(CentraI)iuiintiS ilBistritt

~5sotiation

p8 H. W. HELL:NIAN BUILDING
Phone TUcker 9402

1Lo~ ~ngtle~,
F. SARTORI
A:{RY PHILP
B. VAN NUYS

P'(Jident
1'ia..Pnndtn.t
SUftta.ry

~MES

TrtlJStl.rer

R. MARTIN

LEEDS & BARt(

Consulti..g E.,i

November 15, 1933

riu-Fr~litlrnt

RED 1.. Z,fQWDER

cttaIifornia

DIREcroRS

F. Botbw<i1
Ed;;ar Brown

,h" 1. Caotwdl

E.C.rr
Ddr.... M. Chaffey
'orman Chandler
ugene P.

C~ ~rk

E. C"gl;e,hall
L G. shman

. J.

Ftemin

TO THOSE
INTERESTED IN A
RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM

. "W~. FHnt, Jr.

"il F"nkel

Some months ago Mayor Frank L. Shaw an-

0li" Good.n

f).{:ner A. Gos.

",itht Hart
M, Ha,kins

:"00 H. Hellman
'01.

R:,ode, Hervey

'. 1. Hollinl;,worth

nounced his Plan for Public Improvements.

the most prominent was a RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM
for Los Angeles,.

D. I"ey

It was determined by this Association to

R. Killgore
H. Lacy
lmes R. Martin

further this feature of his plan.

om May

We now present for your perusal the follow-

lsep'!1 ?tc!mer
:'Ta

E. :r..ionne.ttt

rcd L. Mowder
b\colc Mo}:.ghten

ing Engineering Report as a basis for further

consideration of this most important project.

~u~rt O'!vrdveny

rank 'X. PlaSnger

submitted~

"" A. Phillips

:.rrr Philp
I.

V/. Pontjul

K. Rebard
[arry

L. Rho!!e.

"' cl50U

FLM:TS

iI!-"e.->--~ ....)
Secretary.

/ Leo

Fred L. M wdar l

C. Ri \"es

inor H. Rouctti

. F. Son',!;
:ncha.~
h.!,~;

F. Shannon

P. Stocy

, Sword

~<.:. NIJYs
_.1i,1'~

\raH::er

----_..

II

\
\

\,

I
1

Engineering Office
DONALD

M,

B A K E R

108 West 6th Street

...
"

Los Angeles
November 15,1933

Central Business District Association,

808 H. W. Hellman Building,
Los Angeles, California.

Gentlemen:
In accordance with our verbal understanding, I
,

hand you herewith a report on a proposed ,system of rApid

transit serving the City of Los Angeles and the sur~ouPdI

.,

ing area.

This report has been made with the view of its being transmitted by your organization to the City of,

L~s

Angeles authorities, to be used by them in support of an

application to the Federal

~ergency

Administration of

Public Works for a loan and grant for construction of

the system.

The following points may be emphasized:

1. With growth of population in the Los Angeles area, a system of rapid transit
will be necessary within the next few years,
not alone to furnish adequate transportation and to stabilize property values in
the Central District, but also to do the
same throughout the entire Metropolitan
Area.

2. The system proposed comprises four lines

radiating outward in four directions from

2. Central Business District Assfn

11/15/33

the Central Business District of Los Angeles, serving: (a) Pasadena and the San
Gabriel Valley; (b) the southeatward section of the area from Vlhittier to Long
Beach and San Pedro, and including the
Orange County co~itiesj (c) the densely
settled section between Downtown Los Angeles and Vineyard, and the area between
Vineyard and the Santa Monica Bay Region;
(d) Glendale, Burbank and San Fernando
Valley. The system proposed is so located
that it can, in the future, be extended by
grade separations and extensions of subway
and/or elevated structures with growth of
population.
3. The system meets all the requirements of
eligibility set up in the National Industrial Recovery Act.
4. Rapid transit can only be financially
feasible for this area for many years by
taking advantage now of the opportunity
offered under the provisions of the National
Industrial Recovery Act, with its grant and
resulting low interest rate.
5. The total cost of the system proposed herein amounts to $37,200,000, including
$35,650,000 for structures and $1,550,000
for rights-of-way. On this basis, a grant
of 30% of labor and materials would amount
to $10,700,000. Various methods of financing the system are possible. The one suggested proposes the issuance of $30,000,000
in'bonds, the use of this sum, plus
$7,200,000 of the grant for construction,
utiliZing the remaining $3,500,000 of the
grant for payment of debt service during
the early years of operation.
6. There will be a deficit from the system
amounting to $500,000 per year for the first
three years, $400,000 per year for the

-.

3. Central Business District Ass'n

11/15/33

fourth and fifth years, being progressively reduced to $10,000 the ninth year
after operation commences, and nothing
thereafter. This deficit can be met by
the creation of an assessment district
which should include benefited property.
If it were necessary to include only
the present Central Business District
of Los Angel es in such assessment district, the annual assessments would amount
to 30~ per $100 of assessed valuation. On.
a property with an assessed valuation
(land and improvements) of $1,000,000, the
levy at this rate would amount to $3,000
per year, or $250 per month.
Assessed valuations have been reduced in
this area 38% since 1931, with tho tax
rate remaining practically tho same. The
assessment levy necessary to carry the
deficit during the first three years would
amount to an increase in present tax bills
of 7%. The saving in lower taxes during
the past two years has been nine times the
suggested assessment above described.

;1

./

RespectfUlly submitted,

(sea~ 7n.~. ~
DMB
J

Donald M, Baker
Consulting Engineer.

I
, J

.. -,

'it.

-"

.f
/,)

_rd_

All

.1 .> -

-c~';f::"':;:-;;:~:::
.

-//"":":/\\
[::':':::':':':':':ii;

<

~.

,
.:
.:

..;

._~
.. =

'. "
i
:.~,!.._ f

1.'

~.~

,_'

~'~J~!

~""">}li .
~~,. ..

,,' t . i

_u .
lIIQo.,i

'.

"'.:..

P.\ C I }-' I C

C 1: A N

P.

.'

~~,:Z;l.:-<l~~'~~'~'::'t~N'~',:t.1jA~N
_ ._........ ....... .

.....................

. ..... re.'

... : ::: ::::::::: ::.":...

-:::::..:::

:::::::::::::

. ::::: :::::::: :::::

......L -"

,r

~'

, ...

R E P

oR

ON

.,
\

,---_.-'-

A
,

R A P.. - I
------_

S Y S T E: M

I'

FOR

.;t

./

jr\

L 0 S

ANGELES

CAL I FOR N I A

November 15, 1933

DONALD 11. BAKER

Consulting Engineer
STUART M. BATE

Associate Engineer

"

Copyr 19b t 1933

by

DonaJ.d M. Baker

'.
'.'

.,

..

:. . . . :,.. .-..
\

!
.

:'

...

'"

TAB L E

oF

CON TEN T S

PAGE

SECTION

FOREWORD
1.

II.

..................

i 1

THE SOUTH COASTAL BASIN

POPULATION . .

...

.....

'8

... ..

Population .

Distribution of Population

10

.... . ...

"

12
,

III.

POLITICAL STRUCTURE AND PHYSICAL PATTERN

OF LOS ANGELES METROPOLrrrAN DISTRICT. ..-

'

.f

Past Growth
~uture

"

~"t

;~,

14

I'

IV.

EXISTING TRANSIT AND TRANSPORTATIO~

FACILITIES AND SERVICES . . . .

./

Pacific Electric Railway Local and

Interurban System . .

21

Los Angeles Railway

24

. . . .. . . . . .

Motor Bus Lines

.....

STEAM RAILROADS

......
.. ...
........

26

28

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe

28

Southern Pacific .

29

Union Pacific

...

Steam Railroad Lines

v.

. .. . .

a~d

Facilities .

PREVIOUS PARTIAL CITY PLAN REPORTS .

29
31
33

//
s

II

PAGE

SECTION

VI.

VII.

THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT OF LOS ANGELES .

36

Persons entering Central Business Distr

36

Parking Facilities in Central Business

District . . . . .

..

38

Decentralization and Its Effect .

40

NEED FOR FURTHER TR~~SIT DEVELOP1ffiNT

INCLUDING RAPID rr'RAHSIT .
.

44

VIII. COMPREHENSIVE TRANSIT PLAN

..

50

Proposed Los Angeles Union Station

51

Grade Crossing Elimination

52

. . . . .

Coordination of Railroad Lines

Relation of Pacific Electric and

Steam Railroad Facilities . .

III

. ...

Relation of Los Anreles Railway Lines

to Steam Railroad Facilities . .

..

52
54

55

Relation of Los AnGeles Railway Lines

to Motor Bus Systems . . . .

55

Relation of Los Angeles Railway Lines

To Proposed Rapid Transit Line

56

Relation of Motor Bus System to

Rapid Transit System . .

57

..
.. ..

Relation of Motor Bus Systems to

steam Railroad Lines .
Effect of Various Phases Upon the
Comprehensive Plan . . .

IX.

PLAN OF INITIAL TRANSIT ROUTES PROPOSED

58

58

61

.
.

... .
......

Pasadena - San Gabriel Valley Line

62

Long Beach - San Pedro Line . ..

63

I.i

III

PAGE

SECTIon
Vineyard Line

.....

Glendale-San Fernando Valley Line

Cost of System

x.

64

66

..
. 68

.'. . . . . . . .

PASSENGER REVENUES FROM PROPOSED RAPID

SYSTEi'i .

TRAl~ SIT

Fundamental Premises

...

..

.' 70
_.
,

Method Used in Estimating Revenues

. XI.

Passenge~s

per Car Mile

Cost of Operation per Car Mile

Operating Costs .

NET OPERATING REVENUE

72

...

OPERATING COST OF PROPOSED RAPID TRANSIT

Revenue

XII.

70

..

75

. ...

.~76

77

.......

Operating Ratio .

til

..

..

.....

Amant to be Retained by Pacific Electric

From Net Operating Revenue . . .
XIII. METHOD OF FINANCING PROPOSED RAPID TRANSIT
SYSTEM
National Industrial Recovery Act
Method of Financing

81

, 83

83

86

... ..

ILLUSTRATIONS

PLATE

1.
2.

..

The South Coastal Basin

Land Areas Occupied by Various USGS,

Los Angeles County . . . .

..

Subdivided Land, So~thorn Portion

Los Angeles County

FACING
PAGE
Frontispiece.
6

rv
FAOING
PAGE

PLNPE

--3.

Population-Los Angeles City & County-1900-30

4.

Population - Los Anceles City and County,

1860-1980 . . . .

11

5.

Distribution of Po?ulatioc-Los Angeles

Metropolitan Area -- 1923..

12

Distribution of Population-Loo Angeles

Metropolitan Area -- 1930 .

13

Increase in Population-Los Angeles Metropolitan

Area. -- 1118-23 and 1923-30 . .

13

6.
7.

8.

Incorporated Cities -- Los Angeles County

...

14

9.

Rail and Bus Riders - Los AnGeles Oity 1920-32

Passenger Car Registration - Los Angeles
Oi ty and Oounty . . . . . . .

17

lO.

Population Density - Los Angeles Region

1922 and 1928 .

....

18

11.

Population Density Changes for Oentral Section

Los AnGeles Region, 1922 and 1928 . .

18

12.

Existing Transit and Transportation Facilities

20

13.

Commutation 1 ime and Distribution of Population

Los Angeles County - 1927 . .

21

~~
,~

".:

14.
15.
16.

Interurban Passenger Flow Diagram - Pacific

Electric Railway - 1924

22

Interurban Train Flow Diagram - Pacific

Electric Railway - 1929 ~ .

22

Car Flow Diagram - Central Business District

1932 . . . . . " . .

- 17.

23

Vehicular Traffic Flow-Los Angeles Oity-1922

26

18.

Highway Traffic Survey-Los Angeles County-1932

26

19.

Automobile Traffic Entering Oentral Business

District-Los Angeles - 1923 and 1931 . . .

37

Offstreet Parking Facilities-Oentral Business

District - Los Angelos - 1931

38

20.

FACING
PAGE

PLATE

0',

...

..

21.

Comprehensive Plan

22.

Proposed Rapid Transit Lines

23.

Existing and Proposed Grade Separations

24.

Cross Sections of Two, Three and Four Track

Subways - Central Business District

....

50

51...
"

52
!

.. ..

25.

Plan, Cross Sections and Elevntion of

Elevated Structures

26.

Plan, Cross Section and Elevation, Four Track

Subway Station in Central Business District

.63

27.

Plan, Cross Section and Elevation, Two Track

Subway stEtlon 1n Contral Business District

63

28.

Cross Sections, Three Track Tunnel and. Open

Cut and Two Track Tunnel Scction

,~

,,' 6q
I'

29.

Commutation Fare Zones Used in RevcnB 'Est:i.r:l9.tes

30.

Proposod Rapid Transit System Showing Distri- '_,

but ion of Population - 1930 .
85

'31.

Annual Revenues, Expenses, Debt Service and

Surplus, Rapid Transit System 1935 to 1974

'

./

73

-89

TABLES
NUMBER
1.

2.

PAGE
Population of Metropolitan Areas .
Statistics re Standard of Living - Los Angeles County . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .

3.

7-b

Relation of Population of Los Angeles City

and County . . . . . (FollowinG-ll-

VI
('

PAGE

NUMBER
4.

Growth in Population of the !:Ictropolitan

Area of Los Angelos

5.

Communities within Los Angeles lletropoli tan Area . . . .

6.

Pacific Electric Railwa:T & Los Angeles Rwy

22-a

7.

Passengers Entering Central Business District

De cember -16, 1931 . . . . .

37-a

Persons Entering Central Business District

of Los Angeles Daily - 7:00 A.1,'i. to 7:00 P.M

37-d

Motor Vehiclos in Central Business District

37-e

8.
9.

10.

.
Estimated

ll-a

(Fol10wing-14-

Cost of Rapid Transit Lines

69

Estimated of Number of Personn Entering Central

Business District in Future Years
.

72-a

Population Increase in Various Faro Zones of

Pacific Electric Railway
.

73-a

Estimated Passengers and Passenger Revenues

Within Fare Zones -- 6t to 23~ . . . .

73-c

Summary of PopUlation, Total Revenue Passengers

and Total Revenues within Half Mile Radius of
Rapid Transit Lines by Ten Year Periods 1930 to 1980

73-g

15.

Basic Data -- Operating Costs .

79-a

16.

Operating Costs of Rapid Transit System.

..

79-b

17.

Summary of Operating Revenues, Operatine ExperuD

and Balance Available for Interest
Principal payments, etc .

80-a

Interest, Principal Payments, Property Assessment and Surplus

86-a

11.
12.
13.
14.

18.

",

"

This report is made in connection with a rapid

transit system for which an apPlication on behalf of
the City of Los Angeles to the Federal Administration

-'

of public works for a loan of federal funds is to be

made, such loan being made under the provisions o f t
t

the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933.

The proposed system described herein provides
such essential service to the existing population of
the community as can now be economically

just~fied.

It is planned in a manner which will care f'or the most -

I'

pressing and immediate needs of the comnnmity, and so.!

that it may be expanded with community growth.
Conditions in the Los Ang&es region are such
that, in all probability, density of population in the
dwelling areas will always remain fairly low, with its
populationvddely distributed.

Hence the concentration

of commercial activities in the Central Business District has been and will continue to be somewhat retarded.
The proposals made comprise a system of rapid
transit which 1s basically oorreot as to location, which
can be expanded with increase in community growth thru
grade separations, establishment of coordinated bus
lines and/or adjustment of surface rail lines; and ulti-

-~

mately by the extension of subway and elevated

structures.
This report has purposely beer reads brief. It
contains a general description of Local past population growth and a forecast of future increase; studies
of population shifts and movements within recent years;
a description of existing transportation facilities
and services; a discussion of traffic conditions in the
city# particularly in the approaches to and within the
Central Business District; a suggested comprehensive
plan for transportation# with a more detailed description
of the system proposed, for the financing of which the
above mentioned loan is requested; and estimate of operating revenues and expenses of such system, and a discussion of the suggested method of financing it.
The time available for preparation of the report
has been insufficient for the making of extensive field
studies or preparation of many original diagrams and
maps specifically for this purpose.

The necessary basic

information and studies, however, were available.

The problem of rapid transit has been considered
by public and private agencies in the Los Angeles region
for many years.

Much material useful for this study had

been collected, and some of it analyzed, and this has

been found invaluable in the preparation of this report.
While some of the material used is from two to three

Ii

I.,

I
3

years old, and in a few cases a year or two older,

changes in population and in physical development have
~

been relatively minor since 1928, and the material used

J.

is sufficiently current to show present day conditions

f

with reasonable accuracy.

-'

Advantage has been taken of the many existing

charts, base maps and reports which have been prepared c -\
.

- . .f

by various public and private agencies, including the Los<

Angeles County Regional Planning Commission; Los Angeles
.

Traffic Association; Citizens Committee on Parks, Play..

t~

grounds & Recreational Areas, and similar agencies,

..
,
_

and~
I

many of the maps and charts presented in

th~se

reporti

have been used for illustrative purposes, in some cas~s

.

"'-.

material relating to the subject-matter of this report

being superimposed thereupon.

Credit is given throughtout

'.,

the report to the primary source of all material used

which did not originate in the consultant's office.

De-

signs and estimates for structures have been made by the

Pacific Electric Railway, and all drafting has been
handled by their engineering department.
Excellent cooperation has been achieved and assistance rendered by all the above-named agencies, and also
by the Los Angeles City Engineer's Department, the Board
of Public Utilities and Transportation and the Street
Traffic Engineering Dopartment. Grateful acknowledgement
is herewith made for large amount of assistance received.

I.
THE S.ourfn COASTAL BASIN

The South Coastal Basin of California -- extending

ninety miles cast and west, and approximately fifty miles
north and south -- contains 2,200 squaro miles of irriguble
or habitable land and a population of 2,500,000. This area,
almost twice that of the State of Rhode Island, has four times
the latterts population.

It almost equals the area of

State of Delaware, with ten times its population.

t~o

The entire

habitable area is in' a vory high state of development.

The

castern 60% of tho basin is prodominatly agricultural and is

characterized by relatively small holdings and by high unit
productivity.

Tho western portion, with 90% of tho population

includes Los Angeles County, tho richest agricultural county

in tho United Statos.
~ho

1930 Foderal Consus classifies tho larger urban

arcas of tho country into Metropolitan Districts,

defi~ing

thom as:

'~

dContral citios, all adjacent and

contiguous civil divisions, having a density
of not loss than 150 inhabitants per square
mile, and also, as a rule, those civil divisions of less density that are diroctly contiguous to the contral cities, or are entirely or nearly surrounded by minor civil divisions that have tho required density."
The Los Angeles Metropolitan District -- tno fourth
largest in the country in point of population -- occupies
the western portion of tho South Coastal Basin and includes

most of Los Angelos County south of tho Sierra Madre Mbun;

tains, the eastern half ef Orange County, and a small scction of San Bernardino County.

Whilo this

Motropolitan-~
J.

District is fourth in point of population and third in. area

... :.1,.

,\

in the country, it is characterized by a low average donsity

of population thoughout and a very low density (2,812 per

~' .:.'

- :',

square mile) within the central city.

If the largo

a~paa.

An-

agricultural or mountainous land within tho City of LO$

,

,I,

goles are

el~inatod,

howevor, the city population

of

donsi~y

approaches 7,000 per square mile -- but even this is lower

than that of any of the ton largor central cities.
In 1930 the population of tho Los Angelos

Metr~po1i
./

tan District was divided as follows:

Population within
Los Angelos
Metropolitan Area
City of Los Angelos

1 238 048

County of Los Angoles-outisdeci"l1r

952 690

Orange County

108 092

San Bernardino County

Total Population

19 696

-% "
53. 40)

(94.5
41.10)
4.65

.85
.1

2 318 526

Since the population of tho district included in this area

within Los Angeles County is 2,190,730 or 99.20% of tho
county population, a discussion of county population and of
the .physical and other conditions in the county will be il
lustrative of those within the ontire Metropolitan District
Plato 1, prepared by tho Regional Planning COlmnissioL

'.

...

SAN
~llsb.lU.

.l

.t

.'

...

,\... ",
\'

.,

\'\

,,\

'\\

'", '.

','

\ .\
"

'

"

OCEAN

PAC.I'FlC

LEC,J;N ()
i

~ INPUSrRIAL

.~ OIL :FIELOS
..,.. TRHH C.ROP~
f\O(!, FAR..V\~
PAIRJJ;~

I
I

'
1-

TO ACCOMPANY REPORT O~
A RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEtol
FOR TliE CITY OF LOS ANGELEl$
DONALOM.BAKER CONS. tNG~.
.
NOV. 1033

COUNTY
SliOWING

VARIOI

T1\E REGIONA

I
i
\

MOUNTAIN.S.

/
./
I

_ .

p .... . , . ' - - ' . ' _ .

--.,",

~.

-------------------

or Los Angeles County in 1928, shows land uses.

Tree

crops predominate in San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys

and on tho south slopes or Villittier Hills, these being divided into citrus and walnuts, principally.

While perma-

nency of a water sUPPly has been tho major factor in the

location of tree crops, climatic conditions have had a

de~

cided influenco upon the establishment and location of cit.

rus groves. Industrial uses arc concentrated largely in
the City of Los Angelos and the Harbor District, altho small
scattered industrial areas exist in other parts of the
county.

Dairying predominates southeast of the City or Los

Angeles to the Orange County line.

Areas of potroleum

produ.ction are also shown.

Plate 2 shows the extent of subdivided land in the
county in 1932.

At that time, of 1075 square milos con-

tained in the Coastal Basin, 382 square miles or 35.5% were

subdivided.

During tho period from 1920 to 1930,subdiv-

isions with a 'total of 188,352 lots were recorded within

)

the City of Los Angoles.

Assuming five lots per acre, this

equalled 37,700 acres or 59 square miles.

Figures publish-

ed by the Eberle Economic Sor,,,1ce of Los Angoles in 1930

indicated that only 46 out of every 100 subdivided lots in
Los Angeles County were occupied by improvements.

This

excessive rate of land subdiVision, while rosulting in a

scattering of the population, has also causod much ugricul
tural land to be withdrawn

f~om

production, both because

i,
!

\
VENTURA

COUNTY

Santa
Monica

PaCific

.. i

SUBDIVIDED

LAND

IN THE SOUTHERN PORTION

Of LOS ANGELES COUNTY
I

THE REGIONAL PLANNING

COMMISS'ION

CUA.RLES H.DlGos. DIJU:CTOR

WHo .J. fox. effiEf
CHARU::' D. CLARK.. SuzmlVlsioN ENOI",JU :

flU""

19H

.:- !-.. ~

. ~~

1nOuSAMU
10
0
o

'.

.-,

. . .I ' U I

or Hn

..
....

c
AXi

r'.-

flO.

10

ENGINeER

-.--.,..:
. ,
.1-

'.

/"1

./

"".

TO ACCOMPANY REPORT

SYSTEM F""OR THE CI"V

ON

or

RAPio

TRANSn"

LOS ANOEl-E:,s

OONAl-D M. BAKER, CONa r;N(;R.-

NOVEMee:RI933

...

. _

of its occupancy by city lots and

beC~lse

of the high

pricos ostablished by subdivision activity for such land

which provented its continued utilization for agricultural purposes.
During the last thirty years in particulnr, population within the City and County of Los Angeles has

incr0ns~.
-

cd in a fairly uniform proportion, tho county growing at

.f,

a somewhat faster rate than the city since 1910.

In the face of all this activity, however, Los

Angeles County has maintained its position as the firstagricultural county in tho United States, at tho samo time
incroasing its industrial activity.

Los Angeles County

is~'

now tho thirteenth industrial area in the United states,

-.,I

the tenth wholesale distributing conter, and promises to

maintain its large oil production for yoars to como.

