Millard-Ball emphasizes that infrastructure drives behavior: “It’s not that Dutch people are genetically predisposed to cycling; it’s that most Dutch cities have really good infrastructure for cycling. If it were quicker and safe to walk or bike to their kids’ school or to the store or to work, then Americans would do that just as much as anyone else.”
Loya on Building Wealth through Homeownership
Housing prices have been on the rise over the past decade, making the prospect of homeownership inaccessible to many Americans. In light of this growing issue, a question has recently emerged: “Does homeownership really build wealth?” Experts seem to think so, and Assistant Professor of Urban Planning José Loya appeared on Marketplace to share his perspectives.
According to Loya, the accrual of wealth from homeownership primarily originates from mortgage interest deduction, a type of government subsidy that makes homeownership financially appealing. Socioeconomic disparities, however, impact this level of wealth accumulation. There has been found to be a disproportionately higher value of homes and wealth accumulation in majority-white communities compared to their minority counterparts. Cities with more job opportunities like Los Angeles also tend to have higher housing costs while places with fewer prospects tend to have lower costs, further exacerbating the issue.
“Homeownership can be a heavy burden if your job is unstable and your income fluctuates,” said Loya. With the uncertain future of both the job and housing market, Loya suggests exploring alternate means of building wealth, such as starting a business.
Schwarz on Promoting School Greening as Global Temperatures Rise
A recent study led by UCLA associate professor of urban planning Kristen Schwarz highlights the lack of shade on California’s K‑12 school campuses, exposing students to extreme heat during outdoor activities. Analyzing over 7,200 urban public schoolyards from 2018 to 2022, the team found that 85% of schools lost tree canopy, with a median coverage of just 6.4%.
L.A. Times reports that many of these schools lack adequate tree cover and children, whose abilities to regulate body temperature are still developing, are particularly vulnerable when exposed to the intense heat outdoors. This presents a pressing concern as global temperatures continue to rise and give way to dangerous heat waves.
“Extreme heat is becoming a major public health concern in California and across the country, and trees can play a really big role in helping us cool down those schools and also build climate resilience,” said Schwarz.
To better understand the cooling effect of trees, Schwarz and her team are examining the trees and microclimates of schools across several districts in California. They hope their findings will inform policymakers and promote school greening to provide a cooler, safer environment for students in the face of global warming.
Segura on Bread-and-Butter Issues Driving Latinos to the Polls
Media outlets reporting on the influence and priorities of the nation’s Latino electorate spoke to Gary Segura, UCLA Luskin professor of public policy and an authority on polling research.
A new nationwide UnidosUS poll that Segura helped conduct found that the cost of living is a top concern, while immigration ranks fifth.
Many Latinos feel that they can’t make ends meet, Segura told the Miami Herald. “The fear of losing their job, the inability to afford increased housing costs, the increased health care costs … none of these things have been alleviated since Trump took office,” he said.
Segura also spoke with the Los Angeles Times and Sacramento Bee. He noted that the power of California’s Latino voting bloc is growing; only 50% of the poll respondents had voted prior to 2020 but 75% said they planned to vote in 2026.
“My advice to candidates in both parties is that they need to get out there and speak to the largest constituency in the state and see what their policy needs are and act on them,” Segura said.
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