The

standard of liVing in the county is very hi&l, as compared

to that of tho remainder of tho Unitod statos.
Vfuilc Los Angelos County population in 1930 was
thirteen times its 1900 population, such a rato of increase
in the futuro cannot be oxpocted, altho tho natrunl and
ccomomic rosources of the aroa will continue to attract a
- much larger populntion than is supportod at present, onco
normal economic conditions throughout the country nre
rostored.

,
,

-,iIi

1
!

t,
I

~~:?:,::;;

X...

'.;. )',:--.'
II'

.W _1lRIIIIlP I

'Ill 11:

4: 1.

Ldl

1...

111ft I

Table 1
POPUIATION O'F METROPOLITAN AREAS

:POPUIATION

Total

AREA.

New

..

Central
Cities

::

lAN.D

~-So.

: Out!ide:

:T,tal :Cities

Cities:

: Centra 1

: ;rOPTTaTIOlf-r~.!_f!g..:Mi..
:~~tside::
:COlt~l;Outeide

Mi.

:Cities ::Total :Gitip.s:C:i:..ti:s

York-N~E.

10 901 424

7 942 600

2 958 824

2 514

,353

2 161

4 332

22 500 1 358

New Jerse7
Chicae:o

4 354 755

3 376 438

988 317

1 119

202

917

3 900

16 723

1 077

Philadephia

2 847 148

1 950 961

896 187

994

128

866

2 865

15 242

1 005

2 318 526

1 238 048

1 080 478

1 474

440

1 034

1 573

2 812

1 045

"BO~tOD

2 307 897

781 188

1 526 709

1 023

44

979

2 257

17 795

1 560

'Detroit

2 104 764

1 558 662

536 102

747

138

609

2 819

11 375

881

Pi ttsbureh

1 953 368

669 817

1 283 851

l' 626

51

1 575

1 202

13 057

815

St. Louis

1 293 516

896 307

397 209

822

74

748

1 575

12 120

531

San ~rancisco
Oakland
Cleveland

1 290 004

918 457

371 637

826

95

731

1 563

9 651

509

1 194 989

900429

294 560

310

71

231

3 852

12 725

1 230

Los

A~e1eB

-'

....::!
I

Note:

The city of Los AnEeles contains a lare:e area of fannine: and m~~Dtainoue land, very sparsely
settled in the San Fernando Valley, Santa Monica "ountains ann alone the ~est Coast. ~stimated
area of this is about 280 sonare miles.
~stimated

pouulation of remainine 160 square miles is about 1,100.000 with a densitv of 6,880

uersons per square mile.

Scurce:

Met~o,clitan

Districts, Fifteenth Census.

sn

r-

..

iI

,a A.

Tabh~

Ifa].

rnm

STATt!i!-ICS RE_ ~~.]D.J..lYL.Q.~jJ.!~!N2.,..-.:..J.O~lIG::.:E:;.:L.=~=.::"S::.......;:C:..:;0:..:;UN=TY,-=--_

LOS ANGEtES
COUi.-J'TY

ITEM

RATIO
Los AJ:eles County
To United Stalies

UNI,!$!) STATES

~_._-

POPUIATION

--

1930

2 208 492

~ 1>Ou'n fili~ income tax

returns - 1930
savinel:'! bank deuosits -per
cauita - Sent. 1930
Re-sidence telenhones per 1000
~oDln - Jan. 1, 1930
Passeneer autos -per 1000
July 1, 1930
Postal receipts uer capita
1930
Retail sales ~er ca~ita
1930
Value of mineral ~roducts per
capi ta - 1929
Value of a~ricultura1 products
per capita rural pO~ln- 1930
Value of manufactured ~roducts
per waee earner ~ 1929
Value added by manufacture per
waF!:e earne r - 1929
Annual waee received per wage
earner - 1929
Value of construction ~er
capital - 1929

Report t Board of Economic

2 '2&'>'-0 t 4:. SJ .... _.~

1.8

5.99

179

$306

134

155

145

-.::
I

0'

327

188

$6.81

125

$598

148

$10~

326

$343

160

$11 524

145

:$ 5 321

148

$ 1 536

117

!
Source:

122 775 046

101
;".I';'~

198

1<

Survey Port of. Los Atltie:tes, 1.933.

,..

to

t,:

!!*#.f),=A..);ft.6.;:el#t~bjL~.X\4..Jg;'.:.:.."._-t'II.~.>,)!'. ~"'_,llll,~.'.'.'. -_.'.'.~."',' ~,.,.4Ei.ng-4ci''MfS!ee

>

000

1000000

LoaAnq

500000

NOT:-

Figures are for .January

f~

of each year.

POPULATION O~ LOS ANGELES

CITY A N D COUNTY
R~PORT ON RAI=IIO
TRANSIT SYSTEM FOR CITY OF"' LOs
ANGELES.

TO ACCOMPANV

DONALD M. BAKER, CONS. ENQR.

NOVE.MBER 1933

a
II.
POPULATION

..~'.

------.. . ~-=.'=---~Past Growth

Tho growth of pop1.l.lo.tion in the Los Angelos region
during the lust fifty years has not beon parallollod in
that of any other region of the country.

A careful analysis!

of the underlying factors causing such grwwth, however, indicatcs that comparable

!o.t~

of increase in the future

cannot be expectod to continue.

The relationship between

city a.nd county population has been fairly uniform since

tho commencement of tho twentieth century, county population
outsido of the City of Los Angeles having increased at a
BomeVlhat faster rate than. city population since 1910 .

I'

A study of population of the City of LOB Angeles year

by year since 1900, indicates that

0.

la:t'gc proportion of " -.,

the present populution has beon duo to immigration from

other places, and only a small percentage due to excess of
births over deaths, and annexations.

This increase in city

population has occurred in three periods.

Time
Years
1900-1008 inclusive

Increaso
No.

194,000

195.3

1909-1!lla

il

10

238,000

81.5

1919-1J29

1I

11

704,000

132.9

the gr0atcst increase occurring from 1919 to 1930.

total increase during the last poriod, 550,000 or

Of the
78~b

oc-

curred as a result of immigration, tho romainder bei.ng due

to excess of births over deaths, a.nd to a.nnoxations.

This excessive immigration during the cleven year
period was due to the following causes:
1)

Immigration which would bo expected to flow

into a now country from older sections under normal economic conditions.

2)

Immigration which would h~ve naturally occurred during the previous oycle, from 19091918 inolusive, but ~hich was delayed by the
World War from 1914-1918 and was resumcd
after the Armisticc p

,
I;

3)

Immigration caused by economic and social

disturbances following the World War, including general rostlossness.which usually exists
following such disturbances, greator ability
of residents in the eastern parts of tho
country to sevor homo ties and move west as
a result of prosperous conditions in that
section, otc.~ etc.

4)

Immigration attracted by the rapid development of the local urea and of its industries
including petroloum production, motion
pictures, etc., etc.

5)

Immigration which is always attracted to

rapidly growing ;Iboom il communities.

A careful analysis of the population increase during the last period in the light of tho ubove causes

woul~

indicate that, in all probability, about one-half of the

increaso was duo to abnormal conditions 1 which
expected to continue indofinitely.

Cfu~not

be

i
i

I
i
;

Future Population
~

In all probability, the population of the city and

county will continuo to increase at comparable rates,

In
,

predicating future population of

its sizo and the less

0.

cOli1l11unitJl>. the smaller

se~f-conta.ined

cult the problem becomes.

,
i

i
,i

it "is, tho more diffi-

1
t

Excess of births over deaths can

~,

be forecast with u reasonable degree of accuracy for several

(

docades in the future, but probable future immigration is

r:

an uncertain quantity.
Numerous estimates have bOun made of the future popu-

..

lation of Los Angeles City o.nd County for the next fifty
years.

To treat the subject adequately would require months . ,_

of study and the results of the study would occupy. a large

volume.

.l

.'

In dealinG with a rapid transit system for this

community, however, it booomos necessary to make some reasonable estimate of future population in order to foreoast
future revenues.

Since time docs not permit a detailed

study, it was thought, for tho purposes of this report, that

satisfactory figures could be obtained by using the menn of
six estimates which have been made of the subject. Not all
of these estimates have been carried forward to the year
1980, but in such cases curves have be on projected to that
date.

The estimates usod are as follows:

1.

I
L ..

Estimate of David Weeks, Associate Professor

of Agricultural Eoonomics, University of
California, 1933. Figures aro given for on-,
tiro state of California only. This is published in ASCE -- publication of the Los
Angoles Section, fu~.Sec.C.E. for October,1930.
Tho estimate is busod upon a vory comprehen3l~o

,i
j,
)

!
,
!

10000000

I., \
i ..d

,11

EfEf

~~:-~

H-t-'-;- ,..,...:'-:

..;.+

; i

,.-~

....

'1-

+-+

I:c:r:::I-c+l=i i-H-:-'

+-: :

~~

rt+

,t"'j
I

I: I

rT-;'~

,-

I'

i'

,I

,"

"r,
! I'

"
1

II

'i

: !!l

jl

TIl : I ,I
,

III !
I I

;,

,I

,,

I
I

I,

! :I

I: i i
~

II

!I

Ii! I ': 1111 II i

"

'-,

i! I

: : II

I ,

I I:

I!

Ii

s'

~I=t
I -'--'-

-'-i--

, ' r,

b:

~-

r-

~!i
II ~H:
I I

!IH

,I

I,

,-: :)11)1
~ IW~
ill

"i I

,I r
II
III
III

9
c

7
6

5
4

I
': I

'-,

"

, I

<I

.,........

.,

,',ff

1.17'"'
1-;'8

"4-

'T

ii,

-h':

!:'

t-i'h' ~r+, ++

H-tti'Hl-ft+l+++t-tti+tt+ttil+f+f--I+H-I++++I+l+t+tt+l-tf++t+iH-++'t,I+I++#-I+I+I+i+ii
!;..:j-HI++++I
II
II
II II i :111 II
IT

m IT!

II

P,'ie.!i";';4~+:-<~++1+j-hH-++++rnH-iI+t++IIrt+1+++
III

1
h:;i1'Titttli++TH+t+H-H++t+l-H++-i++, 1++++#Httt-l+-H+tttI+11+t
1++++14-IlIt++It+l-lHI HiIii :7:+11++1+++
1-1+,HI+++11,I+IH~i-ll~I. :+i+1l
1T+++-'-l-l1TT4-l-1++++I+I+I-t-+l+H++HI,+I-l+l+1-!+I1++++H+
1
l-'-lJ..:..l.l~=:l;O=..:..I.J.l.I..JJ.U.J..UJW.l.u..u.J..W
1J.J.LJ..I.U..JLUJ.LJ..J,.J..u.u..uI.JJ.U
i.J...l.J.JI.l..I.J.I
Il..l..I.l.l.:.J.
I loW.
I l.ul.ulI.J.J
II..J..,U..
II 1L.J.J..I.1.u.u.
II 1.l.1.u
IIJ.J.J..)II..J..,U..
1L.U...LITu..u..u.IT.uIT.J...l.J.J..J..,U..W.l.WJ..l.U-U-lJL.J..J.J..l.J.J..J..u..uLUJ..L.L.U.

1860

1870

1880

/890

1900

1910

/920

/930

/940

/950

1960

1970

1980

1800

-...-:,
.'7----'-.

..

~._

-:-~~~
-,-:.

'Tj

"

I,

I I

!:

'1

'-I',

~H+~ ft~4

~'-:-+-~.

- 4+

~-41---!'"

f-t-+--...J.

-,

:.~
r.+rH.. . .

..I.

'''" -j-t>,+
'+;

I.
I

I~

',.

I.

T
I'

"

l~

I"
j

!:
,Ill

'"
I,

.... +-M.-..
,:+'f-,.~

+~~
I

",' fT'-

"

'-4

1960

1970

1980

~l

study mado for the Division of Water Resources,

state Department of Public Works. Futuro Population of Los Angelos County has been assumed
for the current purpo3o as 37.5% of the future
state population, and the population of Los
Angoles City ass~ed as ~ varying percentage,
ranging from 56.1% to 50% of county population.
2. Estimate of future population of Los Angeles
City and County by A. L. Sondcrogger, consulting
engineer, in 0. report mado to the Metropolita.n
Water District of Southern California in 1930.

...

3. Lstimate of Messrs. Hill, Lippincott & Sondor-

egger, consulting enginoers, of futuro population of Los Angelos City and County, contained
in a report made to the Department of Water t:;
Power, City of Los Angelos, 1924.
4. Estimate of Raymond A. Hill, conSUlting engineor,
of futuro population of Los Angeles City and
County made in connection with 0. report entitled
"Justified Revision of Plan Adoptod by the Metropolitan Water District for Construction of the
Colorado River Aqu.oduct il 1932.
5. Estimate of W. C. Yeatman, containod in 0. report
enti tIed t'Popula tion Trends il published by the
r,os Angelos Bureau of Huniclpal Research, 1933.

6. Estimate of the writJr published in monograph

form titled i1Estima.ting and Forecasting Pop\llation tl , 1933.

Population prior to 1930 of the city and county is

shown on the o.ttachod Plate 4, ,together with tho future

population ostimutos or the vurious authorities listed above,
Figures adopted for thu purpose of this roport -- which arc
tnkon

~s

an avcrngo of tho above estimatos, and not as the

result of a speciul detailed etudy of futuro population -:J.ro e.s follows:

,

:.' ,
~ \

!
.

/;
I

'

.1

lj

J I

'.

Table 3

;,.

RELATION OF POPULATION
OF
LOS ANGELES CITY AND COUNTY

RELATION
Census
Yonr

POPULATION
County

C1 ty .

County
Cit%

"

City
County

,%

1860

11 333

4 385

258.5 .

38.7

1870

15 309

5 728

267.3

37.4

1880

33 381

11 183

298.5

33.5 "'-.,

1890

101 454

50 395

201.3

49.7

1900

170 298

102 479

166.1

60.2

1910

504 131

319 198

158.1

63.2

1920

936 455

576 673

162.5

61.5

1930

2 208 492

1 238 048

178.3

56.1

l'

./

"

'~~.PiIIIII!.'"

Pkez:......

:"1' n.

&IIIilIIl.U..tll

........ :dl&I!.

ns.

_~W-"R!!!Pjto:n

a _l!!IRIIilI.

IRa

n _,

lI'

Table 4

GROWTH IN POPULATION OF THE METROPOLITAN AREA OF LOS AUGELES

A. By Zones
Distance
from 7th
&- 'Bdwy
Miles

: January
Po-o'n

o to 2
2 to 5
5 to 7.5
7.5 to 10

106 O()(l
445 O()rl
221 000
120 000

- 1923 (8)
Popln: ~
per : Total:
Aere :
:
13.2
10.5
3.5

Jul.Y - 1924 {b)

Pon'n :

I8,? ('lOO

1.4

11.9
49.9
24.8
13.4

000

4.4

100.0

1 130 000

:B. TOTAL CUYUIATI'VE

106 000
o to 2
551 000
o to 5
772 000
o to 7.5
892 000
o to 10

13.2
11.0
6.8
4.4

11.9
61.8
86.6
100.0

187
690
996
1 130

8~2

Po-o'n :
%
-per
: Total:
Acre
:

503

23.7
13.2

6.5

14.1
41.4
30.4

2.2

14.1

5.6

100.0

1 347 000

6.7

100.0

23.3
13.7
8.8
5.6

16.5
61.0
88.1
100.0

190 000
748 000
1 157 000
1 347 000

23.7
14.9
10.2
6.7

14.1

1.5'"

000

000
000
000

190 000
558 om
409 01"('1
190 000

4.8

306 000
134 000'"

..

16.5
44.5
27.1
11.9

23.3
11.9

()(\0

April - 1930 c
Ponln : Po-o'n
Toial:
: 'Oer
: Acre :

55.6
85.8
100.0

t-'
t-'
I

-'

\l)

C. 13Y QUADRANTS

January - 1923

April - 1930

Quadrant
NE

SE

: Pop'n
247 000
228 000
240 000
177 000

: P0l>'n:
: %
: per
: Total : Acre :

27.7
25.6

4.9
4.5
4.8
3.5

Pop1n
321
308
313
405

000
000
000
000

..

Total
23.8

22.9

Papin:
per . :-.
Acre :
6.4
6.1

Increase 1930 over 1923

:
Population :
tf,
\

74 000
000
73 000
228 000

ao

30.0
35.1
30.4
129.0

26.9
23.2
6.2
SW
17.7
30.1
8.0
NW
Total and
51.0
Mean
892 000
100.0
4.4
1 347 000
100.0
6.7
455 000
(a) From ~jor Traffic Street Plan for Los A~eles-Olmsted. Bartholomew & Cheney -- 1924
(b) ~rom Report on Comprehensive Rapid Transit Plan for Los An~eles-Kelker, DeLeuw & Co. -- 1925
(c) 'From Report on Re,grad.e of Bunker Bill - Wm. H. Babcock & Sons -- 1931

Estimated
Source: Mass Trans"Porta.t~on an~ Some Re1ate~ p~oblems - By Dona1-d M. BalE!! and -presented. before
To; ."nzE'1.f>s s~"t:_O"1 A ':.>.C.F.. Sept. J.93 ..... and uubllshed 1D the A::;G~

ii,;!lil;~I!=:t:3~_@
i-!~c,:.-.~~.-f"-!."',",,~';i,;,,-!i.,i'r'_

'I,," NU"'"

MONDOv'"

.0

....

".

..,.

LOS ANG~LG.S
M[TROPOLITAN Af
DI5TRIbUTION Or- PO()Ul
19Z~

(AC\ol DOT. ,I-IOW5 1000 INHAelTA

COMPIU.O ~120M DAI~Y "THoNDAI

lMENTAQY SCI-IOOl'

or: CITV AND COUtiTY

oNt ::'Cl-IOlAR .QUA~::' TEN INI-IAl>1T.
TO

ACC.OMPAMY Rs.Pol:
...."'" 01.M ~
aAQTHOLOM

tQ."'P~QJc.lit.

HARLAND

eWARl~~

~W~N.~

.....V
TO I>I:.CJ:MPI>NV A

~I':PORT

ON A

RAPID TRANSIT SVSn:M FOR

THl:: CITY O. LOS ANGf:LC5

DONALD M BAKE:R. CON5.O<GR

t<C:WO<I&:R.

19303

..

"",~'

lL

...

""'.

c. .

,",0 "POv''''

..

I'
./

.:

"~

.?> '

-'.-l'

--':) "'.. ~ "?J(:.~

'"

. -:'~ '0'0'<

'f"

.I
II

0-

. -t:~

~'l;

LOS ANGtL\;.S

~ 0-':'
\.0
V
S

M~TQOPOLITAN AR.~A
DI5TRIbUTION OF POPUlAllON
1925
EACH Dor-SHOws 1000 INHAf>ITAHTS
COMPILtD J:QOM DAILY ATH.NOANC.'
[LE.ME.NTAQY ~CHOOLS
or- CITY AND COUNTY
ONE. ~CHOlAQ E.QUALS 'fN IN\.lAflITANTS
TO ACCOMPANV AIPOIlT 01'
rQCOI.QIc.tL LAW 0.1..1'1&110
...AL......O DAATHOLOM&W'
eWAIlLU H Ctot~N.V
MAY' 19&40

TRAF'FIC

,-,~~~r~
......v ":>

COMMISSION

OF TlIE CITY AND COUNTY OF

LOS ANGELES

215 WRIGHT CALLENDER, BLDG,

..

12

L'os Angelos Cit]

c'

/"

Yoar

Number

1930

1 238 000

1940

Increo.so

Los Angelos County

Number

Increo.so

2 208 000
32.7

35.0

1 670 000

25.7

2 190 000

:3 680 000

11.4
1960
1970
1980

-,'

17.2

4 310 000

2 440 000

11.8

10.2
2 690 000

4 820 000
9.6

2 950 000

Distribution of

2 930 000

31.1
1950

,.

"

7.2

t
t

5 170 000

Popu1o.tio~

Maps showing the distribution of population for tho~ yoars 1923 and 1930, and tho increase in pop~lntion for~thQ
years 1918 to 1923, and 1923 to 1930, were available for
the western section of tho county and arc shovm heroin"'o:n
Plntes 5, 6 and 7.
0.

Tho

~ap

for 1923 covers un ureo. west of

line a.bout four miles oast of Monrovia; whereas the dis,-

tribution map for 1930 only Ghows the area. went of

0.

lino

extending thru Arcadia and Artesia. -- this areo., however,

conto.ining o.bout nino-tonths of tho county population. Tho
center of populntion in tho ureo. shown on tho 1930 mup has
shifted only slightly sinco 1918, being 10cntod approximatoly us follows:
1918

Fifth and Spring Streets

1923

Griffith Avonue and Fourteenth St.

1930

Pica

~ld

Cherry Streets

Location of now population has shown

trond.

0.

decided wostvurd

The cantor of population increase occurrillZ bet"10c',

,-,,_._._0_._.

,,

_J

';
;

.,
---._-. . . _-- . . ..1---_._-,- ,
I

,,

----,,- -I

L ...'

~-

,_,

...

,-f

.... .1

,.-1

""'."-'

......---

/--

r;

I j
I
__ ._1 ,

I
I

,--_._._---I

,
L

,',

.. ...... ,.....
.....

,---'
,,

7" ....,

..

-' .....

............

". '.1 ...,

'\.,- ....

"I
I
I

--I

o
c

':)
;~

LE.GEND

CENTER C# I"Ofl'ILATIOH

I'"
"IJl

CeNTl" OF

~O"UI.ATION

IUD

CeNTelt 0'

~O"-,LATION

CEH'TEJl,

~I.ATI(lH

.NCItlASC "" TO 1'131

ceHTEIl 0' l'O"-,l"ATIOM INCItIASl IUJTOltJO

;
DISTRIBUTION
LOS

OF

ANGELES

POPULATION
AND

VICINITY

DOT R["Rt~"Ti 'DOG I'["~$

[ACt<

-,.

II
I

......-

s-

... e=:

TO ACCOUPA""
A ltAPIO

...

:.i==:;!It

'"
..........,.'-

RD'OltT OM

TRjIol'lS!T $'l'ST'U"

FOIt THE CITY M

LOa A.HGa.&s.

",,*UJ U. e.r.I\U

~N"ING"

1010"&101'" , . -

IoIAP I'ROtoI RD"OlFI' ON n:ASf11l.ITY

IT W'"

OF IIEGRADING IMIl'lKER HILL.

N. a",~cK

.. 5140

ItJG.

.(

./

LOS AN
METROPO GELES
LITAN A

INCREASE __
IN P_OPULATION
REA
SEVEN YE
'923 TO . : : :
tACH DDT. SHOW3 10
lu.J ,.or
00 Htw nolM

T~~HEL.[J"U:NT"'''Y'':~'''
C~~~~;ED rftO~U

OA'LY ATTtNU.:-:"r'ON CO""L.O

'NO "O""'H.
1110

'UNTO

.
' ..

VAN

~H'l' ......

-'<

.. .I~

"vva

..

....

"D\~~ ~9

..

MOHDoVI ..

!'

..

. . ...

LOS ANG I;.Ll~ S

M[TROPOLITAN AQ~A
JNC~'-ASt.

IN POPULATION

nv

EACI~

YEAllS
1\11& TO 1'12"
DOT .s~O"'S 1000 HE.., INHAe.ITAHTS

COMPII.ED FROM DAILY ATTtNDANCt

ELEMENTADV SCHOOLS
OF CITY AND COUNTY
ONE SCWOLAQ EQUALS TEN IN~A&ITAHT.s
TO AC.COMPA,..""

nlIi.DJ~'~~

... AQ ......O

RLPORT OF

" .."" ......... ~T.P

ll"aT1otO"'d~";li:w

CHAA.LI,s H

C'.. S.N ......

HAV

"'l.4o

13

1918 and 1923 was near Contral Avenue nnd Venice Boulevard;
whereas tho c'enter of thu increase occurring betweon 1923
and 1930 was in the neighborhood of Ninth Stroot and Harvurd Boulovard, or nearly four milos northwesterly.

l'

iI

In 0.11

probabiiity this uestward tendency will continuo, although

future industrialization -- particularly if such industria.lizo.tion occurs in tho v:i.cinity of Los Angeles Harbor -will tend to pull the center of populntion southward and
i

probably docrease its future westwurd trend.

"

Densities of population have tended to incroase thruout the entire areu, except in the central section, which,
as shown on Pluto 11, has suffered a. loss in density.

With

II
u

. !I

;r
~\

'I'

I;
i
1~

the udvent of a. rapid transit system diroction of futuro

population increase will be stabilized, a.nd whilo increase
in density a.long tho ra.pid transit routes may be expected,
tho opportunity of living at a. distanco from the Contra.l
Business District and having

~ea.ns

of qUick a.ccess to it

uill be n strong factor in ma.intaining continued lower

I:

[I

,I

l'!II,

densities.

;
i

I
t1f

,1
I

;1

Jl


VENTURA

j ....:..... :.... ~

~:..

... ..

---II)
COl)
.~

..,

II)

...

INCORPORATED

CITIES
I

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

I

11)
II)

,._-.

....

;.

. ; ..... : .i

L..

: ..,

I.
I
I

I
I

.....

I
I

::.

,AHOJll,JI.r

.. . I .

. /~(:

~.,

i . .;:"

.---+-------t--~--~-------j----'----- :
, ~:~'.
I

I
--t------

cEJ"EJ.

":"J

I..

!. .

.:..

I
I
I
I

...

I
I

"'""run"

".....: .-~.

.~

r:.::::.:I

....,.

'/.'

I
I

: ...' :

II)
.p)

..

.. __ .'

..

(:Jr.-1:
c..... .:
J

ORANGE
--~-r-:

..+....
I

...

COUNTY

f
:

..1....
I

TO ACCOMPANY A
A

REPORT ON

RAPIO TRANSIT SYSTEM FOR

THE CITY OF" LOS ANGELES.

II)
II)

OONA.LD M. BAKER, CONS. ENOR.

I-

NOVEMBER, 1933

-,..
-..l

,......1:.
RI3W

RI2W

ht

RIIW

r'f.

et.,OllL

. " ,C:

I"

L.

PL ' ...

RIOW

ltc,.".
'1
COOMIlIIOI.

(LIla

C.

l01

Aunt!

R9W

..,

...

(0 . . ".

e......

( u , rOIII.

RBW

:ti
1I

:Il

14

,I

,I

III.

I
,

POLITICAL STRUCTURE & PHYSICAL PATTERN

OF
LOS ANGELES tffiTROPOLITAN DISTRICT
Like other metropolitan districts of similar size
throughout the country, the Los Angeles District 1s mndo
of'

0.

;
I

I
uV~

contral city \'lith c. largo numbor of satollite commun-l

t

ities surrounding it, these communities ranging in size from,

a thousand or so population upwards.
corpornted cities.

Most of' thom arc in-

..

I ~ ',II,:

Somo, like Holl~1ood, San fodro and

Venice, nro within tho City of' Los Angelos.

':I

Some of tho in+- .

I

corporntod cities, such as San Fernando nnd Boverly

Hills~

.'
I

ere entirely encircled by the City of Los Angoles -others, like Glendale nnd Santa Monica, are
ed.

a~ost

whil~

ni'
t

[I

surroUnd-

A number of independent cities in the past havo been

consolidated with Los Angelos due ko varying reasons.

The County of Los Angeles is a chartered county,
govcrnJd

by a Board of Supervisors of five members elocted

bienninlly for four year stnggered terms from five supervisornl districts.

The county government carries on cer-

tain municipal functions within some of the cities of the

county, such as assessmont of property, collection of tnxes.
public health service otc., and in unincorporated arens
oporates many

servi~os
'i

of a more or less municipal nature,

including firo protection, wator supply, sewage disposal,

through tho form of special districts.
Tho City of Los Angoles operates under a charter

:
I
,

Ta.ble 5
COMMUNITIES WITHIN LOS ANGEIJES 1l'IETROPOLITAN AREA

POPULATION
COMHUlHTY

1930

INC ORP ORA'fED

DISTANCE
L.A. CITY HALL
Miles

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

AlhOlllbra
Arcadia
Azusa
Baldwin Pa.rk
Bell

29
5
4
4
7

551
216
800
800
900

Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes

6.5
14
24
17

BellfloVlor
Boverly Hills
Burbo..nk
Claromont
Clom'wa.ter-Hynes

7
17
16
2
5

600
429
662
719
000

No
Yos
Yes
Yes
lio

15
9
11
36
12

Compton
Covina
Culver City
Do\"me:yEI Monte

12
2
5
4
3

516
775
591
476
454

Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes

13
22
9
16
14

El Segundo
Gardena.
Glondale
Glendora.
Hawthorne

3
3
62
2
6

496
800
607
?55
574

Yes
Yes
Yos
Yes
Yes

733
000)
575
605
860

Yes

Hermosa Beach
Hollywood
Huntington Pal"k
InglevlOod
La Verne
Long Beach
Los Angoles
Ljuwood
Mnnh.llttan Boach
Monrovia
Montebello
Monterey Park
North Hollyv'l'ood
NorvlO.lk
Palms-Sawtelle
Pa.sadena.

4
(100
24
19
2

142 393

1 238 048
7 298
1 891
10 880
5
6
(6
4
(14
75

467
406
500)
449
000)
875

(1)

Yes
Yos
Yos
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yos
(1)

No
(1 )

Yes

18

14
6

26
12
20
5
5
8
32
24
12
18
18
8
7
13
16
28
10

Table 5. (Can.)

--

C0lJ1M1;""N I TY

1930
POPULATION

INCORPORATED

DISTAIW'E
L.A.CITIHALL
Miles

L.A. COUNTY (Con.)

Pomona
Rodondo Beach
San Gabriel
San Fernando

20 695
9 328
'7 224
'7 559

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

32
23

(1)
Yos
Yes
Yes
Yes

24

8 -'

22,.
l

San Pedro
./
Sa.nto. Monica.
Sierra. Madre
Southgate
South Pasadona.

Torra.nce
Tujunga.
Van Nuys
Venice
Vernon

(34 833)
36 993

3 550

19 501
13 730

7 235
(2 311)
(5 000)
(13 000)
1 269

Yes
(1)
(1)
(1)
Yes

-~

18< ,
15
10'
6

-.18
24

3!'

14 621

(1)
(1)
Yes

(15 486)

(1 )

.. 1'2-
13
23

10 995
30 332

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

27
25
35
35

13 582

. Yes

38

(25 000)
(45 332)

ORANGE COUNTY

Anuheim
Fullerton
Orange
Santa. Ana.

10 860
8 029

SAN BERNARDINO CO.

Ontario

(1) Portion of City of Los Angeles.

,
1
'

19; ,15::
.1

Wa.tts
W. Los Angelos
Whittior
V'lilmington

._

15

adopted in 1925.

c
\

, It

The Mayor, olocted for a four yoar term,

is tho oxecutive head of the city.

Fifteon councilmen aro

elected biennially from fifteen councilmanic districts, and

;I

!I

municipal functions nre administered tbru sixteen departments

.

each department being under control of a citizen board of

commisssioners appointed by the Mayor.

The city operntes

The other larger municipalities in the county oporate under Charters, while tlle smaller ones operate under
There arc 44 incorporated

cities within the County of Los Angeles including the

central city.
The population of Los Angelos County outside of the
city in 1930 was 970,444, of which 648,421 resided in incorporatod cities ranging in size from less than 1,000 to
over 140,000.

Tho rogion is characterized by relatively

high population ronsity in the urban arens.

Tho high sub-

urban density is duo largely to the small farm holdings,

which average 42 acres for tho entire county. as against
157 acres for the United states as a whole.

That this ten-

dency towards smaller holdings is increasing is indicated

by tho fact that in 1920 average farm holdings in Los Ange.

les County were 71 acres, as against 149 ncres for the

country as a whole.
Tho various sections of tho Metropolitan District
!

arc connected with tho City of Los Angelos by tho radintin6

,
i

its own water and power system, nnd the harbor.

genernl municipal government acts.

.J

16

interurban electric lines

o~

the Pacific Electric Ruil-

road, and with Los Mlgeles and each other by a vast: network
o~

pavod high'1ays.

Thoro is practically no interurban rail

connoction in a circumferential direction between the va-

j
.'

rious satellite communities.

r)'
ij

The sntellito communities to the west ef Les Angelos"

I~

'1

I,

from HollY'7ood and Beverly'Hills southorly to Redondo, are

Torrance which has a numbor of large industries. San Pedro

J
,.

and Wilmington -- south ef Los Angeles -- are shipping

points, and Long Beach

~~

primarily residential in character, with the excqion of

f
~

the largest city in the ceunty

r

trial conter, as well as having considerable shipping.

III

next to Les Angeles -- is a resert, residential and indus- ./

Th~,

I\

cemmunities surrounding the City of Los Angolos to the

north and northeast, from Glondalo to San Gabriel, aro large-

if

"

ly residential centers.

Those in tho San Gabriel Valley

:1

aro primarily loca) distributing points in tho agricultural

i,

conters, while those adjacent to tho city en tho south

I:

and southeast -- such as

Ma~7ood,

Huntington Park and Ver-

non --, aro industrial communities.

'I

I
"
;
.'
)
"

The relatively lov/density and uniform distribution

.~

of population within the built-up section of the City of

'j .

Los Angelos is due primarily to tho following causes,

I'.

"

which are morc or less inter-relatod:

j:,

...

- --

l~

21

22

z.!.

2.....

27

26

20

29

19-50

31

32

No-rE:- Pe... C6pjt~ ...idee ba"ed on tot..1 city population.

RAIL AND BUS RIDERS -- LOS ANGELES CITY

,,'"

10<)0000

PASSENGER CAR REGISTRATION

LOS ANGELES CITY AND COUNTY
"h) AeeOtvU"Al'o(V FtCIil'OP,"T'
av~CM f"OR THE CITV

or.... .....

or

RAPID TRJItt,N:!IIT

L.O~

ANCE'~e.

~ M. BAKeR:, CONS. r>ICR

t"OVEMBCR, 19M

17

The city and district havo acquired two-thirds of

thoir population during the past twenty years.

1.

I.

During this period rail facilities have not

been extended te any cppreciable degree.
For exnmplo, the Los Angoles Railway Corporation in 1914 was operating 385 miles of lino
which hadincroasod.to only 401 miles, or
4~, in 1930" while tho popu1o.tion of the city
increased from about 475,,000 to 1,,238,000 or
260%. Tho lack of extension of those facilitios was due primarily to the incroase in tho
price levol which cOlM1enced with the World
War in 1914, and tho existence of a stationary
street car fare, which conmined to make the
financing of extensions unattractive to capital.

-'

I
\

.t

. t.1
i

2. The climate of the Los Angoles district allows

year around use of tho automobile for all purposes.

This has greatly encouraged tho intonsity of

its uso. In 1915 thero were 17,132 automobiles
(35 per thousand population) registered in
the city of Los Angoles; whoreas in 1931" tho
city's automobile rogistration had increased
to 447,484 (366 p0r thousand population). As
a rosult of this, tho locatien of new populatien coming to tho city was not controlled by
rail transportation and much of it settled at
distances from rail lines, since the motor
vehicle was availablo as a transportation agoncy_

l'
.f

The city hos always beon characterized by a high

percentago of single frumily rosidential occupancy.

The

trond after tho war to 1930 was away from this, as indicated in the following tablo, but bUilding permits in 1932
indicated n reversal of such tondoncy.

...

..

\
/

/(/!y
~R.1OG A-.e Au~

oro,

f!fm ,

$QUA~c

TO /0

$1.

./071il'

~.

.l'7D:SO

/I

oveR 50

I/tu:.s

Cm:rCII~ a;..uu Of

Ar.c.

JilwwJ A...........

t..o~ A",,"LCJ /lEGION

POPULATION DENSITY

/N /922

_d

~'~<>N't'l.

O&1tUTCI1 """"'CJ .....

"

&

CDotJ4oC'

.!'
~

10 ACCOMPANY REPORT ~
A AAPID TIl"......T IVITI..
IItOA Tttr. clTV 0,- LOa ANGELa.
DOtW-OklLt.Kn eOHs..IlHG'R.
HOV. It...

....-l

/(y
~PuAc.i'

Doro$

~A!:~MIl.a

t;mzem ~,..,.,t. OW ... , ~MAw& ~

LOS ANGrL~J 11C610N

~ 57'0/0
_I071il'

$)

1IIIIl' 7'O:SO

Zl f

.01'1150

1#

""'

POPULATION DENSITY

IN /928

u.L-.--.....J..

~~~~~.l-::;'~ ~~

01."11 ~.I II..." &t~r'fQi_"'" ,,~~

CIJ-SI"r,lJo'J

...,.I"

I@
I

t:

()~C/UAjlIH PoPVJ.A rIo" .

INCI1EA.J IN P'oPVUnON
~~.stU hit ~

hJt.Jl)llS PElt ACitE

CJ

0 ,.., 10

{~~:.~J 0 7t7 16

10 ",1$

101'0 zj

ZS nP'SO

Z51t'5fJ

<? . .

!':J

fl'~:; L~:
'.'~ ~-~
*.---.
......,

~ ~

'.

,..;
r-.

TO ACCOMPANV RE
A RAPID TRANSIT SY~TM
fUR THE CITV Of' LOS ANOC;:LES
DONALD M. BAKER CONS_ EM.G'R.
NOV. 1933

l--------------!----------

"

QTIZCN.1 CCWMITT

<iN

PA~c ft.Arr;J!QUN1U AKR ~..Q

POPULATION DENSITY CHANGES /922 TO /J28

FOR. CENTRAL 5ECTION OF Lo.J ANGELE.J REGION
Ilf , 1. 9

.JcAu IN
f
f

M!U,3

~
I

-,.=. --_.._. _._-----------------------------------

18

FAMILY

CAPACI~

.~'.

OF DWELLINGS CONSTRUCTED
CITY OF LOS ANGELES
(From Building & Safety Department, Los Angeles)

1919

Capacity in
1923

FQL~ilios

1930

Total Permits
(Residential) .'" no.
%Total

5 312
100.0

43 842
100.0

11 437
100.0

Single Fmnily
Permits No.
%Totnl

4 112
77.3

19 509
44.5

4 20736.8

Double Fronily
Pormits ..... No.
%Total

589
11.1

11 082
25.2

2 103
18.4

1932

2--703
100.0

f~o

16.2

't,ct

Single & Double

Family Permits No.
%Total
Other Residential
Apts, Flats,etc No.
%Toto.l

4 701
88.4

30 591
69.7

6 310
55.2

.g

..

259

.r

83.5

./

611
11.6

13 251
30.3

Tho physical pattern developed as

0.

5 127

:'>_.,

444

44.8

~6.5

result of theso

cnuses has many advnntnges, chief among them being the lack
of over-crowding with th0 high percentage of single family
residential occupancy, but certain disadvantages are commencing to become apparent, llnd with increasing population
will becomo
acute and require attontion.
".""

Among tho most

important of these nro:

1.

Lack of stability of land values, with

consequ9nt losses in investments.

2.

Lassos of tine due to traffic congestion.

Unstable roal

es~ato values arc always associated

with rnpid community growth, but with nothing to pormanently anchor travol routes, instability of uses and values
has boen greatly aggravated.

Opening of new traffic arter-

ies -- made necessary by increaso in use of automobiles -Cause shifts in traffic.

Business centers which spring up as a result ef their
accessibility by rail or motor vehiclo soon find traffic
congestion in their proximity forcing business

aw~y

and

new centers doveloping. Residential districts likewise soon

loso their attractiveness due to congestion causod by increasing motor vehicle traffic.
As long as the

con~unity

was growing at a rapid rate,

th0se disadvantages were not koenly felt, but less rapid

growth has caused serious attention to be given them.

The

effect upon tho Central Businoss District is discussed in

Section VI of this report.

-=r..

EXISTING TRANSIT AND

'TRANSPORTATION
fACILITIES

.
,., .""""'-.""\.'

-'::.'
~ .... ~-':"I' ~

CITY OF LOS ANGELES

AND TilE.

METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

PACIfiC ELECTRIC LINES

LOS ANGELES RY. LJNES
STEAM RAILROADS
MOTOR BUS LJNES

,:

'I.

\.

~~

.'

.....

\w- YV-,-r' \
1
lO AtCO"P."y ~. POR T ON
a. PAPll1 T''''~SI' StSru.
'OR CUV 0' lOS A~r.HI\
DONALD" 8Atlr.tFt COtIIS I"'GIII

NOYIUIN:"

It,).!

, . ,:'-..--,1-: :

~'~~ ........
, .

'

".....--.
-

"

;
r

""

'........
."

'..

...

20
"

IV.
EXISTING TR~~SIT AND TRANSPORTATION
FACILITIES AND SERVICE
The developed area of the City of Los Angeles may
be said to be

fairl~ll

served by surface transit facil-

ities, much of the subdivided area being without improvements or transit facilities.

Within a fivo mile radius of

the central part of tho city thero are more surface transit facilities than are roquirod, but due to the groat oxtent of automobile traffic and the intensive usc of the
major traffic thoroughfares which cross the transit lines
in this area. the time required to reach the central part
I

of the city on the trnnsit lines is excessive.

Tho combination transit system oporated by the Pacific

i"

:1

Electric Railway introduces interurban rail, as well as

1"

city traffic, into the contal area.

Los Angeles does not

have a unified transit service, it being suppliod by many

different companies.

The principal urban surface lines

within the five mile area nrc those of the Los Angeles
Railway Company and the bus lines of tho Los Angelos Motar
Coach Company, jointly ovmed and operated by the Pacific
Electric Railway and Los Angoles Railway.

The' distribution

of transit and trnnsportation,kacilities within the city

is shown on the opposite Plato 12.

A separation is not

mado, however, betwoen all of the companies.

Tho

fo~r

dicntionsdcsignato tho four principal typos of transit

and transportation facilities:

in-

(i

"

t
~

.@

P:\C IFIC

KEY

L~

~_ _+I_ _
,i

REPORT ON RA

TOACCOMPANv
FOR THE Cl
TRANSrr
SV5T EM

~ EHGR.-NOVEM

LOSANaELES
OF"
tlOHALO M BAKER, CO

--"-::=_ _ . -

; .

,,

.t
"

I"

("

"-I
"

.f

..

~"'-.....&.._._._._._.~

"

j-I

\';:rt'

COMMUTATION

TIME

(AT 15 MINUTE INTER..VALS)

~ }~~ DISTRIBUTION ~

POPULATION

Office' of

~~.:., ./
.?;~> ~ "
~~.::..-.

c',: ...:: .,~

'

.)

THE REGIONAL PLANNlNG Co.MMISSION

ZONING SECiION
C1\.\R1.r~ tI DIGG$-OIR[CTOR

\
I

~c.\I.E

~ORT ON RAPID
'ORTHE CITy

Ar WIlIIAM50~-l...O"II~G

(C'MPIIIC' AN(' MAW'I

IW

"OOt'IO G WVill

{' ...... - - - .. - ... - - .. - .. ---- -1

"

,
........1"

&....

,.t""'Olll

\ t. 1'''''''_''1
')('IP\' U(&.
'.
~."'!lII. . . . ."""'1.11110

j
I

r~GI!'IrrR

21

i.

Interurban and local linos of the Pacific Elecric RailwQ.y

, !
tlj

Electric street ra.ilway lines of the Los Angeles Railv:ny Compnn;r

Motor Coach lines ovmed nnd opornted by various
companies
Stc..mn--rnilroads.
Pacific Electric

R~Jlwa~~

.\

Locnl and Interurban Sxstem

t:

Tho lines of this company radiate in four principal

directions from terminals located in the Central Business
District.

..

To tho \7est and northwest, locnl service ex-

,
't.'>

tends to Vineyard and

Holl~700d,

...

with interurbun service

beyond tha.t to the Sa.n Pornando Vnlley a.nd to the Pucifici,

.,,

Coast at various beaches from Sa.nta. Monica to Redondo.

...... ~ ...

Northwa.rd is a rather heavily used lino to tho Cities of

Glendale and Burbank, rli th local servico supplied north
.

-,

of the central business section to tho Los Angeles River.

To tho east and northea.st, lecal service is supplied to
that part of the city lying between the Central Business
District and Pasadena,
bello, the

intcrurb~

Alh~bra,

Menterey Park a.nd Monto-

lines extending boyond serving these

nmnicipalities and Alta.dena, Arcadia, El Monte, Monrovia,

San Ga.briel, Vfuittler, a.nd
Riverside.

eastwa~d

to

SP~

J
I

Bernardino a.nd

Southward tho heaVily Jsed locnl lines extend

to Slauson Junction and Watts, with interurba.n service

being supplied to the Harbor district at San Pedro, Wilmington and Leng Bench a.nd beyond with branch lines ex-

"

Q)

0)

CI')

-1

eo

P'<\sSCNGL R LOW' DIAGRAM

SUBURBAN S~RVIC~ or

TH~ PACIfiC [U.CTRIC COMPANY

COUNTY CALJrOR~'IA

Lo.5 ANG~L.~S

THE: \"tIOTH or LINE INOIC...TES TMt:

NuMBER or PASSE Nc;RS IN 24 I10URS

.1

f"FlED&RlcK 1.A""IOL.MSTI:.D
t\AA.IJ.N &ARTMOLOMDoJ'
Q1~I\tL3

K CKN.Y
cO",Wl..Tl"_ M._

-"

......

TRAFFIC COMMISSION

or

THE CITY AND COUNTY

OF
LOS ANGELES
215 ""RIGHT Ii CALLENDER, B!.OG.

0
0
U)

I
it

~="--:------------,J

""--

')
I

.I
.'

._".lIi

.....

t~GArIEL
~

!,".L~"''' ''' ~ L_.J

.
I
ru:---_ ....a. ...."!
_--f _!

.:..,

:..::~~llinElItET ~
...._ : ~A.ut :

r._._. -.,.:,r..
i

'

, r.----.

'l'~"........

,'~

.ui,!, Tt at LL,6
!
f
I

PACIFIC

..~ ';

'.'/ . . . . >~!

.-~

..... _,J

(.~~. C>;~;,-:
~.

LEGEND

---

4060
fUMB[R or IIH[RURI3AN' mAI~5 P[R
24 "OUR DW- ~ 001/\ 01 RrCTlOli5 St\OWIi BY WIDTI1 or 1I~r.
.
TO ACOOMPANY A REPORT ON A RAPIO
TI=lANSI,. SYSTEM FOR THE CITY OF'
LOS ANGELES..
DONALD M. 6AKER, CONS. E:NOR.
NOVEMElE::R 1933.

,~>

/"

....... .,.,i

",,'

'

,"

1'----

.....

'7

'--i._

,-_._.Jj
i -_.J..--G~~"'t"

~zuu

D~ ~ '..

l. __)

J
r
!
t ..... _ .... __ ,...J

,.,.

.:L-.__.~.

w[ ,

to O'f .,. ..

f.....

"

-~

t.-._,J

' ... _.

.1

OF INTERURBAN TRAINS
ONnIE

pACIFIC ELECTRJC RAILWAY

LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Office cf

TilE REGIONAL PLANNING COMMJ,SSION

ZONING SECTION
CI'\AALI:S t1 DIGGHJlt\fCTOR
A( WllllAMS0/4 - ~NG [/tGI"rr"
CD'\/IPIUO
OP.._
a. W'f&ll.
&IO

\.

"\

II't ~

~'e\( ~
,
pn

", ...

-_....

<tTl!'!

{'~D

:' -.a:'
".

22

iii:
r,'

tending from Watts wostward to the Pacific Ocean at Rodondo and southeastward to Artesia in Los Angeles County, and
stanton and Santa Ann in Orange County.
Tho relative intensity of use of these various principal lines is indicated on tho traffic flow dlagrnr.l
Plnte 15.

The miles of track includod in the system at

present and during the pnst tVTo decades. the number of pns-~'
sengers curriod oach yeD..r on the two systems, and the numbo!',
ef cnr-miles operated, nre shown on Table 6.

The system

:I

:I

, I

is arrnngod, in general, so ns to pass through the principOol dYTOllinJ, urens in the entire region, n.ltho the

',..

electric.~ :-

1inos of the Los Angeles Railwuy Conpuny nre nocessary in

r
,

',;

serving the closer-in uren.a.

There is a. rather unnecessnry mnount of dup1ico.tion
of service by other transportation agencies noticeable on
Sunset, IIollyvlood nnd Santo. Monico. Boulevards, nnd in tho
outlying aroas to tho west.

This is one result ef the

lack of unification of transit fa.cilities.

for

0.

As

0.

foundation

ra.pid transit system, it is doubtful if the Pacific

Electric line5 could be locuted to bettor advantage than

thoy nrc at presont, altho as will be noted in tho closerin nections of tho rapid transit system proposod, SODe
slight

ndjust~ents

nro mnde to neet existing distribution

of populntion and construction conditions te best advantage.

The rogional highwa.y plo.n and tho oxisting status

of 6rade crossing

alimin~tions

at tho intersoction of

-''''.

;I

,I.

,I

i;
jl

""'ftij

....

e"

.. _--_._-_.

-~=

i~

7D

.t '

...

lilll.a , _

Table 6
PACIi"IC

Year

!files of
Track O?erated
%of
Numb~~._~!.4

.:

:Car

~i1es

Number

~rnCTRIC

RAIUVAY

Operated: ~evenue Passen~crs: : Car Miles:

: % of : :'
: %of : : per Mi Ie :
: 1~14: : Number
1914 : : _of Track :

RtJvenue
PaB~ene:ers

per car

'~i Ie

RAIL LINES
1914
1~15

1005.8
1058.9

100
105

26 553 127
26 352 589

100
99

70 678 719
64 719 754

1916
1917
1918
1919
1920

1064.5
1076.5
1092.7
1095.3
1100.9

106
107
109
109
110

25
25
28
25
28

712
898
284
50S
38Z

283
331
419
350
145

97
101
106
97
107

63
65
67
68
84

530
028
915
379
492

501
315
099
676
579

1~21

1106.1
1114.9
1125.7
1138.6
1160.7

110

2~

1922
1923
1924
1925

III
112
113
116

29
31
33
32

091
082
411
082
367

665
672
749
082
443

109
109
118
124
122

88
88
100
100
S4

639
124
073
907
752

1926
1927
1928
1929
1930

1164.4
1151.6
1149.1
1112.2
1119.1

116
114
114
110
III

31
26
26
26
24

991
116
130
017
889

909
561
729
4'79
540

120
98
98
98
94

92
79
80
81
75

837
823
495
979
558

IS31

1111.2
1106.2

110
110

22 892 890
20 774 941

86
78

1~32

~<

~:~__

.-.- --

~:~~:~=;;-,~~~:::~_-~.-=,.;

hh

. '.,H -

c-:~,

100

25 400
24 900

2.66
2.45

120

24
25
25
23
25

200
000
900
400
800-

2.47
2.42
2.40
2,67
2.98

486
305
'544
063
809

126
125
143
143
'134

25
26
27
29
27

300
100
900
000
800

3.05
3.18
3.05
2.93

726
715
384
005
601

131
113
114
116
10?

27
22
22
23
22

500
'700
800
400
200

2.90
3 e 06
3.08
3.15
3.04-

66 230 1?9
54 884 879

94
?8

20 600
18 800

2.89
2.64

2:- __ ~.:'

92
90
92
96
. 97

,_ _

- -oc~:'~_'-'::;.::'-~, i-'=~;-

--'

N
N
I

3.03

-:=_ -,:

_-.-_.~-~~

jIiIMw&

--~"' ..

Ta.ble 6 - Cant.

Electric{Rai1Wa.~

Pacific

Year :

Busses Operated : : Bus Miles Operated:

:% of
%of : : - Number : 1927 : :
Number :- 1927 :.

. ..:Revenue
:.

Pessen~rs

%of

Number~--l~~

: :

"Bus

.:

: : Miles
=-_ :rer Bus :

Revenue
Passen.g:ers
-oer bus mi Ie

- BUS LINES -

Note:
1927
lS28
1f2S

Bus Onerations urior to 1927 included in Rail Line

'70
7S

1~30

141

84

1f31

170

1.(')2

V'32

13~

83

t\)

LV

leo

167
117
131

~ieures.

5 285 979
5 882 024
5 458 170
7 008 129
5 736 051
S 751 225

l('\()
122

11 804 36~
13 258 712
15 038 1 4 5

100
112
127

31 600
50 3()()
4 4()f'

2.23
2.25
2.33

133
127
128

14 S78 ll~
13 850 3~~
12 210 (7

127
117
1m

J1S 700
3r 700

2.OS

48 1i00

1.81

111

,f

~~

I';':

1\._
1

---

~~- tNt.,

~...

kg

C::.:.

_ 4JfJii;m,
'C"ve::'
:= -...

- --. -

- - ---- -----

_.----

......-;r-.-----.....;..;;;;..
_ X:{cl2;,\,...:...,........... ),; _
.

C&~,~-:ry./,-.:..~:. . ~-;;;:;;:;........

~.

at it

..

2.14

r-'-"",

~4

t
0'

'C-

----,.

l_ "!
f_""",,

,,,:

- -_._-_.- ------._------_. - -

~-~

ad ..
au

.._-_ ..

._--~---_._-_._-.-

-iii--- QL

--. -.CC'

.,J

.- ,.

~'.

_----~._------~--._-----_._-------

- .
~m
----;;-.;..~
i/~L'~
4$ ...,,... . . . . 3 ...,,~p'"T'"'....,.- "'j.t,";:?
,.S?"'l_.,;~v_'J':. ~"':"!",""
-

- ; { (

. ; :

"iI

_..

'*

...........

~...........,..~

~""""'"",;;v"",w.::

~~_:_ -~~~-:"--':""
.....

-_._.

- <.... - . _ _

.-~~~-- u_!.~."'."&o1':""vte:Js ~mftrr

_.

Table 6 - Cont.

tcs
'Jiles of
'T'rack Ooerated :

yeer

}!unber

%of
H14

r,alee
. :Car

: Nu-nber

Ooerated: :
~Of: :
1~14

1 14
H'15

385.8
3~ .1

100
101

30 078 ~2~
2r 251 200

l!: 16
1( 17

3r1.3

UlS

387 .8

102
101
101
101
101

2S
30
31
28

100
100

1~

3~0.~

lr'

388S

1~20

3fO.6

U'2l

384.6
384.6
3f5. ~
3f7.1
401.3

104

30
2
31
34
33

1~30

402.3
4(Y3.7
405.1
401.4
401.4

104
105
105
104
104

33
32
33
32
30

1~31

.105. S

lC'32

dO!! .~-

105
105

F22

lr23
1~24

H2S
1~25

1{"2?
1?2C?
1!='2S

1<:3
100

I_

2~

455
053
24..3
563
S80

A:NG~L"ES

502
573
680
366
055

: :

RAIIT.AY

B.ev~nue

Passenecrs: : CBr"liles:

If.

NUllber

: :

lor.
t-?
~8

100
104
5

100

laC

~74 :>4i~

105
113

140 OJ?'381
125 r3~ 805
121
123
130
145
17l='

" 100

mile

c~r

iI.67
,~ .32

200
8!X'
500
40n
700

3.53

0.:>;)

3
104
128

75
76
80
73
75

208 e78
21~ 022
247 955
252 530
243 402

552
470
553
337
5'(1

143
156
177
180
174

7B 200
76 700
'~O 700
85 ~OO
83 80n

7.40
7.75
7 .~O
7.20

173
173

133

:;2
81
31
82
75

S00
200
700
2f"O
0('1('

7.25
7.32
7.10
5.20
S.12

llQ

71' ''i1"'('1

SS

'i5 "on

5.S3
5.1.!''l

112

337 023
r!r2 573

III
110

1~3

') 047
4':5 617

110
110
101

2/,2 323 4U
242 ~'11 558
23S 721 105
204 ?-05 741
l:)S 3~5 900

2 123 452
23 553 S17

7
oc

1034 302 51
13 41 3q3

87

77 800
?5200

028
300
704
57
041

103 134
612 520

_,;:::::"';"

track: ner

574
074
358
421
227

88

15~

145

----------------_.-- --

>:'-- -_=_-=~~~,~:/~.:~~\M4$I:M'ffl!i,~.~;,~~':'"

o~

RAIL LINES -

062 428
458 2~2

~70

of : : 'Oer '!lile':

1~14

Revenue
Pas!:leneer~

$_-=~'~_

'.

,K" At,

OR

4.10
1.15
5. (t'
6.00

l\)
~

-' 6

e /.. ".,.

------------------------,

_,

,,:.....~iF;

b ;

1M

_'J _..;,"t~e:... ;!!~,.. ~:

Table '3 - Cont.

Anee lop

LOE

B~i lway

'Bu.p~es

O-oerated ~ :-'Bus'~iles O-oeratelj.: :Ravenue Passen,ge~:

% of : :
: %- of: :
:1- of :
};ucnber : H34::Number
:- 1~'2-1:""'_1 ~lull"i2..~_: 124:

Ye!1r

:
Bus
: Miles
:per bus

: Revenue
: Passonaers
~per bus mile

- Bns LIN:5:S 1~23

1~24

lS25

5
22
114

1~25

13

1~27

11~

1~2~

1'37

1~2~

18~

If30

202

2~4

732
1 036 ;353
1 ~35 11?

7
100
13~

170
145
204
231
24')

"

~~~

4
4
4
5

OS1 S~
322 1'31
851 243
22 2?5

2'='100
IP.?

40.::.

')~

28f
3fl
417
45f
510

1
11
10
10

211

48 qoo
12 700
17 000

377
B1;
5('2
41)3
475

21
34
25
25
21.)

25

5'"'4 "40
2 245 373
4 742 ?4

lon

457 15S
51 3S~
25] 733
378 ~34
SPI 034

1.~8

2.15
2.45

2.A2

500
1m
ClDO
70f'

2.'?5
2. ,(")
2.14
2.02

('1('("\

(\)

t\:,

P.

lr31

1'=""..

1~32

1~5

5 257 451
240 35~'

230

~'"

LOS ANG"ELES MOTOR BUS CO'PANY

:1 Way _:E!()ute Leneth: :- Bus :\{i~cs

of: :
H25: :
Nurnber
YetJr: !~i les

1S25
1215
1~27

1~28

Ir2'
lr3C1
1~31
1~32

2~

.02
2. S~
2 .70
41.30
50.75
50.75
115.fo5
133. .~O

Opera~:

: dJ, of :
: H25 :

102
142
175

2
2
2
3
4

305
343
322
257

:;:05
421
074
414
Oj2

100
110
112
15'
2QS

4'1~'

3'32

214
?17
24

100

1e2

~2

10 OO!) 52~
l 50'; 430

50?
50;

_227~ ____
5

175

3~.2

4: 550 50S

402

5 201 215, .

1.52

Passeneers : : Bus Viles : Revenue

: 1 of : : per 'TIile : Peeseneers
ITunber
: U"25 : : of routa :per bus mil~

.:Revenua
:

? H2 057
:; 77~ S~3
~ 54~ :;57
13 052 3~?
I? 02 32
17 504 305
/ IS. a;~~.? 51
14 8~7 3~3i
,

%% ~:g2:i.- ;f~~E~:~22iE~~~E~,

1. ~('

27 roo
2'3 2(Y'l

445.
37~

-.'

72 2Q0
77 500
7S 0('
')0 400

100
110

11
1'33
214

3.82
3.-)1

4.07
3S3
4.00

'33 BOO

21~

3S

orr

3.~2

205
l8i

3 300

3.60

!",:

';"'3 rr

800\,

1_--

a.,ns
~

~.

..

~~.~ ._~- ~_=~ ~~'T_':;~- ~.:,:~.:.._: ~:;~i~~~::.,;~~.~3~=:v;~~j~t:~-Yb 4~~'.~~_L~1~:~j;~~f4\~:::~!

--Jt

:!>IJNSl:T

IlL\'!).

iI'

IOSTON ST.

.....

ST.

..

- ~,

"

....
z.....

..,

--.,

lo

..

It

..

F&

I-

...

r
~

....

SlCOND

..

Sf.

...

ST.

c
ST.

~ Q.
p~

I, D8J.::..,

SIlCTH

-.

If:'

seVENTH

1"-

.....

"-

;"a ::

"II

..
It

~ It

til is'

..'"

.1

~.

HlNTH

..

--

ST

Ii

~~
-.

ELEVENTH

ST

'0<.

.
2

Q,'"

...

ST

..~

I''!;il

oJ
oJ

1--"CO

A--

II.

!5

:, It

..

~~ij
I~I

Sf.

- --II.

::=:::::::-L

:-!l.

..

.~

In

'"

...

...

Sf.

0
~

II

.~

,.,rTM

oJ

.. .

!c

'"

ST.

..

VI

.'"

...

..

&.

.'

oJ

w
.:l
Z

~,
C

"
..

g:

AI.'SO

.'"

iIt

sT.

...

..'"
ST.

..

<I>

ST.

TEMPLE

.,

-.,

C~1P'OIINu.

.,.

~J

.'

~!Ii i'

..

~\,
I

23

major highwa.ys ''lith various Pacific Eloctric linc;s, a.s

well as

sop~rations

proposed to be mado in a five your pro-

gro.n extending from 1930 to 1935 nre shovrn

011

Plate 23.

The equipment now used by the Pucific Eloctric Rnilway is of two general classifications: fairly modern all
steel cnra, and practically obsolete, altho still operated,
"f

curs of wooden construction, these latter operating on

!:'la.nj~

of the outlying lines.

1 '1
:\,

.f

, I

:
1

Fncilities for ma.intenanco and

';

{!

repairs to oquipmont a.re loca.ted nea.r Torrance, betweon the

principal part of the city and tho Harbor district.

Power

for the operation of this system ;s supplied by the Southern California. Edison

Co~po.ny

frO!l its various power

plo.nts.~'
./

As shovm on Plato 12, many of the lines of this system nrc operated in city :{reets, with a consoquent SloWin;down of running time, altho a considerable proportion are
located on private rights-of-way with fow street crossings,
'.

and in many ca.sos -- as shovrn on Plate 23, showing the

gra.do crossing pla.n -- having the Brades separated.

In a

few instances -- such as the 11no extending from Boverly

Boulevard to tho Subway Terminal Building between Fourth
and Fifth Streets on Hill, and certain tunnels in the hills
"'.

to the north of the Contral Business District -- tracks arc

operated below tho surface.

The lines extending southward

and eastward terminnte in nn elevated station located nt

Sixth and Main Streets, and thoro is an elevated approach
to this stntion at present extending to San Pedro Street.

24

In addition to local service in Los Angeles proper,

this company also rurnishes such service in Long Beach,
San Pedro, Pasadena, and Santa Monica.

The general of-

fices of the compa.ny are located at Sixth and

~~ain

Streets

in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Railway.
The surrace electric lines of this company, commonly known as the ilyell ow lines ", radiate in all directions
from the central part of the city with a few cross-town
lines.

They are particularly numerous to the west and

south, altho service is afforded in all directions.

The

total passengers carried by years from 1914 to date, the

car-miles operated and t~ number of miles of track in
the system are shown in Table 6.

It will be noted that

within the Central Business District this company has lines

on nearly every street, most of the routes passing thru
the District in either an east-west or north-south direction, the routes being fairly well balanced as to length
and use on the opposite ends, and the system being without
objectionable loop operation.

Within the five mile area

there is some duplica.tion of service with the local lines

of the Pacific Electric Railway, which results in insufficient use and revenue on some of the lines.

When the

proposed rapid transit lines are constructed, it may be

desirabl~

to make some adjustment in this relation.

This

25
; i
~: ;

applies principally, however, between the central part of

the city and Vineyard, the other proposed locations being comparatively free from duplications between Pacific
Electric and Los Angeles Railway lines.
In addition to the electric lines, this company also operates a considerable number of bus lines, principally, however, as extensions to and feeders for the
electric lines, or thru areas of relatively low population
density which have not been considered as justifying the
extension of the electric service.
'l1

..

In connection with the multiplicity of line"s in

the centl""al area, it has been suggested and discussed in

,.
./

various reports that, in addition to subways for rapid

transit, provision should be made for street cars as well.
There are some advantages, beyond

dOUbt,~hiCh can

be

claimed for street car subways, but it would appear that

their cost -- at least at the present time -- would be extremely difficult to justify.

Much can be accomplished

in the movement of street cars thru the congested areas

by a thorough investigation and study of routing and traffic control, and beyond this there will be no immediate
need for separating the street railway cars from other
traffic as to grade.

Undoubtedly if some of the streets

now used for this purpose could bo relieved of street car

traffic, which appoars to be entirely feasible, much
improvement in the traffic situation would result.

.,}I

>

~
u

'&I.VD

"
>

>

"-

..

.,.

fIolCO

..

...."".... 1"".,.0 ...

.)

~T

,.I>AH&

CiJ
I..0

-l

.0

(2)

E
......
L..

CO

c.
:::s <D
CL 0
.Q

CI)
(1)

C/)

ra,A1te, ....

.
r

~ .. kT"

>

"

..yO

>,

VEHI

0)

'0 0
030
c: 0

<::.(

"&""ON

AV'

0
CI)

..

An

,
(

>

...J

SLAU"OIll:

TRAFF

>

..

..

I
12 HOU
TOTAL VEHI

EACH POINi
WIDTH
+COUNT BY BO,

FROM
FIR:5T N
8Y CH

TO ACCOMPANY A REPORT ON

RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM tOR

THE CIIV OF" LOS ANGELES.
DQI\.lALO M. BAKER,

CONS ENGR.
NOVEMBER. 1933

.l

..

<

VEHICULAR
TRAFFIC FLOW
1922
12 HOU RS

...JAN. I

TOTAL VEHICLES PASSING

EACH POI NT SHOWN BY
WIDTH OF LINE
+COUNT BY BOARD OF" PUBLIC UTILITIES

FROM REPORT TO
FIRST NATIONAL BANK
BY CHARLES H. CHENEY

...

.,

".
"

..."
.,

","

'.

..

'~

"

,il':"
IIL-l--1~b=t-;r'~i.J
.;) .......

J.r v;,
.J
Q'
~-:~.
, ()....,

....

~J-..L.;r-/r:,,-' ............
8

()

TO

ACCOM~

RAPID

TR

THE CiT......
DONALD M
N

~~~T~0HIGHWAY
COUNT~
THE ~lEGXON
CBARLEsH.DIGGs. ]

,~f .. ~

.:.::.. ..
;

'-..../

Sa".

..

;~

~..""

.~.::/~l~~~
....

J:.:;

_:.}

... ~:

.JEts.

~ ~?J""
,.,.tT.....-t-+J.=:=lo4--~~..I::..'J TO ACCOMPANY

..r

3'

-l--iJ......_-"--!J-f--)"5;'
~2
o

6-,

","

..-----l~"--~-YoI__~,,'.:

()

(;

c3

A REPOI=l.T ON A
SVSTE:M FOR
THE: CITY OF LOS ANGELES.
DONALD M BAKER, CO~S. ENGR

RAPID TRANSIT

NOVEMBER 1933

HIGHWAY

TRAFFIC

COUNTY OF

SURVEY

Los ANGELES

1!'EE REG-liONAlL JP'lLlwwlIwG-

COMMlISlION

D~~ ,::~~ Cal.. EN.-m

JULY
....

t!l~2
... c_ . . _ ......

-- .... _-- ........... _-.

=-.,~-===:..::: ....

'
I',~j.

26

1;:

'.,
I

.".,,:.!,'

,.~;

Motor Bus Lines

~'.

Xi
j,1

r .::

In addition to the busses operated by the Pacific

Electric and Los Angeles Hallway Company and the jointly
owned Los Angeles Motor Coach Company, lines are operated
by the:

Bay Cities Transit Company, in Santa Monica

and western part of the city.
:\

Culver City Municipal Bus Line, also extending into the city.

.r,

El Segundo Transit Company Lines.

Highland Transportation Company.
Independent Motor Coach Company, in San Pedro
and Wilmington.

'/.'

Lang Motor Conch Company.

Motor Transit Company.
Pasadena-Ocean Park Motor Coach Line.
Piclrnick and Original Stage Lines, operating
interurban lines to and from city.
Santa Monica Munbipal Bus Lines, which extend
into the city.
West Coast Rapid Transit Company Lines.

;j, .

West Side Transit Company.

, This multiplicity of independently ovrnod and operated transit services has rosulted in expensive and unsatisfactory surface transportation for the most pnEt.

Franchises

have boen sccured in the'aroas having tho greatest population, and little has boon

~ccomplished

in tho way of furnish-

lng service in the arens whore, from tho standpoint of do-

~, ~

2'7

velopment, such service might be desirable.

Instead,

lines have been established where, to a considerable extent, they interfere and compete with the original transit service to the detriment of both.
There are, however, certain lines which are furnishing excellent service and which may be said to bo desirably located and are heavily used.

Examples of theso are

certain lines of the Buy Cities Transit Company und the

Santa Monicn Municipal Bus Line extending on Pico Blvd.
from the end of the Los Angeles Railway Pico line near
Vineyard to Santa Monica and the intervening area.
After the original rapid transit lines are put in
operation and at such time as service improves beyond

'

L
. ,!
'1 ;,,'
I

i"
f

:!

the end of the proposed construction, either by elimination of grade crossings or use of some of the railroad
tracks, the general motor bus situation should be entirely
re-arranged in order to afford the maximum coordination
with the rapid transit system.
con~ection

This is touched upon in

with certain tentative proposals under Plate 21,

"A Comprehensive Rapid Transit Planil.

In addition to

the motor bus lines wfhin the city extending thru the
principal dwelling areas, local lines operate in Pasadena,
Glendale, San Pedro, Wilmington, Long Beach and to some
extent provide connection with the interurban lines of the
Pacific Electric Railway.

:~:

28

STEAM RAILROADS
The principal railroad service in this area is upplied by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, the Southern
I.

...

:,'

Pacific and the Union Pacific Systems.

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
This transcontinental line provides thru railroad

./

. \

service from Los Angele s to Chicago by way of Albuquerque t'

New Mexico and Kansis City, Missiouri, with a connection,
at Barstow northerly to the central part of the state and
San Francisco, and n branch line extending southeastward
from Los Angeles to San Diego.

~-.'"

The line entors the city (

I'

from the northeast by way of tho Arroyo Scco, the passeng..f

or station being located at First Street and Central

AV~~~

tho branch to San Diego extending southward along.the Los

Angeles River and thence southoast thru the industrial
district.

Thore 1s also a branch line westward to the

Pacific Coast serving Manhattan and Hermosa Boachs and

Redondo.

This branch extends from n connection with the

main line near Twenty-Sixth stroot and Santa Fe Avenue

wostward on Slauson Avenue to Western Avenuo, and thence
southwest thru Inglowood.
I

y~rd

The principal terminal and

facilities of this road arc loccted along the Los

Angoles River in the general vicinity of the other rail~oad

fnciltitios.

.jj

29

Southern Paciric
The lines of this transcontinental railroad are
widely distributed throughout the state.

Northward, ser-

vice is provided for the San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento,

and beyond into the State of Oregon as far as Portland
with a Pacific Coast line extending from Burbank along the
coast to San Francisco.
t~l

The main line to the east extends

Yuma and Gila Bend, Arizona to EI Paso, Texas, with

a branch from there to Tucumcari, New MeXico, connecting

with the Rock Island to Chicago, and the main line continuing along the Gulf Coast to Houston," Texas, and New Oi!oans,
Louisiana.

The San Joaquin Valley line and the coast line

from San Francisco enter the city thru Glendale, thencesouthward along the Los Angeles River to the present Arcade
Station at Fifth Street and Central Avenue, with a branch
to the Harbor district, and another southeastward to Santa
Ana and Orange County.

The principal yards and terminals

are located near the Los Angeles River in the central part
of the city.
Union Pacific
Tilis transcontinental line extends eastward from
San Francisco to Salt Lake and Omaha.

The service to Los

Angeles is provided.by a branch line from Salt Lake southward to the city.

The main line enters the city from the

east in the same general Vicinity as the Santa Fe line to

-.

It

30

San Diego, the system using the present Arcade passenger

station of the Southern Pacific.
terminals are located in the Los

The principal yards and

ill~geles

River bottom

east of the central part of the city south of Belvedere.

f
~

Within the city various lines of the principal steam

railroads furnishing transportation service to and from
Los Angeles are very largely confined to the vicinity of

.r

the Los Angeles River, the northeastern and the southeastern part of the city.
~ount

The Southern Pacific dominates in.

of trackage and yard and terminal facilities, their

main lines extending northward along the river to

Glendale~ ~..

Burbank, San Fernando, and thence westward thru .North

'.

i'
.l .

Hollywood and Van Nuys.

Their approach from the east is

thru Pasadena and South Pasadena, and the Arroyo Seco,

and important industrial lines extend southward to the
Harbor district and southeastward into Orange County. The
principal classification yard is located a short distance
nortll of the central part of the city, lcnown as the Riverside Yard.
Taylor

Additional yard and tracks are located near

Street~

two miles

furthe~

north.

Facilities for maintenance and repair of rolling

stock arc located just east of the Los Angeles River be-

I
I
J

tween Mission Road and Alhambra Boulevard.

In the con-

struction of the new Union Station in the Civic Center

district, tlle Southern Pacific track on Alameda Street
thru the central part of the city will be relieved of tho

; I
1.

i.

31

present rather intensive passenger traffic and its use

will be largely confined to switching at night to the
various industries located iti this area.

Altho no def-

inite understanding has been reached, it is possible that

this switching may be done by Pacific Electric equipment,
thus relieving the street entirely of steam operation.
steam Railroad Lines and Facilities within the City
The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe main line approaches
the central part of the city thru Pasadena, South Pasadena,
and along the Arroyo Seco, thence south along the west
side of the Los Angeles River to the junction near Twentyfourth Street where branch lines diverge southeastward to
Orange County and San Diego and southwestward to the Pacific Ocean at Manhattan and Hermosa Beaches, and thence
southeasterly to the Harbor district.

The principal clas-

sification yard is just east of the central part of the

city adjoi.ning the Los Angeles River south of First Street.
Facilities for maintenance and repair of rolling stock are
located at the junction near Twenty-fourth Street.

The

use of this railroad by transcontinental passengers is

quite heavy, as it affords direct service to Chicago and
the east.

Some of the tracks of this company are located

in city streets but they are not heavily used, being principally for the purpose of SWitching to industries in
the central part of the city, the principal teartl tracks

32

being located near the

the river.

classi~ication yards

adjoining

The main line to the east through Pasadena

is the most heavily used track, followed by that to Orange

"-

"

county and San Diego.

!
The Union Pacific approaches the central part of

th~

city in the same general Vicinity as the San Diego brancn

:

of the Santa Fe to the Santa Fe junction at

Twenty-fourt~

Street, thence following the east side of the Los Angeles

River and northward, affording local industrial service
to South Pasadena, Pasadena and Montrose.

The yardsandc.

terminal facilities are located in the same general

vici~

nity as the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific, the lines

this railroad

bein~

the least heavily used of any of

l'

o~~
./

th~>

steam railroads.
Considered from the standpoint of adding rapid
transit facilities to the transit and transportation
lines now in operation, there could probably be no clearer picture presented than the multiplicity of uncoordinated and conflicting routes shovm on this plan.

If the

"

introduction of rapid transit lines, or merely their consideration, leads to bringing some order out of the present chaos, this discussion will have served an excellent
purpose.

33

V.
PREVIOUS PARTIAL CITY PLAN REPORTS

::iI.
nle City of Los Angeles has a Board of City Planning Commissioners and a Board of Public Utilities and
Transportation with duties prescribed by the City Charter.
The County of Los Angeles has a Regional Planning Commission.

Various planning studies have been made by these

agencies and references pertaining to them occur in their

respective annual reports.

Certain studies and investiga-

tions of a city planning nature have been made by public

and private agencies during the past decade, as described
below.
In 1923 the Los Angeles Traffic Commission -- now
known as the Los Angeles Traffic Association -- an unofficial body -- employed a Board of Consultants, consisting
of Messrs. Frederick L. Olmsted, Harland Bartholomew and
Charles H. Cheney, who prepared a report on a major street
plan for the City of Los Angeles.
lished in printed form.

This report was pub-

This plan was officially adopted

by the voters of the city and many miles of street have

been opened, widened and constructed in accordance therewith.
In 1924 the City and County of Los Angeles jointly
employed the firm of Kelker-DeLeuw & Company, Consulting
Engineers of Chicago, to make a report on a rapid transit
plan for the city.

This report is available in printed

"Ii I

:l!

~~!'!!!L.

', ',I

,!

'

j!l{
'r., , "''''')
.,~

------------

34

form, but nothing was done towards following out the recommendations therein.
In 1925 the Greater. Harbor Committee of Two Hundred,
a privately financed body, made a study of Los Angeles
Harbor and the contiguous territory.

The local engineer-

ing firm of Leeds & Barnard, and F. B. Cole were employed

as engineers for'the Conunittee" with Francis Lee stuart
of New York as consultant.

No final report was made, but

.t '

progress reports and recommendations, many of which were

carried out, were made concerning the general layout of
the port and surrounding territory.

As a result of the

Committee's activity, railroads already in the ?arbor aret,

including the Los Angeles Municipal Railroad, were com-

./

bined in an operating agency known as the "Belt Line Rail,,:;

road" which is now functioning very effectively.

In add-

ition, a site was acquired by the city for future use as

a classification yard.

i.

I
!
!

The County Regional Planning Commission has published two reports concerning regional highway plans, the first
in 1929 covering the San Gabriel Valley, and the second
in 1931 covering the Long Beach-Redondo area.
In 1930 certain private interests, in conjunctlop
with the City and County of Los Angeles, employed the firm
of Wm. H. Babcock & Sons of Chicago to make a report on

l~

._

~.'

I
~.

~I

'

35

the feasibility of regrading Bunker Hill in the heart of

the city.

This report has been printed and contains a

vast amount of very valuable information relative to conditions in Downtown Los Angeles, decentralization, etc .
In 1933 the Board of Harbor Commissioners of the
City of Los Angeles, jointly with a Citizens Harbor Survey Committee named by the Mayor, appointed a Board of
Consultants termed ilThe Board of Economic Survey for the
Port of Los Angeles il consisting of the following: Charles
T. Leeds, C. C. Thomas, Donald M. Baker, Ralph J. Reed
and John Parke Young.

This Board prepared a very compre-

hensive report upon the economic background of the port,

the financial structure of same, and similar matters.
Considerable information has also been published
from time to time by city departments and private agencies

ill''
L

II,,
[,

which contain much valuable data, and in making this report

Ii :'
II, '

advantage has been taken of the information contained in

II
i

them, the conclusions reached and the recommendations

I
I
I
I

made.

I~.

III
"I

,1\

"( ,

36

VI.
THE CENTRAL BUS nlESS DISTRICT OF LOS ANGELES

As would be expected, the growth in population in

:6..
I.

the Los Angeles region has caused an expansion of the

f

built up area, as well as an increase in population densities.

.'

Plate 10 shows the population density in 1922

and 1928, and indicates that density increases have

occur~
t.

red largely in a westward direction, while Plate 11 indi- ,.

cates a decrease in density from 1922 to 1928 withlnthe
central part of the area.
Persons Entering Central Business District
Table 4 indicates n total of 1,347,000 persons re- ~ .
./

siding within a ten mile radius of Seventh and Broadway "-,

in 1930, this being 58.2% of the population of the Los
Angeles Metropolitan District in that year.

This table

"

shows that the greatest increase in population during the seven year period 1923-1930 occurred in the northwestern
quadrant, which includes the area between lines extending
northerly from Seventh and Broadway into the center of
Glendale and westerly along a line just south of Pico
Boulevard.

The increases within the ten mile radius in

the other three quadrants range fron 30% to 35%, while

that in the northwest quadrant was from 177,000 to

:1,

I!

ii

405,000 persons, or 129%.

A survey made late in 1923 or early in 1924 showed
a total of 605,000 persons, not including pedestrians,

61
". t~', '- .

h<
OJ

SUNSET

$0"

LMARCHE:S1'YL.T

5T.

9.1

:noo

s)
BT.

61

w]

f,lfsi ~P':l

MQi' >

2710

C::========!6!!1iI'il!C~O!i'~~N~D~S~T.!'\.
j

i;;9~9

eoo

5T.

t:

,,- ki I

21"&i

.......

SI{I'i'"H

5''''''

il

......

t ~SVE:NTH
.JUU

.1

u:

ST.

......

~ t:\ti~<~"I

'
en"

. ....,

NINTH

~(;r

1:

LEGEND.......

s:

r2Z2ZZZl /1bYt$mbsr /.9203

, iiU
0211

f)ece/77bsr/93/

cJ"o"k. 1'-.oQOtX1

V.,.....ah"

- PICO

1
II
ID

LLQENn......

=
"=
"'
__
_ '_

192.f~~by

.,

j\.b~/fI.<U

.~r~/

.scab

Ba5Ydd'AAW,.& b#lmi!u

r- 6000 Vc:h/C/e.:I

O/tyOTLOJAntf'eles./9J'1 COtKl! m:7de.by

cJYreel 7i-arlia h,5ti1m1FIn$" LJeperlmenl, Gty
OTLOJ Ansele".

,AJJTOv1OBILE TRAFFIC ENTERING CENTRAL

L...-,

BUSINESS DISTRICT
NOVEMBER 1923

Q.E

LOS ANGELES

DECEMBER 1931

~-"-ANV AEPCO<T ClNAIl_D

:'::~f"ORTHE crrv

AI<E:R.CONU~R.

DOH...L.O .....

-.,..

NO_V_E""_IlIE_"
__
18_"_~_.........

37

entered the Central Business District daily between the

hours of 7:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M.

Of this number 315,000

or 52% came by rail transportation and 290,000 or 48% by

automobiles.

A similar survey made in December, 1931,

showed a total of 697,000 persons, excluding pedestrians,

entering the central district between the same hours, of
I
: l

which 435,000 or 62% entered by automobiles, as against

262,000 or 38% by rail and bus transportation.

Plate 19 shows the number of autos entering the district at different points in the two surveys.

The marked

increase in the number entering from the west is significant and is to be expected from the largo increase in pop- r
./

ulation in that direction which took place during the years

....................

between counts.

Table 7 contains results of a cordon

..

count made in 1931, showing the number of persons entering district by various modes of transportation.
Table 8 summarizes the results of these snrveys, and
shows that whilo in both 1923-24 and 1931 the same numbor
of people per hundred residing within a ten mile radius
used automobiles to travel to tho Central District, a much
loss number per hundred used

b~s

and rail transportation

in 1931 than they did sovan years previous.

These figures

also show, however, that at the present time a number of

persons equivalent to more than 1 out of 2 residing within
n ten mile radius, and nearly lout of every 3 residing
within the entire Metropolitan District of Los Angeles

Ii

37-a

..

Table 7.
PASSENGERS ENTERING CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT
,DECEMBER 16, 1931

Time

-7..8

Rail

Bus

Total
Public
Carriers

Auto

Grand
Total

WESTSIDE

A.M.

8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12

P.M.
12-1
1-2
2...3
3-4

4-5
5-6

6-7
Total

7
11
6
6
6

519
333
561
338
025

630
1 889
959
854
1 048

8
13
7
7
7

149
222
520
192
073

14
21
18
15
14

294
691
071
877
864

22
34
25
23
21

443
913
591
069
937

5 100
4 610
:3 965
3 209
3 606

804
832
517
557
380

5
5
4
3
3

904
442
482
766
986

12
13
12
12
12

189
333
870
074
636

18
18
17
15
16

093
775
352
840
622 ..

3 140
2 044

363
261

3 503
2 305

11 101
7 764

14 604
10 069

63 450

9 094

72 544

166 764

239 308

EASTSIDE

f..M.
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12,

:II

;.1
~.

009
726
604
791
726

213
225
197
207
151

10
9
6
6
5

222
951
801
998
877

6
8
9
10
11

849
933
775
974
154

17
18
16
17
17

071
884
576
972
031

4
4
4
:3
6

898
635
163
915
162

103
89
74
58
90

5
4
4
:3
6

001
724
237
973
252

10
9
10
10
12

303
820
709
641
502

15
14
14
14
18

304
544
946
614
754

5 380
2 716

74
26

5 454
2 742

15 130
6 850

20 584
9 592

70 725

1 507

72 232

123 640

195 872

,
~

'I

P.M.
12-1
1-2
2...3
3...4
4-5
5-6
6-7

10
9
6
6
5

Total

Ij

(1

f/ ~

, ~;

37-b
'J

H~
~ 'j

Table 7. (Con.)

'.

,;

~ j.

'I

1;1
"

Passengers Enterin3 Central Business District

.-J2..e c emb.e..r 16, 1931

Time

Rail

Bus

Total
Public
Carriers

,:

..
;

Grand~

Auto

Total

;
~

-7-8

l!:
"
!L:
ii'

SOUTHSIDBl

",,- ~-~

'11

.'

I,

A.M.

I
ii'

228
543
859

236
337
150
165
141

10
12
7
7
.7

346
413
378
708
000

7
9
8
8
8

058
654
553
363
254

125
111
77
52
78

5
4
3
3
3

183
765
630
415
332

6 858
6 897
7285
6 763
6691

12 041
11 662, '
10 913-'
10 ,178
10:":023

6-7

2 489
1 674

61
36

2 550
1 710

5 985
4 029

8/535
5 739

Total

67 861

'1 569

69 430

87 366

8-9
9-10
10-11
11-12

10
12
7
7
6

110

5
4
3
3
3

076

901
679
440
381
459

P.M.
12-1

1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6

~ [!

18 247
22~92'
15 ' 18
16 <!>89
15 459"

I'

i!

"

,I

' !

I'

......
156 796
I"',

NORTHSIDE
A.M.
7...8
8-9
9-10

liD-II

11-12

7
7
5
5
4

569
160
354
378
323

7
7
5
5
4

569
160
354
378
323

'5 261
6 697
6 175
5 506
4 656

12
13
11
10
8

830
857
529
884
979

P. M.

.
\

12-1

'.

1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5

fl

3
3
2
2
2

478
550
542
551
532

3
3
2
2
2

478
550
542
551
532

3 902
4 305
4 242
4 420
4 848

7
7
6
6
7

380
855
784
971
380

,1
. !,f

iq

:ii,.
j

5-6
6-7

2 040

4 112

6 152

1 573

2 040
1 573

:3 092

4 665

48 050

48 050

57 216

105 266

"

,-,

jj

I,

i~

Total

'i l

<I

(,

3'1-c

Table 7. (Con.') '"

Passengers Entering Central Business District
December
~6. 1931
.-,- -----,--------

Rail

Time

Bus

Total
Pubi i.e
Carriers

Aubo

G:rand
Total

Total

TCTll.:SS
-----

A.M.

35
40
25
26
22

207
295
747
050
933

1 079
2 451
1 306
1 226
1 340

36
42
27
27
24

286
746
053
276
273

34
47
42
40
39

305
000
461
738
133

'10
89
69
68
63

591
746
514
014
406

18
17
14
13
15

534
449
223
038
554

1 032
1 032
668
667
548

19
18
14
13
16

566
481
891
705
102

33 252

52
52
49
47
52

818
836
995
603
779

13 049
8 007

498
323

13 547
8 330

36 328
21 735

49 875
30 065

250 086

12 170

262 256

434 986

697 242

7-8
8-9
9-10
1011
11-12
,

P.M.
12-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
Total

--

34
' 35
33
36

355
104
898
677

SUMMARY
Boundary
West
East
South
North
Totals

%Total
.'

.-)

.,'

63
70
67
48

450
725
861
050

9 094
1 507
1 569

250 086

12 170

262 256

35.9

1.7

37.6

72
72
69
48

544
232
430
050

166
123
87
57

764
640
366
216

239
195
156
105

308
872
796
266

34.3
28.2
22.5
15.1

434 986

697 242

100.0

62.4

100.0

/l

Auto t:raffic counts made by Street Traffic Engineering Dept,

City of Los Angeles.
Rail and bus Traffic counts made by respective companies.

/
/

).

/;;c

,fit

;J

1/ I-:Y"
/ .'

/II

37-d

"

,.

Table 8.

'.

PERSONS ENTERING CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT

OF LOS ANGELES
DAILY 7:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M.

4-

%--

1923

1931

Increase
ort, ,
De ere a:.s~ ,',
c

Population 1Q mi.rad1us from

Seventh and Broadway

892 000

1 347 000

Persons entering C.B.D.~

605 000

697 000

By Auto -- Total

290 000

15.~"
~-'

50.0 '
-

Per 100 IDP t n in 10 mile

Radius

32.5

32.3

By Street Car -- Total

315000

250 000

_20.6"1"

18.6

-47.i~'

Per 100 ppptn in 10 mile

Radius

35.3

By Bus

TOTAL .- per 100 pop'n in

10 mile radius
-

Pedestrians not included.

-:/0

Decrease.

.
! ol.
-'0~6"'--... ..,

12 000

Per 100 poptn in 10 mile

Radius

435"000

51.0 "~.

0.9

67.8

51.7

_23.8-:1-

37-e

Table 9.

MOTOR VEHICLES IN CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICTS

\
t

Ii-

Chicago
Philadephia
Los Angeles

4 364 755
2 847 148

0.85
2.04

113331
79 315

25.9
27.9

133 000
39 000

2 318 526

276 753

119.4

338 000,

Boston
Detroit

2 307 897
2 104 764

-0.82

65 656
82 439

28.5
39.2

74 500
123 000

Pittsburgh
St. Louis
Baltimore
Washington
Kansas City

1 953
1 293
949
621
608

477
895
667
893
775

20.2
37.8
68.1
210.8
114.7

668
516
247
059
186

0.88
0.67

0.28
0.99
0.49
1.50
0.38

39
48
64
130
69

141
49
132
87
' 184

000
500
000
200

--

-,
- ,
to

.-

I'

,-

./

OOO~

."f'

\I\;

.-'

....",

,
f

,i

Population
1930

Total
Registered
Motor
Vehicles

Registered
Motor
Vehicles
per 1000
Population

Chicago
Philadelphia
Los Angeles

3 376 478
1 950 961
1 238 048

485 565
229 371
517 693

144
J.17
418

Boston
Detroit

781 188
1 568 622

113 116
388 946

145
248

74
168
325
156
126

112
188
404
322
242

Pittsburgh
St. Louis
Baltimore
Washington
Kansas City

669
896
804
486
521

817
307
874
869
603

584
176
597
686
119

I:

.'
I

'C

I,'

., !

"

" :i.,.'

~:

:~

Bureau of Street Traffic Engineering,

Los Angeles.

II i

1:

Source of Data:

NOTE:

TOTAL PARKING CAPACITY

3775.CARS

Figul'>:$ shown in sfr~efs Ihus

(Z3) indlcat" capocify of available'
curb porl(/ntJ space.
.....

/.
I

~"

~.
".-

(119)
.1
,::S

.t,

.!,

NO-'-E'

Total curb parking space available

Figueroa Sf to LO:I
:Jt and Temple
sf to f:1"venfh Sf. (no including Bunker Hi"
arect. T"mple Sf to Firth 5f. and Figueroa 5t fa
Hill ~t)
3564 CQrs.

Anr,,'es

CAPACITY AND TURNOVER

TOTAL
CAPACITY
STALLS

~lIAUTOS

!PARKED
, DAILY

NltAUTOS
PER STALL
PER DAY

5742

1.30

8214

1.&7

10590

112534

1.18

2575

115321

15100

.92

2875

35729

41590

1.le

PRIVATE
AUTO
PARKS

ZONE

PUBLIC
GARAGES

PUBLIC
AUTO
PARKS

1880

2374

92

70

4411

1752

2&1&

30

4402

1825

787&

587

300

1740

9297

2709

TOTALS

7197

221155

3392

PRIVATE
GARAGES

TOTAL CAPACIT'

! .

GRANO
TOTALS

PUBLIC
GAfl.AGES

PUBLIC
AUTO
PARKS

PRIVATE
GARAGES

TOTAL
CAPACITY.
STALLS

14178

31751

54el

Nit AUTOS
PARKED
DAILY

13247

:a8847

5181

N. AUTOS
PER STALL
PER DAY

...

1.23

.9S

-.

--

CAPACITY

AND TURNOVER
NlIAUTOS Nil AUTOS
TOTAL
CAPACITY
PARKED PER STALL
DAILY
PER DAY
STALLS.

ZONE

PUBLIC
GARAGES

PUBLIC
AUTO
PARKS

4773

7231

4g0

742

13238

118e3

.88

355

1030

794-

116

2345

3485

1.4g

PRIVATE
GARAGES

PRIVATE
AUTO
PARKS

9&4

1004

1068

1.08

1870

1325

785

15

3775

2007

.53

TOTALS

7782

95S8

2069

923

20360

18241

.eg

20

,I
.(

_ CAPACITY

AND

TURNOVER

PRIVATE
GARAGES

PRIVATE
AUTO
PARKS

TOTAL
CAPACITY
STALLS

5481

38gS

580eg

.,

5181

25511

.IC
'0

tS

.U

85

NlIAUTOS NlIAUTOS
PARKED PER STALL
PER DAY
DAILY

OFFS'fREET PARKING FACILITIES

DISTRICT
CEN T RAL BUSINES
GELES
CITY OF L S
TO ACCOJ~ AN
REPORT
ON RA~ID TRANSIT SYSTEM
FOR ,S:ITY OF LOS A"'GELES
DONALD M.BAKER CON. ENGR.

SgS31

1.07

N~V~B~o~ '~33_

Scale in Feet.

38

entered its Central Business District daily, and illustrates the very

inti~~te co~~unity

of interest between

such district and the entire Metropolitan Area.

The

factors mentioned in Part III of the report which resulted in the lack of extension of transportation facilities
and the increase in automobile usage have caused exccssive congestion in the approaches to the district and a
consequent decentralization.

The extent to which auto

traffic increases as the Central District is approached

and the relative' growth of such traffic from 1922 to
1932 is brought out in Plate 17.
Parking Facilities in Central Business District
A survey of curb parl::ing habits made by the writer
during Jillle and July, 1932, indicates that a maximum of
30,000 automobiles could park at the curb in the Central
Business District during business hours, providing each
automobile remained for the legal parking time limit of
forty-five minutes and one hour.

An actual count, however,

made by visiting each location every forty-five mintes,

indicated that only 20,000 automobiles actually parked
during business hours, due to overtime violations of the
parking ordinance,

It is probable that this figure is

somewhat less than the true number parked because of some

vehicles remaining less than the forty-five minutes.
A study of offstreet parking facilities in the

39

Central Business District, in the

Buru~er

Hill area, and in

the section between Fifth and Ninth Streets from Figueroa

to Bixel Streets, made early in 1932 by the Los Angeles
Bureau of Street Traffic Engineering, found 583 offstreet
parking places within the area, including public and private
auto parks and garages.
56,089

~arking

These places had a capacity of

stalls and parked 59,831 cars daily, or 1.07

automobiles daily per parking stall.

This figure is sig-

nificant inasmuch as it indicates that most people using

offstreet parking facilities apparently leave their cars
in such places during the entire day.

The rate of turn-

over of various types of' facilities was as folloV'ls:

I
j

Public Garages

.88

i
j

.'1'

I'

.f
~~

Public Auto Parks

1.23

Private Garages

.95

Private Auto Parks

.65

With around 275,000 automobiles daily entering the

Central Business District, with somewhat over 20,000 autos
actually parking at the curb and nearly 60,000 using offstreet parking facilities within the district and adjacent
areas, it would appear that thare are nearly 200,000 autos
entering the district which are either constantly driving
around the streets thereof looking for a place to park,
or are passing through it.

This condition, in connoction

with tho fact that tho downtown section of Los Angeles has
the smallest area of street space of any large city in tho

40

country, makes for servious traffic congestion.

Area of Usable Street Space in Terms of Total
Area of Central Business District

'% of Total Area

City
Los Angeles

2l~

Chicago

29

Detroit

29l

Pittsburgh

34

St. Louis

34t

Cleveland

39l

i4

,I I
I
!
~ I
I

~ I
: \
I i
\

Source: Report on Major Street Traffic Plan for City of

Los Angeles by Olmsted, Bartholomew & CheneY,1924.

Considerable decentralization of the Central

Business District has resulted from this congestion, and
loss of riding on rail facilities and increase in automoThe point has now been reached

where time losses due to congestion, losses in sales by

business concerns and from depreciation of property values,
are beginning to reach serious proportions.
Assuming a delay due to congestion of five minutes daily on the part of 700,000 persons who go into
the Central Business District, a value of
for the time of each person and

I ;

II

!I

Decentralization and Its Effect

bile use is continuing.

2/3t

It

per minute

per minute for oper-

oJ

fI

~: I
, I

41

ating time of automobiles,

7~

per minute for

oper~ting

time of street cars -- the annual cost of congestion in

traveling to and thrOU&l the Central Business District
amounts to nearly
sum.

$15,0~0,000

annually -- a staggering

Losses in sales in downtovnl stores, and thru depre-

ciation of prc:,?erty values a:;,"e likewise large, although

difficult to evaluate.
The assessed valuation of the Central Business District of Los Angeles

-~

extending from Temple to Pica and

from Los Angeles west to F'igueroa south of Fifth, and

west to Hill north of Fifth Street -- is this year
~168,OOO,OOO,

including land and improvenlents.

This amount

is equal to one-sixth of the assessed valuation of the en-,

tire City of Los Angeles, or one-tenth of the assessed
valuation of Los fulgeles County, and represents an actual
value at present of around one-third of a billion dollars.
The Central Business District as above described,
has a gross area of 0.824 square miles, or 528 acros.
The central core of this district, including land and improvements, and consisting of the area with an assessed
value in excess of

~~e.oo

per square foot, has a gross

area of 0.27 square miles, or 173 acres.

30% of this

area is taken up by dedicated streets and sidewalks. The

remainder is available for building space.
The center of tho business district, originally
located at the Plaza at the time of the founding of the

,t'i,
..
til:

42

city, has followed a general southerly and westerly di-

rection.

At the present time the center of the gross

floor area of' buildings within such area is located just

south of Sixth and Hill Streets.

Some idea of recent

rates of decentralization can be obtained from the followlng table:

Per Capita Use of Property and Gross Floor Space in Buildings - Central Business District
. ,.-.-tr:"

Gross
Occupied
ApproxFloor Space Land Area
imate
Per capita Ier Capita
City
Year Population
Sq.Ft.
Sg.Ft.

Annual
Rate of
Annual
Increase o~
Rate of
Occupied.
Increase of'
Floor Space Land Ares.
Per capita Per capits.
Sg.Ft.
S9 Ft

1909

300 000

48.8

15.0

53.2

17.8

1923

800 000

42.7

11.3

37.3

8.3

1930

1 200 000

38.1

8.8

24.3

5.6

Basic data from "Report on Feasibility of Regrading the

Bunker Hill Area" by Wm. H. Babcock & Sons, 1930.

Of further interest in this direction are figures

showing the fact that for an increase in popUlation of
100,000 which occurred during the period 1915-1920, approx-

imately 880,000 square feet or 20 acres of ground area

were built pon, and approximately 3,000,000 square feet
of gross floor area in buildings were added within the
central district.

For a similar rate of increase in popu-

:~

1
~

43

lation between the years 1927 and 1930, only 300,000

square feet of land area or 6.9 acres were built upon,
and 2,270,000 square feet of floor area were added in
buildings.

In general, land area occupied by buildings

increases in proportion to population, although at a

smaller rate as higher buildings are bUilt, but gross
floor area in business buildings should increase almost
in direct proportion to population growth.

These figures

are significant in that they indicate that new bUilding

development in the central district is not keeping pace
with population growth, but is taking place outside of
the central district.
;
"

.I

'I

VII.
lrEED FOR pt.:RT:mn TRAUSIT DEVELOPMENT
IHCLUDEiG HAPID TRANSIT

The general characteristics of the South Coastal

Basin and the Los Mlgeles Metropolitan District are

~avor-

able to continued, although somewhat

of

population.

slo~er, gro~th

So is the city and regional pattern.

Previous

If the population increase of 260% which took place in the

past twenty years ha.d occurred during t he period from 1890

partial city plan reports are conceived on the same basis.

to 1910, when mass transportation was only possible by

rail, considerable extensions of rail lines would have oc-

,
i

curred, with relatively high populatlon densities along

their routes.

Because this

gr~wth

occurred during the

automotive period, and because motor vehicle transit is

particularly favored by the climate of the region, tbe
general city pattern has assumed a wide-spread and relatively less dense aspect than could have been foreseen.

Ii

In-

stead, theI'efore, of a considerable increase in riding

habit on eXisting rail linos, keeping pace with the growth
of population, it has steadily declined during the last
ten years.
This decline is not entirely due to the emotional
forco of possessing a private mode of transportation, nor
to prosent economic conditions, although these could be
considered contributing factors.

Tho fact is that because

of growth in the usc of motor vehicles, conditions on

I.'

Ii

45

the highways -- upon which most of the rail lines in the

City of Los Angeles and many in the suburban areas have
been placed -- the delc.ys at intorsectiong streets, and t lle
final congestion enCOltntered when the Central Busir-ess
District is reached, have resulted in retarding surface
rail movements, and riders have deserted rnil transportation for tDe more rapid motor vehicle.

The vicious spiral,

rail riders to e.1..<.tos, more autos, more congestion, s'lower

i

!I

rail schedules, and again more rail riders to autos -as has been demonstrated in other cities and countries,
eventually leads to separation of grades, elevated or
subway transit. ,
It has been quite definitely established by studies
such

a~

virons

~-

those of the negional Plan of New York and its Enthat it is an economic necessity for about one

person in three of the population residing within a metropolitan district to daily asse!'1blE: and transact their
business in the heart of the cormnunity commonly known as
the CC!ltral Businoss District.

Her-o

business can be

transacted with the greatest efficiency and the most dispatch.

At present 30 out of every 100 persons living

within the los Angeles Metropolitan District enter the

.
central district during tho twelve hours of each business
day, and 52 out of every 100 persons living within a ten

mile radius entsr tho aroa.

,l
",,'j,"

1924,

indic~tc

Studies ma.de in New York in

that the ratio of 30 per 100 living within

II

,:It

'I

II

il

I!

,;

"

46

a twenty mile radius of the Metropolitan District like-

wise entered the centr2.l a.rea daily, the population within an approximate twenty nile radius in 1924 being 9,700,000.
Assluning this rate to continue locally, by 1945, or
twelve years hence, there should be in the neighborhood of
1,070,000 persons daily entering the Central Business Dis-

i'
i

trict, of Los Angeles, which district by that date may be

somewhat enlarged in area over that at present.
In 1931, 435,000 persons entered the district by
automobile, using sOliiewhat ovel' 275,000 vehicles.
f~miliar

Anyone

with local conditions in Los Angeles must admit

that the saturation point, as far as automobile traffic is

concerned, is fast approaching, or may even be considered
&s reached. Curb and offstreet parking facilities will probably not be materially increased because they cannot be
economically justified.

Taking the optimistic view that

probably 75,000 more automobiles could physically enter

the Central Business during a business day, this would
bring the total automobiles entel'ing daily in the neighborhood of 350,000, carrying 550,000 persons, and still
leaving 520,000 to reach it by rail and bus transportation.
In-1931 the street railroads transported 250,000
persons into the area and the busses 12,000.

It is quest-

ionable whether, with an additional 75,000 automobiles

entering

t~e

area, rail and bus lines could or would trans-

port more than this

fi~~e.

I.f the growth of this section

47

J!

)
continues in accordance with the estimates of future pop
le..tion given and business is not to be throttled, it is
obvious that considerably before 1945, some means of impl'oved mass transportation to and from the centra.l district
will become a vital necessitY4

The rapid transit system

described hereafter with its initial units proposed in this

report, is suggested as a first step in the solution.
Not alone is a rapid transit system necessary for
the stabilization ai' the Central Business District and for
tying it in with outlying centers, but it is likewise essential to maintain the present wide distribution of population which now exists and which makes living conditions
so attractive in this section.

If such a system is not

provided, two courses will be open to fu.ture population

comingto the community. A large portion will either be
forced to congregate in

den~y

settled areas close to the

Central Business District in order to have proper access

to it, or it will continue to spread out in smaller centers
with further losses from instability and decentralization
taking place.

Wnilc no one living in this area desires

to sec congestion of business activities reach the point

wh1ch exists in the larger eastern cities -- such as New
York, Chicago and Philadolphia -- nevertheless concentration of such activities in one place is

desirabl~,

and

from the standpoint of efficiency in doing business, is

,I
~

'",:1

,
1"

necessary.

I;
J,

{I
I ~ ... - 1~

48

A rapid transit system affords the only plan for

this section whereby that portion of the residents of this
!

community who must, in order to transact their business

efficiently, come to the Central Business District

I,
~
I,

dai~Yl

"I

nay maintain their homes in outlying areas of low pcpu:a-

til

tion density, and still reach their place of business daily

II
:1

wihtout undue losses and delays.

"

I
I:

,t

Adjustments of the transit plan should, however, not

. I'

.(

"

stop with the development of rapid transit alone.

Only

.J

Ii

.,1;

sufficient time and expense have been donated to this pre-

:11

,,' 'IiIi

sent study to assure procedure under the plan proposed be-

"....

..I

J;

ing logical and consistent with the final and ultimate

organization of all transit and transportation facilities.

r
,f

larger and more detailed study is urgently required.

)

Instead of an occasional dip into such eXisting

......

factual information as has been available, there should be

an exhaustive analysis of such data and a. supplementary
collection of such additional racts as are

ne~sary.

Be-

ginning with the plan which has been developed by the Regional Planning Commission for a county-wide system of
major highways -- and proceeding thru the various phases
of transportation to and from the city by railroad, automotive, air linos and
motor bus

a~d

V{

ater lines; transit by surface rail,

rapid transit sUbway and elevatod linos,

public recreation or parks, playgrounds, schools, pleasure

places nnd,drivewnys -- which are now also receiving at-

I'

49

II

",

tention from the Regional Planning Commission -- a review of existing zoning regulations, and finally some
effective means of improving the city's appearance

-~

complete and comprehensive city plan must be evolved if

whatever is done about the transit and

transpo~tation

adjustment to the best advantage is to bring about the

stabilization of property values, and the economical
and orderly development of the city.

..."...".
"

NOTE:

"

Reroute florence

and La Bred Bus Lines

.r~-'

viet Rapid Transit Terminals

: ..... PROPOSED RAPID TRANSIT

SYSTEM.
9.

(l

OPOSSlaLE FUTV~E EXTENSIONS.

COMPREliENSIVE
PLAN
.

~\II
& "1..,

Cb ./

.AURt::AU UF1,NOINE:E:RIHG
U1.MJ 1I\!JIiWJI

!.A""(~.HI'Il:MI..

CITY 'OFLOS ANGELES

"'c.. .
'c.
Is)"
<:

ANDl1U:'

METRO PO UTAN DISfRl CT

/
/

PACIfIC'ELEctRIC LINES
.. ... T"''-''W

'r"""'"

-r--~,

_ .....

;t':"~

I
.)

~I-I<
. ",

r . . ;.,'

("7")-

..,

I .......

,'II

'"w......
'.

,..

-' ~ ,

I'

~'-

'.

"-:
I

J
}

.'

,
;'

:.;

., .
,'

"

50

II

i ~J

VIII.
COMPREHENSIVE TRANSIT PLAN

!~ ...1

i,

;~

In consiqering a comprehensive transit plan for the

Los Angeles Metropolitan District, not ,only must all of '

Ii i

11:

the factors me~t1oned in the preceeding section be ,thought

of, but also tile existing surface rail and motor transit
lines must be iven special consideration.

In addition,
I

the possibilit~ of future use of certain of the steam railroad lines is not to be neglected.

J"
::f

Active consideration is

,hU

being given at the present time to coordination and unifica-

,fiJI ~

\i,~~

tion of stewm ~ailroad lines under the direction of Joseph

"(-J

B. Eastman, aPPointed by President Roosevelt as the Nation-

, ',:;1'

.-'

al Coordinator iot Railroads.

I

r
:I

./

functioning uncier the general direction of lU'. Eastman,

1

general divisicms of the country, comprising the eastern

'"

Each division is

further sUbdiVl,ded into specific economic areas, one of which,

the Pacific Cod.at region, comprises Washington, Oregon,
I

'

erly Vice-Presi'.dent of the "Frisco Lines".

At present there

are no plans a ailable as to what may ultimately result

from such coor i.1nation studies as are being conducted by
the Federal G01lternmont.
It is

Po~sible to

give only the briefest nnd most

cursory consid~ration to a comprehensive transit plan at

iii

Utah and Califc,rnia, in charge of J. E. Hutchinson, form-

[:

1 (

with regional 0r district coordinators in charge of three

lines, western:lines
and southern lines.
I

i Ii

This governmental office is

~~1

..

C.AGLe.

PROPOSED RAPID TRANSIT LINES

-'"..!..!..!.!!..!-

""'
oI'""tlO of. '''''CII. WI""
P'ltON.u JI T--'~ "".-,.
fl'lIIOJIII(ItlD

TaAl;A ~. .,.

I'IIO"Q.JQt , TtU.ca _U".""

I"JIO"Oan I ~. 11.1"""
I'fIIO..a .... , TIlACA ON_ art

nile", ...." CVT

"1101"0'
" .. .,...c wf'hl .,.......... _,...t....~ItON

"'"0'"
"."C 0"
...."art
PUH.I
,..It.TIO

1"0.......

~TINA
II
OTN LU'" 0,. YMlI

~".I(.

.. ~CTIIIC .........
l:* fill ........
LIMO

~,.

'''~l

CrT"

L. IlL ...~."

.,

"'IM"?

I......."'"'. .N.",LUll".......""'.'u"....
1.......

.,. AU"""""'" ........... It

iHn....

wM'

K.. """...

"0.'.".
PVTUM bTI
MaTa......."... ......

.....

....,.",

t~.. IU.'tONI

rufVllrl

L I ..

co.

nnlln

ROC/(

.i
i'

:1,.

.)
if
..

.~'

this time.

For convenience, such consideration as is

. !'j

herein given is subdivided into the following phases:

Los Angeles Union Station
Grade Crossing Elimination
Coordination of Railroad Lines
Relation of Pacific Electric Lines and
Steam Railroad Lines
Relation of Los Angeles Railway Lines and
Steam Railroad Li~os
Relation of Los Angeles Railway Lines to
Motor B,IS Systems
Relation of Los Angelos Railway Lines to
Proposed Rapid Transit Lines
Relation of Motor Bus Systens to Rapid
Transit System
Relation of Motor Bus Systems to steam
Railroad Lines

.I

.t

./

Proposed Los Angeles Union Station

. A plan has been completed and approved by the necessary authorities for the construction of a new Union Sta- -'.,,tion for the city to be located in the so-culled Plaza site fronting on Alameda Street in the Civic Center area near

I' .'
.-

the City Hall.

This project will result in tho abandon)

1;

i:

mont of tho present district passenger stations, and to a

considerable degree will affoct the present plan of opera~

tion of the various railroad lines.

Tho location and gen-

oral arrangement of the proposed station facilities are

indicated on Plate 22.

It will be noted that tho proposed

rapid transit facilities will afford service to and from

the Union Station by means of rapid transit provided for

I
l

j:
I

in the four principal diroctions.

The station is a logical

i
I

I
I

" \

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

tlIGHWAY PLAN
Sc:alc.JMllcI

Prepared

.......... -....
in tlte office of

THE R.EGIONAL 'PLANNING COMMrSSION ~ COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

Charles H.Di,'Js - 'Dindlor
W. J. FOll: - eh/if ~JlIeer
J, A. Mellen - Hi9'hwQ!I Ellfineer

..

EXISTING AND PROPOSED

GRADE SEPARATIONS
-=::::IQl::=::;-

LEGEND
~

t::::J

EXI.&TING GRADE SEPARATIONS

PROPO$D GRAOE SEPARATIONS
PRopoSED G~DE SEPARATIONS-I YAR PLAN

PRoF-OSEe FUTURE GRADE "EP. -5 YEAR PLAN

L.INES OF PACIFfC ELECTRIC RAILWAV CO.

LINES OF S.P.R.R" U.P.Il.R. & A:T. &5.1. RY.

TO ACCO*",PA,N'I

REPO~T

ON

A RAPID TRANSIT $"t'STEW

rOR CITY 0",1..05 ANGI..E:S

OON.....LO M.BAAE~CQo.lS ENGR

NOVEt.4BER 1933

52 -,

',_.--i'.,:
.

,~.,

{j,-',,,

~_,

first step in the coordination and unification of rail-

-"

:,:r

~},.'-:>'
-:5', . '.>"~'

road facilities of the city, and the tentative suggestions shown on the comprehentive plan for possible future
use of rail lines for rapid transit have been made with
the view of taking advantage of operating changes which
will result from the construction of the Union Station.
l'

Grade Crossing Elimination

Plate 23 shows the intersections of major highways
. and the Pacific Electric and steam railroad lines where
grade separation structures have either been constructed
or are proposed under the five year plan agreed upon by
;j

the 'various railroads and public agencies. The possibilities of the use of these various railroad lines for rapid

W
Ii.
I:,

!.
I::
,"

"

transit are enhanced by the past construction or proposed

separation of grades at these intersections.

Coordination of Railroad Lines

The location of the various railroad lines within
the city, together with their

pass~~Ger

and freight

sta~

tions, yards and terminal facilities, are shown on the

opposite Plate, Comprehensive Transit Plan of the city.
Within the city the possible use of some of these eXisting
railroad facilities for rapid transit appears logical and
probable under the program which will be set up by the

I,

II

..

53
r

I'

railroad coordinator, and a certain amount of joint use

~
1,

of existing facilities by the rail lines will be realized.

The independent ownership and use of railroad facilities
within the city have resulted not' only in the installation of' more main line trackage than 9.'Ppears to be requir-

t,

ed, but also in duplication of passenger and freight stationa, classification yards, and facilities for storage,'
maintenance and repairs to rolling stock.

For example, in

the Arroyo Seco area the Union Pacific and Santa Fe lines
practically parallel each other, lying only a short distance apart; in the northern part of the city the Southern

...

Pacific and Union Pacific lines along the Los Angeles Riverr
are similarly located.

To the southeast the Santa Fe and.!

Union Pacific lines would serve very largely the same area';'

and branch lines extending to Long Beach and the Harbor

.... "'.

district of the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific might

reasonably be expected to be subject to such adjustment
that this business could be handled in a single location.
It would therefore appear that at some time in the future
under the comprehensive rapid transit plan, eXisting steam

;!
i'

I~

J
(

railroad trackage might be used for this purpose in the

northern part of the city; in the northeastern section;

\i

southeastward towards Orange County; southward toward the

\)

Harbor district; and southwestward thru Inglewood.

tivo suggestions are thcrcrore included in the

Tenta-

comprehensiv~

rapid transit plan for such use of these lines, and they
,

{
J

..~,

\
I

'

it
Ii

H
i:

are indicated on Plato 22 with reference to the rapid

transit

faci~ities

which are proposed to be constructed

at the present time.

Relation of, Pacific Electric & Steam RailrQad

Fnci]ti~~

The present proposals covering construction of

rapid transit facilities are neoessarily more intimately
related to existing Pacific Electric lines than to the
railroad lines, as no commuter or transit service isropplied by the latter.

The determination of future exten-

sions of present proposed rapid transit facilities and

whether or not the use of steam lines for such extensions
is desirable, or can be justified will depend upon a more

detailed study of the various factors concerned in the

problem than can be undertaken at this time.

However, it

will be noted tllat the locations selected for the pro sent
construction not only serve as entrances to the central
part of the city fron the four general directions from
which rapid transit service is now most urgently needed,
but also connections to it

cfu~

readily be made from any

of the steam lines which it may be ultimatoly determined

could be used for this purpose.

Many of the steam rail-

road linos are paralleled more or less by one of the lines

of the Pacific Electric radiating from tho central part
of the city, and tho choice
thoreby augmented.

o~

possible filture routes is

55

~ation

Los Angelen Railwa;r., J...Jines to Steam Railroad

Facilities

\~11le,the

accompanying comprehensive transit plan

does not contemplate any extensive changes in the

...

sur~ace

"

rail lines of the Los Angeles Railway, these lines'are

.'

largely confined to serving the area in the central part

of the city lying within a five milo radius from the central
point at Seventh and Broadway.

Further study will, no

doubt, indicate a considerable amount of readjustment in

these lines to properly coordinate them with rapid transit
facilities.

In making these adjustments consideration

will be given to any utilization of the steron railroad

lines, in addition to their possible use as part of the
rapid transit system, to relieve congestion in certain
sections now resulting from the almost universal use of
downtown streets by the Los Angeles Railway Lines.

Relation-Los Angeles Railway Lines to Motor Bus Systems

The motor bus lines operated by the Los Angeles Railway have been located with the principal object of serving
as feeders to the Company's rail lines, altho they do, in
a measure, afford somo cross-town service in addition.
There is no coordination betweon motor bus linos operated
by other companies and Los Angolos street railway lines,
insofar as these bus lines may be said to have been designed to afford service to the central part of the city.

1'1-

'/
"

.i'

..

56

Thero are instances -- as for exwmple, the Bay Cities

and Santa Monica Municipal Bus Line

where service is

afforded to the outlying areas from the end of a car "line

but in general the bus lines are either in direct competitIon with the street railway lines or serve specific
areas without any evident intention of

their use as a

part of a comprehensive plan.

RELATION of Los Angeles Railway Lines to Propo~~e_d~

Rapid Transit Lines.

No operation of Los Angeles Railway lines is oontemplated over the present proposed rapid transit lines.
As shown on Plate 21, certain minor adjustments have been
suggested, but it is not intended in this report to outline a general revision of the operation of Los Angeles
Railway lines.

There are certain results and benefits to

the Los Angoles Railway lines which will naturally follow

the construction of initial units of a rapid transit system.

The interurban service of the Pacific Electric should

be entirely removed from downtovnn streets, in which event

the schedules of the Los Angeles Railway lines can be
speeded up.

In addition, tho tendency for persons living

in the aroas tributary to the rapid transit syntem will

be increasingly toward the use of the system and a.way from
private automobiles.

This will result in a reduction

in the number of automobiles entering and leaving or

.57

passing thru the business district, which will reduce

congestion therein, thereby
service of

Lo~

allo~ing

Angeles Railway lines.

improvemen: in

~he

Beyond doubt, the

I

declining trand of riding on the Los Angeles Railway lines

ha~

been due, to a considerable extent, to increasing

difficulty in operating cars into and thru the central

.f

congested district, for -- while the .average base schedule'

for the system is IIi miles per hour -- this is reduced
to as low as 4 to 6 miles an hour as the central area is

,
j

.,i....;

approached.

The net result of these various factors will, L.

be an increased amount of riding on Los Angel~s RailwaYl'

.

, lines, which, within a reasonable period, will more than

overcome any dire,ct losses from the Los Angeles Railway
lines to the rapid transit lines.

Relation of MotorBus Systems to Rapid Transit Systems

The comprehensive plan -- Plute 21 -- indicates the
eXisting motor bus service, both local and interurban,
within the city.

Due to the

~xible

nature of this service

no attempt has been made in the comprehensive plan to outline, to any extent, the changes which may be found desirable and necessary in the present routes.

Certain min-

or adjustments have been indicated which, without any

great amount of detailed study, are r0udily apparent as

j
j

desirable in connection with the proposed rapid transit

plans.

58

Relation of Motor Bus Systems to Steam Railroad Lines

At the present time there is no very intimate relation between motor bus service and steam railroad lines.
It is known that the automotive industry has given some
consideration to a type of vehicle which can be operated
on both the city streets and rail lines, and it may be
possible that in connection with further studies of this
general subject some thought should be given to this
feature.
Effect of Various ?hases Upon the

Compreho~sive

Plan.

The Union Station will make possible the removal of

passenger service of the Union Pacific from the Union

i:

Pa~

cific-Southern Pacific connection between Washington and

Leonard Streets, facilitating the use of this track for
rapid transit, if desired.
Its construction would also make possible, should
it prove expedient, the extension of rapid transit service over either the Santa Fe or Union Pacific tracks nortbward from Alsio street along the Los Angeles River.
The elimination of various grade crossings under the
five year plan and such additional crossings as may be
agreed upon at various major highways will reduce running
tDno upon the existing Pacific Electric Railway lines, as
well as facilitating the use of steam railroad lines for
rapid transit in the future should this prove desirable.

;I'

59

i,

The coordination of tho steam railroad lines and

terminal facilities should be worked out with the future

rapid transit requirements in mind, and this consideratIon should be an

impo~tant

road coordination

proble~.

...

factor in solving the 1'ail-

-'

In any plan agreed upon, such use of the Pacific

\

Electric and steam railroad lines in handling the rapid

transit and freight requirements of the city should be

made as will result in the most economical and desirable

plan, from the standpoint of both the city and the carriers.,
t ..,

While no very intimate relation now exis"ts between

'.
j

the local street railway lines and the steam lines,

;.

sig~~
./

should not be lost of any opportunities to coordinate

these, and this appears to be possible in at least one instance, namely, better service for the Eagle Rock area intp."
the Central Business District.
Motor bus operation will have to be rearranged in
relation to the Los Angeles Railway lines so that areas
served by these oarriers may be either tributary to the
appropriate surface rail lines in eaoh oase; replace certain of the rail lines; fUnction as cross-town lines; as
routes between population centers outside of the Contral
Business District; or as extensions of the Los Angeles
Railway lines into sparsely settled areas where this may
be dono without affecting adversely tho future rapid

transit system.
i

,1

j
,d

..

60

There need be no hesitation in stati=':1 that the

proposed rapid transit lines will dispense with' certain
lines

or

the Los Angeles Railway and will curtail the

tent of use of others.

ex~

The general effect, however, will

be to increase riding on all car linea . F'actors which

will bring this about are:
The use of automobil~s to and from the .central
area will be reduced.
The use of the downto,~ streets by Paci~ic
Electric Railway cars will be reduced. This
means better service ~or the street railway
cars, and that in turn will encourage riding.
Combining street railway lines with rapid
transit lines -- as in Eagle Rock service
will increase riding on such lines because
of ~aster service.
Crowding on lines now fed by certain bus lines
will be reduced -- this has already been the
source of complaint by riders using the line
~or the more profitable ahort hauls -- and the
ahort haul riders will be increased.
Certain motor bus lines which now operate in
direct competition with the street railway
lines should be used as feeders to the rapid
transit lines. Also new lines may be necessary
depending upon a ~ider and more detailed study
of the transit requirements. Other lines should
be re-routed to avoid duplication of service
with the rapid transit lines.
The use ot any of the steam railroad lines or
rights-ot-way by motor busses is only remotely
possible if some satisfactory vehicle is made
practicable.

61

IX.
PLAN OF INITIAL RAPID TRANSIT ROUTES PROPOSED

justify the construction of a comprehensive system of

rapid transit for the entire Los Angeles Metropolitan
District.

Such comprehensive system will come with

in cOnm1unity growth.

incr~ase

The initial development herewith

t.,

p'ro~:,

posed serves immediate needs, and is planned as a frame-'

work from which a comprehensive system may be expanded in
the future through a.. program of grade separations and/or ")_ extensions of subway and elevated structures.

This

pl~

"
consists of four routes, extending in four directions fpom

the heart of the City of Los Angeles, serving

respectiv~ly,

(a) Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley; (b) the south-.,

eastern and southern portions of the Metropolitan District

from Yfuittier to San Pedro; (c) the densely settled western
section of the City of Los Angeles and the Santa Monica
Bay region from Redondo to Santa Monica, and (d) the San
Fernando Valley, Burbank and Glendale.

As shown on Plate

Under this plan, rapid transit service is possible

in all directions thru the approximate center of population and along the major lines of its distribution.

In

addition to affording facilities for the groatest number

of people living on all sides of the Central Business Dis
trict to reach that district in less time than they can at
present on public transit lines, it provides for those re-

28~

62

siding east of the district and along rapid transit

I
l
~

!
I;

routes to make trips to the west coast beaches without,

delay and in much less time than is now possible by using public carriers.
Since there appears to be a lesser need for thru
service in a north~south direction, the principal riding
being to and from the Central Business District, a connection between the elevated section of the proposed line
running out of the Pacific Electric terminal and the Glendale line at the Subway Terminal Building cannot at present be economically justified.

Pasadena-San Gabriel Valley Line

The plan proposed contemplates a subway north and
south thru the downtown section as far south as Tenth
Street, extending northward thru the Civic Center and the
proposed Union Passenger Station to Aliso Street, and

I l

thence eastward.

It will cross the Los Angeles River ei-

ther by bridge or by tube, depending upon the outcome of

detailed cost studies, returning to the present surfaco
tracks at Mission Road.

This line will serve Pasadena,

the San Gabriel Valley and other easterly lines, and will
eliminate serious delays now encountered thru the presQnt
crowded dOvmtown streets . Cost estimates given herein El.re
based upon crossing

lli~der

the Los Angeles River by a tube,

the more expensive of the two means of crossing.

The ex-

' i.'
.",
\

,
-

. , i ~\

...

," . ' I I ~;

.': T' ,., ,,",.

_.

~ . . . . .#

7'?

\ ..... ~ ..

IS'O.

_~:

S'

SECT, CI-.1

THiGCUGH

4-- TQ.ACK..

.sUBWAy

Los Angelss
Sociology

If
1--

s
, I-

Ii-

~.

\'f,~

T.bfi. ..,

'fc.-::tr~<

TO ACCOMPANY REF
A RAPID TRANSIT
FOR CITY OF LOS j
DONALD M. BAKER. COl
NOVEMBER 19

THQOVG H

5E.CTION

+--_.~._-_.-

-_.

__

2-TQ.AC.K..

----1.: ~&/~e-~,_/_~"'

._~------'-----_.

v'

.,

/~-_C

~_~

__

s~ a.le

J'-

$0;,,1..

i'-I!"""f,

FI'DI t

.. . .
~

1..~Jttnl

...,
,

i.

..s ECTI 0

t-.J

,.YDICAL D~"''''''IL
s

.& ... /

&.

of Dec.K..
/~ ~

"..

f\I .. ... !-==i_1

':"f ~ .. y.-'
,~''
.., ----1
r~. ":>"~"'~";'''t;r,''
...-
.
"

-- ~'"

~'-, '1~j4I;i

. ' .. L":1;j'

-, -,,'

I;'

'17-;

. '.

c ..c

....

"

~-,<",-~~flol' 'n:
'

. , c . / ..

"

Public Library

Deoartment~';':Q'

.s ~ .... /

c.. :

----- ------------------

. . .

./

,..>'.;:::rJC.ALD~.,.A:L.. Of'W'A!...L..
.:~

' _

/':'0'

~---------~-------_.~-

-,...

..' "

ON
EM
.ES
4CR.

S E.CT ION TH

--"_ ')'

"i""'"g

Q.OUG 14

.5

TQ.ACIL

.s UBWA y

PACIFIC E1.ECTRIC RAIl-WAY CO.

,C'rNt
I

~r.. t

.s_t..T7~1
,~,-" ~:,
."co'
.

~,

.-::;...--

l-

...

.'

I'R

r 1",

r\,-I!~:::
~"~r.'in"""
v;:'

"

,:~

LOS

r-r_ .... ..e;.4/Z,.

m Br
.

.,

-~

.. j
.0.1 0.,',
Pubilc lil-,.

I,

Sooiology Department

'

:~

~~

'

..:",.,

.4I.~a

r.,

rt ~'

"1

~!

'I

nl

II
Ii!

!--

r-~r~~

//1T'

=!F'.L- "
,.

"-

L
--,
f-- _
- - _~ -e----

::j

rij

I'

f L E,~.A'

y... ..

/:&/
(

_..-.
I

Ange\' pubHc tJbra~.~

Q91010 I D_epartment. ~
1

==-=

LOS

~.j.!!J.LA:.L-_'

I
I

-::.-=:

!..
'i

. I

TO ACCOMPANY
A. RAPID TRANS

FOR CITY OF LC
DONALD M. BAKER
NOVEMBEI

1
1

,-

!1

~~

______1_,'.~l.-_..:;or"i"'1'i-t
..

-1'71
:. ~
..;o=rp;;...-_......

t
,I

IIr

"

1
1
I

[8

II

u:",'

..-.,.,

If......

:
:1
I

i[

'

J.

"-

AJ:"'-

",1

-.. .ri:} .
,J,

~~A"-.t- ...-:::.t
,'-i f
,/
ill

,-

./
.,.,.,..-,

,.

......

'.
';

./

.~

II

'1 81~"'I.'~4i

1i'

/./

'-....... I
I

..:.J"
:

.. "pLAN

or

..5rL reA/"fIN::i-

..

~~/~,tI"

Los Angeles .-. '. 'ie Libr::lht

,

. I
-J
ogy l.--Lif-Jdrtment

t
i

...... OGIO

\
I

REPORT ON
'T SYSTEM
S ANGELES
Cm\lS. ENGR.

--

PACIFIC E1..ECTRIC RAILWAY CO.

Pa6Po~~D

L 0 $.

~~A~~TED

A Il G I!. 1. l!'~'

.~~~"..

CA J-

...."

I! ,. AI 1--:>

~.J:." r731-c=l
~-

\.
-.
...::.. .

II

"

~.: .... ;,..; . ~-.. ~

. i

\I

II

,0 g "j,
T ,Y
l. , W L Z
~-/:-'-------.-'---'-J-,/\-t:>-I/-..,....--it/-...-,-.oc:..-";'~-"""""I:.._--'---""";"----+I----'""'~=-"-"-:"'''''''']
Q

kfIZU,,-_-:-.------~---...:I- .. ------'---------......,.------l-----~Jt{,=.:::.=

r
I

J
Ih_ I..
~~

. '.M,r.ZI1Nn~

+------.-,

L.

i;
.."rl'W
--

~I

,I

=....:...:=. -_....:....

~
.U

r,.---,-....:.....::;
.....:,:.
..;:;"....

!!

...":",::"'::n,

I ,. D ,
._---_-=-_....:....

IV'"

---

T'Je~'p~.e

PLAN'

AT

.....

7r"------'--------!:.Irl.:..:..~~..~r~"

L,,/Y,.:..t....:/
A
..5Tt::U=..ET L e . . v . E : . L . \ . 0
r,>"

C.

. _

__
---;-~e.--::::::..

/.

4Q ,. ... ,/

,--

" "

,~

...

f#" ,. .....

..JIIOIIIlIf~.:;-

LOS

A'nge'ies

pt.:t,rIG L

.Soc~GJogy Departn

Fe C'pE n ..r_-_
y
LINI!
....

- ...-

r---------.. - _..

................

. - - - - - - . - ..- - - .

L,

,.,

.PLAN

A r

J'

""'7--N

e./"

e.ZZA /'lINe....

e _ /.

.. ~

/'. _

If .....

_ _"

."

F ..

,,t-

t
J' ,. ,. "'f
I

Los Ar\;;,. '

'_C:~ 1~.:1G8jes Public Libra r :.

;SocioI0~

er

.40Ci~10gr D~partm.ent
~, ..

-, j

.-- r

.-

.-,.

a... iQl

54;

. _

1i

L
AM

'-'

G,........

,~~:J&:s ... -'bS&iLJiitt.A.,S..;g- 2&s."

I .
I

PLAN

If

P~

l2- A

, ,.

-------t-:.

.. p ~ ,; :; y

L,

C- k::..,

II

~~

t:.. V..e: L

......... .. .. ,. .. , ,
.-~

.,..

, ....

TO ACCO....PANY R
A RAPIO TRANSIT
FOR CITY OF LOS
DONALD M. BAKER. C
NOVEMBER

-----------~

I--------i.-.

~t

-~

f."

."

.'

'~'

..

.cC "T /

A ... A .

IV

~-
A1#.c~""I".

'i ....

"

't
~

....

........

'-

--

-~.

11

jl

.~

~.

-.

-.

11:,

~I

. 1
"'"

.,..
J

.,t
e..CT/ON
f

~I

. . ."

B-B

"'-...

/ ' - /o/,J

.. ~

-f

'. tc..rl

~i SIN t

rt ~< .. tlt

or

.-J!._

~
1 " - '._., - .

;.}I~:;==:=;.
.
-----:

c.

i
i

wr

.;S

14~" I,

-- - -

PAc:1PlC ELEcTRIC RAILWAV

~Y REPORT ON
SYSTE:M
ANCE:LES
ONS.ENGR.
1933

.,

- ,,.;.

NSIT

l~ ..

... ..\.-J

co.

}'

...

,,,

..... ., ...
- 5.~.1731-b

'

.'

I@
l~..

~.

I .

IfAi.r LO/VII/rthO//VAL -SEer/ON

~ C .... 44 ~ .. J'.:b-

.w

k"

rn

........_... _._-- ... ---- ..- -..4 - -.. - -.. - - ' .. _ . ..::

J/!.

I'

'"""---'---liIii;II._.,.....
. ..------:--~

;~lirK

I
I

...=>r,L~"-T

( ...----_-,,-."'-,..~.lpi9l,...lt"'=_==..,=,,=:u-----'j~H:-

i::::~_:-:-~-7-~-1-"'-.~1 I I
!
I'

P.L A

Ar 5 r.eEEr. L-eVEL'

.11(.

,.

.,

. . . . ""

Public LIbrary
Department,.

~j "~,:" _ ." -~~---~~~~~~~=

r

,.I_A

."

I
I

i'

__'-

tI~~~.=.~~::~

'.~

-~

..#JItr:.

~II"'-:'

--~,--_._-'.

""",-_...
-M*n'~

_
~.t
-"
__ ZoUM'

\!i)

.
""""

TO ACCOMPANY R
A RAPID TRANSIT
FOR CITY OF LOS
DONALD M. BAKER, C
NOVEMBER I

..

.- ,
,:~,

... ;

....

::'\ - ' . "': :y:' '".':.

J,

...

.'

o
or

II"

l-

....:..

-J,.I2'2~"~ _ _~

._j...l

'Ii

~,oPI""4Zr/~//f4t

,J

I
.j

I-

.f

'- ...........

Los Angeles p:, ~ 'it Library

ccf"';~ln"r
:::>
\J ..... ~~I .J Oe':"cJtment
r
)'...-J!

--,-.,.,.. ......

_.

PACIFIC Et.ECTltIC RAILWAV

'0 ACCOMPANY REPORT ON

,RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM
OR CITY Of LOS ANGELES
(
) M.8AKER. CONS.ENGR;
JOVEMBER /933

-....

REV1!1late

eo.

1Z0-.PJJ.~~D'-,:~U.e t/IQ"
.t.OA,::cA:1l:6eL~::!>.'6A
-

..'~,-ff..

e . :'T'n.A e. K. .

-~~-----'-

~.f..173

63

; .

act location of the north and south sUbway, as discussed

later, is subject to further study during construction , etc.
It is planned to have a subway station adjoining
the new Union Passenger station" in the Civic Center , connected with such station by a subway ooncourse.

The line

will consist of a two traok subway from its entrance near

.r

the Los Angeles River, extending south to about Fourth St.

From there a four track section will continue south to
Tenth Street , thence west to Figueroa, with turn-back facilities being provided at the latter point.

This four

track section will be so constructed that thru service

may later be arranged in connection with it from Glendale

.,I

and the San Fernando Valley, and westward from Vineyard

and the Western area -- the latter, however, being the

. I

service which will be first established.

..

Cross sections ,

,!

station plans, etc., of the subway thru the Central Business District are shown on Plates 24, 26 and 27.

Long Beach -- San Pedro Line

The elevated line southward towards San Pedro and
Long Beach will commence just east of the present Pacific
Electric terminal at Sixth and Main Streets, and will be
I

located on a wide private right-or-way which will transverse a district largely devoted to industry.

The usual

objection to construction of rapid transit 1inos will

not , therefore, be applicable in this case and SUbway

r,

lt

-,

64

construction need not be resorted to.

Moreover, future

possible extensions along railroad lines indicated on the

plans may be accomplished by partial elevation of track
. Iii i

and elimination of major highway grade crossings.

The

type of construction for this plan is shown on Plate 25,

and service required on it will be amply provided for by
the two track structure shown.

With future excessive

expansion and development occurring between the central

part of the city and tho Harbor district, more elevated
structures may be required, rights-of-way provided being
ample for this purpose.

Vineyard Line
This consists of a four track subway.on a north and
south street -- to be selected after further study --

, ')
,

from about Fourth Street to Tenth and Figueroa Streets.

It will be a continuation of the Pasadena Line.

From

Figueroa, a three track subWay will continue along Tenth

Street to Hoover, thence in a straight line to Ei&lth st.
which it will follow for a short distance, until it meets
with the existing Pacific Electric
Harvard Boulevard.

ri~~t-of-way

near

It follows this right-Of-way beneath

the surface and in an open cut to a point near Pico and

West Boulevards, there coming to the surface and crossing
I

II

Pico on an elevated structuro to join the present Paci.f::'C'

Electric tracks at Vinoyard Junction.

From here west,

-.

65

.!J
j.
.~
1

existing surface lines are used to the coast.

track line will provide local service for the large

I"~ I'

The three

: I ,

iiI'
I
,

population residing between Vineyard and the Central District, and express service to points west of Vineyard.

the Pasadena-San Gabriel Valley line along Hill Street,

.t

a connection can be made with the Glendale-San Fernando

Valley Line at small cost, bringing thEe trains to Tenth
and Figueroa Streets.
Before the exact north and south downto\Yll. street
upon wh1chthis subway is to be located can be .definitely"
established, it will be necessary to make further investi~
,

gations into such mat tors as cost of construction, under:dur~

ing construction, and operating schedules, and if the

results of such studies indicate the advisability of locating this line on some street other than Hill, the connection between it and the Glondale-San Fernando Valley
Line will involve somo considerable cost, and a decision
upon the final location can only be made after such detailed studies have been completed.

Because transfers

from the Pasadena-San Gabriel Valley Line to the Vineyard

Lino will be merely a matter of stepping across a platform from tho subway terminal from one train to another,
it is not considered necessary to provide four tracks
north of the terminal in Hill street.

rr some other

'

'

In case it is found feaoible to construct this and

ground conditions, traffic delays and business losses

- I

II

I~

....

-,

./

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _-"48"4'

--~------

.5

TQ..Ac.~

......

o "

. . . . . .'

;-

-----------~--~.-+

TUNNEL SE.G:T I O"-!

_.-

3S~O'

~
Ci

'~'~"""

:-l_l

..

I~

~I

.. "
J~ -....J....--~\'l~~~~~-'----c---j. '
. -..... ;,..: >'.: .... ~ ~ .

I~
_

~!..{f'

1~!.lot

,,~t

6'.:,,'.

.\"

;,1t/

OPCN1

r
I

'

TO ACCOMfOANY REPORT I
A RAPID TRANSIT SYSTI
FOR CITl( OF LOS ANGEL
'riONALD M. BAKER, CONS. EN
NOV.EMBER 1933

-'-

~
(-

".:

- -~"---'-------,,=,----

'.

4-

.'

'It

.f

2 "TQAC~ TU~N EL SECTIO N

r
./

I'

At,. I " ~ .. ,I 1 ,
-- . . . . . . . . . . . J

~.

--- -

PACIJPIC EL.aCTRIC RAIL.WAY

OI'1lN CUT

co.

"". ,,.... .,.

5.E.J73t-C:

66

street is chosen for the final location, it may be neces-

sary to extend the

fOl~

track route further north.

,,1
..~

jI".,'~

Glendale-San Fernando Valley Line

: j ~

,; ')a

,II i

This line proposes using the present tunnel from the

Subway Terminal Building to Beverly Boulevard, crossing
under it, at which point there is the possible choice of
two alternatives.

The first is extending the tunnel under

Beverly Boulevard and coming to the surface thru an open

cut a short distance beyond that point; the second, extending the tunnel under both Beverly Boulevard and Temple,
coming to the surface thru an open cut north of Temple Str.
near Bellevue.

The latter

p~an,

while affording a saving

of some minutes in running time, will involve a considerable added cost, and it would appear from present available
information that it may be advisable to delay its construction until such time as future riding on the line warrants
it. Cost estimates given herein are based upon the extension
of the line to Bellevue.

The line then follows the present

Glendale line to the private right-of-way at Baxter Street,

along which it continues to Riverside Drive, crossing the
Drive at the existing grade separation and continuing across the Los Angeles River.

Here it leaves the present

line and follows along the east side of the Los Angeles
River on the private right-of-way to a point opposite the
end of Doran Street in Glendale.

Here the line crosses San

I', [

,li
,.

l:1l'I

Li;.,jll"
Ii 'I

I, ' I
Ii I,:t I:,'
I I"

I,
,j

',il,',"1

,I
i:

~ :1

II', ",,'
,

Ii
II

j'
I:

.,

67

.:-i':

.j

..

. - - ~

..
;

Fernando Road on an elevated structure to a connection

with the present
Oaks Boulevard.

Bu::.~bank

line at about Grand View and Glen

An elevated structure continues northwest-

ward from opposite Doran Street thru Burbank along and adjacent to the Southern Pacific right-of-way.

At Olive Ave.

use of the existing Southern Pacific branch line is begun,

the proposed line utilizing present track right-of-way to
a connection with the

C~~uenga

Blvd. line at Vineland Ave.

in North Hollywood~
Bus lines operating along the east and west streets

.'

in Glendale to the proposed line along the Los Angeles

.,

River will provide much

~llcker

service to the city than

is provided by the present Glendale line along Brand Blvd.

Burbank is now served by the line thru the business district of Glendale.

North Hollyvlood is served by the Ca-

huenga line thru Universal City and the business section

of Hollywood.

The proposed line will provide a much faster

route for San Fernando Valley passengers to the downtown

area.

As population increases in the San Fernando Valley,

more direct and faster service will be required between

the entire valley as far west as Chatsworth l Canoga Park,
Reseda, and Van Nuys to the downtown area, and this can
be accomplished by using the prosent Southurn Pacific

tracks or rights-of-way for extending rail rapid transit

service.

...

69

Estimates of the cost of the system, including rightsof-way and structures" have been p:>epared by the Pacific
Electric Railway.

Unit prices assluned have been liberal

and considerably above 1933 figures so as to care for any

reasonable increase in construction costs during the next
year or two.

Costs given include overhead, engineering,

contingencies, and interest during construction.

On the Glendale line, the subway has been assumed as
coming to the surface north of Bellevue Drive, which would
involve an added cost of about one and a quarter million
dollars.

Likewise on the Pasadena line estimates have

been made on the basis of crossing under the Los Angeles

River by means of a tube, which involves a cost of about
two million dollars more than crossing on the surface by a
bridge, if the cost of such bridge is considered as a part
, of the Union Station project.

If the river is crossed by

a bridge, the line will enter the subway thru a slot on

Aliso Street just west of the river, and widening Aliso
Street at that point will be necessary to maintain adequate
traffic capacity.

These two savings on the Glendale and

Pasadena lines will reduce construction costs between two

and three million dollars, or from 5~% to

B%

of the total

cost of the project.

Following is a brief summary of the cost of the entire system:

63
.~'.

Table 10

; .

ESTIMATED COST OF RAPID TRANSIT LINES

(Prepared by the Pacific Electric Railway)

.'

Rights
of Way

Line

Structures

Total Cost,..
d
,f,

PASADENA
Macy St to Hill St
Terminal

$ 5 724 850

80 000

$ 5 804 850;'

LONG BEACH
P.E.Terminal to
Slauson Junction

~~

100 000"

4 140 000

4 240 000.,;

VINEYARD
Hill St Terminal to
loth t:. Figueroa
lOth & Fi~leroa to
Vineyard Junction

7 3'72 350

7 372 350

. 1 100 000

12 385 060

13 485 OW

255 000

6 023 525

6 278 525

$1 535 000

$35 645 785

$37 180 785

.J

GLENDALE

Hill St Terminal to
Bellevue Drive
TOTAL

Not including present rights-of-way owned by Pacific Electric

Railway on Long Beach line, valued by them at ~11362,OOO,
and on Vineyard line, valued by them at ~?9l3/000.

In discussing the financing-of the system, round

numbers have been used as follows:
structures
Rights-of-way
Total

$35 650 000

1 550 000
$37 200 000

r;-o

x.
PASSENGER

PROM PROPOSED RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM

REVENl~S

To estimate" probable future revenues from a '.rapid

transit system in the Los Angeles area involves the utilization of many uncertain factors.

In New York, Chicago or

Philadelphia rapid transit has existed for years past and

previous experiences and local habits serve as a guide.
Locally no such experience is available and past and present riding habits on surface lines offer no assistance.
Nevertheless, such an estimate covering the life of bonds
to be issued for constructing the system is necessary, and
such estimate has been made, based upon reasonable and
conservative assumptions.

FUNDAMENTAL PREMISES
Passenger revenues upon a transit system during a
given year are the product of population tributary to the
system, the

nl~ber o~

rides per capita per year which such

population contributes, and the average fare received per

ride.

Judgment, based upon familiarity with the problem

and upon past experience, must be applied to the selection

of each factor for any given year in arriving at the revenue for that year.

If for any year each line of the system

is divided into a number of sections and population increase,

riding habit and resulting revenue for each computed se'1

,-.. ,1

;,;1

.~"'. " .'~

~ '."
.

'~.

parately, errors in judgment used and in assumptioromade

will be more apt to be compensating and tho final result

71

for the entire ,system more likely to appl"oximate the actual,

revenues which will be received, than if the entire system

-~
J,

revenue were estimated for a given date as a single

operatiO!l~

The financial feasibility of the system proposed --

-'

unless it forever remain a burden upon property which is tg

underwrite a portion of the cost in the

i~ial

:'I

years -- det

,.

'

pends upon a very considerable future increase in revenues

which in turn depends upon future increase in population

, .1

~ II
>l
I

and riding habit.

.~"

It is believe that such increase is a

't....

safo expectation for the following reasons:

ti.!

I'

1. The geographic location of this area, its

natural and economic resources, the spirit
of its people, and its past history all
point to continued population increase in
the .future.
2. Per capita automobile registration in this
area has about reached the saturation point.
Since 1927, the figure has remained practically constant, oven declining somewhat during the depression.
3. Traffic congestion duo to automobiles is
likewise approaching an upper limit and few
more automobiles will find it possible to
enter the Contral District unless large sums
are spent for new streot approaches and for
ofi'stroet parking fac iIities. ?he roonomic
feasibility of doing this appears questionable. This, situation will, thcrei'ore, require that futuro increments of our population who must daily onter tho Central District
use rail transportation, and will necossitate
a material increase in prosent riding habit.
4. Vf.herever rapid transit has been developed
in other places, its usc, exprossed both in
terms of total rides and rides per capita of
tnibutary population, has continued to increase, even in years durinr, tho depression.

./

~ .

I
I

72

The method used in estimating :,ut"'1.rc. Jpo.ssenger

rev~

enues for tho system discussed herein is predicated upon

the following:
,

'.'

"

1. Population of Los Angeles City and County

will increo.se in accordance with tho curve
shown on Plate 4 , and regional population
will increase as shown in To.ble 11.
2. 30% of the population residing within tho
Los Angeles Motropolitan District will daily
travel to and from tho Central Business District by some means of transportation.
3. Population increase along proposed transit
lines will follow genoral population increase
in the arco., being at a greater or lesser
rate in accordance with whether it occurred
at a greater or lessor rate than general regional increase during years 1923 to 1930.
4. Riding habits on various lines proposed
would have ap~roximated those on existing
surface lines in 1930, with a decided increase
over this rate by 1940, and a continued incrOase in a lesser amount to 1980, being controlled in the estimate by the number of rides
each ten year period to and from the Central
Business District as shown in the "last column
of Table 11.
5. Average fare received was taken as the present 6it ratc for local riding and the 60
day-60 ride individual commutation rate beyond the local zones. Future increase in
riding will undoubtedly result in a reduction of fare in tho outlying zones.

Method Used in Estimating Revenues

Future population at each ten year period from 1930
to 1980 within each fare zone for each line was ostimated
using the percentage increase in popUlation in such zone

~-":-~}'-,':f,;;,.,""j

Table 11
ESTBfATE OF NUMBER OF PERSONS ENTERING CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT

IN FUTURE YEARS
Rapid

: Number Entering Central Business District Daily~

IBy Rail :By L.A. :By Rapid :
: ~ Dist:Number:By Auto: Total :Railway:Transit :
Pop 1 n:1OCO's: 1000's: 1000's:1000's : l000 ' s

Diet.:
Year: County :Pop1n :Pop'n :
~ 1000's :~ist:1000Is:

: Transit
:Passen,g:ers
: 'Annuaily
: Millic!1s

-.J

1930

2 208

94.5

2 318

30

697

1940

2 930

93.6

3 130

30

938

350

588

300

288

90.7

1950

3 680

92.7

3 970

30

1 191

400

791

325

466

146.6

1960

4 310

91.8

4 690

30

1 40'7

450

957

350

60'7

191.0

1970

4 820

90.9

5 300

30

1 590

500

1 090

375

715

225.2

1980

5 170

90.0

5 740

30

1 721

550

1 171

400

771

242,8

t\)
I
p.

~! ~ l.~

;.~ ~- '1

r ......

."'"""

~. --

._. "",.;.-:

0R:;;--

;:;

,~".-"

:,; ."; .';, ,. . "".. ,~;'.,..,",::-f~~.;:.~":~,:;~:~

.'".~. __.

,:.:;~~-

c.- ",._ ...

'-C"'-

'~.".

'n

--,:,--

;=;,~~,:.'.. ~::;;'-:'~;;~""'U'''' -~

. .. . . _.

is'

:~:,:._.c:
.C

.'. ,._-'_.. _.-::;..;:'---"--'.~,'~:'-_.._-'

, ... ,

,..

-,.

l~_ . . . - .

'"_t:

;:~:.;~-~:=";.- -~-~~'~:- r ' "'~.::,>:=="..... ~;,. ,",~, ... ~., :::::. ,~:~,",~:.""~., .. _~~+-,~:".. .'~
----.

---

_ . __ "..",,

,:_.
.

~.--~~

. _ .

'._~~.-"

-_:..:.;..;....:.:,~-

-_.

;",;'d"'

"-'" -~"',,:,":.-,~~=:-.:r~;;,1_~
..:';;",.. ..;~"

....... ~.:.:~

.... _.~

- :.~ ..-:-- .,::=-.;:;; "

.. ....,.."-~=-_._--.~-===;;;;
-~,~~----"~-."

- . _._._._-_.- l._

....,.
I

,,
,

,- -

- -----,

.-

,,
I

,I

<-.

, .;

---~
I

- ...

.' ,

j
_.~

,,

.....

\,

-.....

"

.'

..
'.

I
I

/
I

I
I
I

...-

Non.; Fi9ur~5 in C"rcl~s indicafe

ancl Arrow~ show Li'71/"f

rar~

or' Zone.

.,,

PROPOSED RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM

EXISTING PACIFIC ELECTRIC I.INES

'

,
I.,

't

..,.

-;,'

,
;.

[~

DOT

AEP~[~~TS

-~~.:.;~

'000 P(RSQNS

IOl

~--C::'C:::
~

RAPID

... -...

---:-4

TRANSlT COMMUTATION
FARE ZONES

NOTE'THESE FARE ZONES WERE USED IN

ARRIVING AT PROBABLE REVENUES. IN
GENERAL THEY ARE BASED UPON PRESENT
60 RlOE INOIYlDUAl... 60 DAY COMMUTATION

Mov"-~....

~1.uT'"'tQPR~

~HLL~-Dv

..... H a..- &-,,1IDCl

TO ACCOWPANY REPORT ON
A RAPID 'TRANSIT SYSTEM
FOR CITY OF LOS ANGELES
DONALD t.t.BAKER CONS.ENG-

-.

73

from 1923 to 1930, shown in Table 12, as a guide to judg- ;

mente

The number of annual rides originating in each fare

zone at each ten year date is therefore the product of

population within the zone at that date times the riding
habit.

Revenue obtained from passengers within each zone--

is likewise the product of the number of passengers orig--1.

inating therein times the average fare for each zone. The~'
detailed method of computation is shown in Table 13 .and
the result summarized in Table 14.
have been based solely upon

Estimates of revonues

an area within the present 23'(

..

fare zone, as this area includes most of the district poIi- .',
. 1 '

ulation and it was felt that riding beyond such zone would
.,
not be stimulated to any large degree by the rapid

tran~~

sit system.
The riding habits used are based upon population

...

.....

within a half mile radius from present lines of the Pacific

Electric Railway.

Increases in the riding habit in the

future are considered fairly conservative, as such habit

will be stimulated :11 tho futuro by feeder bus lines, increased running time due to future grade separations and
extensions of elevatod and sUbway structures.

A comparison

of estimated passengers on the system for the year 1980

ShOWlL

". "ilII

as 245,400,000 with a district population of

5,740,000 -" results in a riding habit of 43 per capita

for tho entire population of tho Metropolitan District, as
against a present riding habit of over 250 per capita on

II

'1~~~w
l'

_!:~

:;"r

.~

73-a

:,~
:}Z

<~

Table 12

';lj
~

.....

POPULATION INCREASE IN VARIOUS FARE ZONES

OF PACIFIC E~ECTRrC COMPANY
Based upon 60 Ride Individual 66 Day Comr.lutation Ticket
Routes Following Proposed Rapid Transit Lines

i_'l~

't

;j
".,
~..

Figures in 1000ts

Population
Fare
Zones

";.

of}

Ii

rt

1918 : 1923

Increase 1918-23

No.:5 Yrs:Annu:ally

Popln

Increase 1923-30
rJ/

,J

1930

,0

ot-~

No. : '7 Yrs:Annu: ally

PASADENA-SAN GABRIEL VALLEY L1ImS

Local- 6
12'2
122'-15
15--19i

61-

19~-23

'i

J Totals
)

11
90
31
49
3

7
53
13
18
1

175
143
72
58
50

35
29
14
12
10

21
95
43
60
10

10
5
12
11
7

39
22
233

33

92

184

92

100

20

229

45

24

LONG BEACH,

.~

37
18
31
2

LOC~1-6t

6I- 12'2

12'2- 15
15--19t
19t-23

.~

Totals

24
14
1
7
56

39
40
10
13
121

15
26
9
6

102

223

LOC~1-6t
6I- 11,

19i-23

.1

Totals

13

1"

48
50
14
15
158

121

109

22

285

11

51

103

52

2
37

23
25
40
15
31

3
4
6
2
4

62

28

23
33

10
4

32
9
6
45

146
29
100

83
30
25
58
17

51
21
19
13

159
233
317
29

120

29
6
20
19
20

55

4
8

102

20

213

110

107

15

16
11

10

96

45

GLENDALE-NORTH HOLLYWOOD LINES

"

"'J

65

12
37
180
17
23

3
23

1
6
3

PEDRO, WHITTIER & Orange COUNTY LINES

62
186
900
86
116

19
2
3
22
6

'7

1,
..~

13

VINEYA-BD and SANTA MONICA BAY LINES

J i~::i~I

SAN

91

110
300
120
200
200

22
60
24
40
40

44
7
44
15
6

23
3
11
9
3

109
75
33
150
100

38

131

26

116

49

73

Local-6i6i-10
10--12
12t-16f
16'2-19 '2

10
1
15
2
1

21
4
33
6
3

11
3
18

Totals

29

67

Not Compounded

21
14

73-b

Table 12 - Con.
~,

lt
. .',[ ::

i
~(

SUMMARY TABLES
Figures in 1000's

:~'i~:i"

.~.

[.;!<..".,.~t
~

Population

';>"~.

Increase 1918-23

~'_.~,:.'"

d
Iv

Popfn

Increase 1923-30
:
: fa;:'

1930

No.:7
Yrs:Annu--.;_ _
-..:.:-""a""'l=l.y_
...

d*
.10

. ._.> .'I.,.:,Llne
1918;1923
No.:5 Yrs:Annu~'-'
.~. _----------=-.-------=----....::-=a:..=l='
""-y
~i

..i

r .

~~::

~ Pasadena

:~1

Glendale

92
102
51
29

TotalsM~

274

t ) Long
b

Beach

"1 Vineyard

;.

184
223
103
67

TOTALS -- ALL ZONES

100
20
229
92
121
22
285
109
213
52
102
20
116
38
131
26

577

303

111

22

TOTALS -- LOCAL

,J Pasadena
J'. Long Beach
* Vineyard

Glendale
i Totals and
2
Mean
i
,,~

1*

843

6ti

49
62
110
49

24
28
107
73

3
4
15
10

266

46

ZONE

4
24
13
10

11
39
32
21

15
19
11

175
62
146
110

35
12
29
22

21
48
83
44

10
9
51
23

91
23
159
109

13
3
23
16

51

103

52

102

20

196

93

90

18

Not Compounded

:~

.j

I
'J

.,h.

County Population
1918
1923
1930

.;j

-~

848 000"
1 450 000*
2 208 000
City Population

1918
1923
1930
-~

527 OOO~
870 000'::-

1 238 000

Mean for Year.

Population in
All Fare Zones
274 000
577 000
843 000
Population in Local
sisi' Fare Zone
51 000
103 000
196 000

County Population
In all Fare Zones
32
40
38

City Population
In eti R3.re Zone
10
12
16

73-0
Table 13

ESTIMATED PASSENGERS and PASSENGER REVENUES

Within Fare Zones -- 6~' to 23'
PASAD1'.:NA, Etc.
10 Year
Increase
In Pop'n
In Zone

-i

,!

.-

'"j "~ar
t

.. '-'

"~ Local
1'1

1940
'.~ 1950
J 1960
!
,I 1970
; 1980
~

Rides per
Ca;eita

Total
Passengers
Mil::.. lons

"RG70nlleS
$1000' s_1

01 Annual-ly
Zone-6-1-' Fare-Avlge Fare 6t~.1923-30 Pop'n .,.;Lner. 13/0

.~ 1930

Ii:

Pop'n in
Zone
1000's

61.
12.!.
:;3

40
30
20
10
5

21
29
38
46
51
54

30
40
45
50
55
55

0.6
1.2
1.7

2~3
2~8

3.0

3S'l
7frt
. 106",'
144
175'
188 ..:.: .

I""
Fare Zone-Average Fare 9!,.1923-30 Pop'n lner.
p Annually ..
.,.

J1930
j

~
..
i

~
.,
:i

1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

~ 1940

i 1950

.'.i

I, 1960
,, 1970
1980

9
8

40
100
120
130
135
135

3.8
10.5
13.8
16.2
18.2
19.6

..

361 ,'- .
997.
1 31l
1 54'0
.,
1 729
1 8'62

30
30
20
15
10

43
56
73

88
101
111

40
95
115
125
130
130

1.7
5.3
8.4
11.0
13.1
14.4

1
1
1
2

238 "
742 ~
177
540
835
018

15-19!' Fare Zone-Average Fare 17i.1923-30 Pop'n Inc.3% Annually

1 1930

:~

10
10

95
105
115
125
135
145

12t-15 Fare Zone-Average Fare 141.1923-30 Popln Incr.6% Annually

1930

~.!

1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

30
30
20
15
10

60
78
101
121
139
1p3

40
85
100
110
115
115

2.4
6~6

10.1
13.3
16.0
17.6

408
1 ..123
1 718
2 263
2 720
2 992

19!...23 Fare Zone-Average Fare 211.1923-30 Pop'n Incr.33% Amually

1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

80
60
40
30
20

10
18
29
41
53
64

40
80
100
110
115
115

0.4
1~4

2.9

4~5

6.1
7.3

84
294
608
.945
1 282
1 534

I'

ii

Ii '

it

,
~

"1:.... ;

-,

73-d

Table 13

Con.

LONG BEACH, etc.

Year

10 Year
Increase
In Pop'n
In Zone
(,0

Pop '11 in
Zone
1000's

Rides per
Capita

Total
Passengers
Mil:: ions

Royen1J.':'s
~l.,

Or'O' rJ

-Je.;,.:

Local Zone-6}i Fare-Avtge Fare 61:i.1923-30 Pop!n Inc

r:-d ~n''''ua 1"'--.Y.
.. .~!e"":_;.1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

20
20
10
5
5

48
58
70
77
81
85

30
35
40
45
50
50

87
125
175
219
250
263

1~4
2~0

2~8

3.5
4.0
4.2

H'

r,II
: Ii:

1';1

. i

"I

I'II

:ii::

;~

6t-12~ Fare Zone-Average Fare 9~'.1923-30 PQ.~ n Inc.4% Annually

1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

30
25
15
10
5

50
65
81
93
102
107

30
70
90
100
105
105

1.5
4.5
7.3
9.3
10.7
11.2

142
428
694
882

Iii

1 017
1 064

30
25
15
10
5

14
18
22
25
27
28

30
70
90
100
105
105

,)';'1'I

2~8

2.9

!;
ij
j'

i
~

56
182
280
350
392
406

0.4
1.3
2.0
2.5

ii!

l2i~15' Fare Zone-Average Fare 14i.1923-30 Popfn 1nc.6% Annually

1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

;'

I' ,I

I'li
;,
I
~

Ii
1

,I:

;:

15-19!, Fare Zone-Average Fare 17'.1923-30 Popln 1nc.2% Annually

1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

15
12
8

6
4

15
17
19
21
22
23

30
60
75
85
90
90

85
170
238
306
340
357

0.5
1.0
1~4
1~8
2~0

2.1

I'i

I
I

191-23' Fare Zone-Average Fare 21i.1923-30 PapIn 1nc.4% Annually

1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

30
25
15
10
5

158
206
258
296
326
342

30
50
60
65
68
68.

4.7
10.3
15.5
19.2
22.2
23.2

2
3
4
4
4

987
162
253
030
670
870

'!

JrII
,I

:
"

II

I
i"

, II

It

73-0

Table 13 - Cont.
~!i

VINEYARD. Etc.

~'

~\:.
~.

~"

. ,;-1

f';;~

~ ;~ .::.Ye::.:a.:.;.;;:r~

10 Year
Increase
In pop I n
In Zone
...J.::..%

"

>,

; .

Pop 'n in
Zone

Rides ,per

Total

Passengers

Revenues ,'"-

....:l=.;O;..:O;..:o:...r...:::s:...-_ _...;:.C.=a.l;;.p=-i-=-ta=--_----:;I';;;.:I;:..:l:.::l:..::i:...::o.;;,;n:.::;s_ _-.-ll-~~=:O.;:;,.O.:..O=--='

9 '

r~t Local Zone Gig;' Fare-Av1ge Fare 6t,.1923-30 Pop'n Inc.23% A.."1nua1J.y!
;.~';

:i'

~if'

_,.;~'

~~-.,;.,>." .';1'.~.l

1930

1940
1950

~;~i i~~g
~.:,.k ..,. 1'. 1980

60
50
20
10
5

83
133
199
239
263
276

100
140
170
175
178
178

8.3
18.8
33.8
41~S
46~8

49.1

1
2
2
2
3

51S-17511:2
51?
928
06$

.'~

6t-llft' Fare Zone-Average Fare 9i.1923-30 Popln Incr.33% Annually .~ .

~~

~::t

1930

\~~.

'~I

'I 1960
i~~g

;,i
'1*

'"

1970
1980

70
50
20
10
5

30
51
76
91
100
105

30
70
90
100
103
103

81 - ,
324":
61.-2

0.9
3.6
6.8
9.1
10.3 .
10.8

~l~

-',

9Y12

11t-16ii Fare Zone-Average Fare 14rt.1923-30 Pop In. Inc. 45% k"n'].l~ly
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

16i-19ti
1930
1940
1950
i960
1970
1980

SO
60
30
20
10

25
45
72
94
113
124

30
70
90
100
103
103

0~8

3.2
6~5

9.4
11.6
12.S

112
448.
910
1 317
1 623
1 791

Fare Zone-Average Fare 18)1.1923-30 Popln Inc.4% Annually

30
20
15
10
5

58
75
90
104
114
120

30
70
90
100
103
103

1.7
5;3
8.1
10.4
11.7
12.4

1
1
2
2

306
954
460
872
108
233

19i--23' Fare Zone-Average Fare 211.1923-30 Popln Incr.8% Annua1~

1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

40
30
20
15
10

17
24
31
- 37
43
47

30
70
90
100
103
103

O~5
1~7

2.8
3.7

4~4

4.8

105
351"1

58C
77 r;
924

1 oar;

Table 13 - Cont.
___
GL_ENDALE, etc.

10 Year
Increase
In Pop'n
In Zone

Pop'n in
Zone
1000's

Rides per

Revenues
$1000's

Capita

~ocal Zone 6t1 Fare-Av'ge Fare 6~~.1923-30 POpl~ Inc.16%Annual1y

1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

60
50
30
20
10

44
70
105
136
163
179

20
30
35
40
40
40

56
131
231
338
407
444

0.9
2~1
3~7

5.4
6.5
7.1

6t-l0i Fare Zone-Average Fare 8i.1923-30 P~~n Incr.ll% Annually

'~4

',i

'"
~

.'
r'

:':"

'~.

1936
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

II

40
50
60
70
75
75

50
40
30
20
10

44
66
92
120
144
158

70
115
125
135
140
140

24
48
72
104
128
136

0.3
0~6
0~9

1.3
1.6
1.7
popr~

Inc.5% Annually

3.1
7.6
11.5
16.2
20.2
22.1 .

1
1
2
2

341
835
263
782
222
431

12n-16~~ Fare Zone-Avera&e Fare 14~i1923-30 Popln Inc. 2:1% AnnuaJl,y

16i-19ii

1
~

7
11
15
18
21
23

10-12-?tg:' Fare Zone-Average Fare IIg:'. 1923-30

1930
1940
.1950
1960
1970
1980

I.-

50
40
20
15
10

1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

70
60
40
30
20

15
26
42
59
77
92

60
105
120
130
135
135

0~9

2~7

5.1
7.7
10.4
12.4

130
392
739
1 116
1 508
1 799

Fare Zone-Av 1 ge Fare 181.1923-30 PepIn Inc.14% Annua11~

60
60
50
50
40

6
10
16
24
36
50

60
100
120
130
135
135

O~4
1~0
1~9

3;1
4.9
6.7

72
180
342
558
882
1 206

73-g

,!

.11I

, I
i"
:'!

Table 14

SUl,,'/11ARY OF

POPULATION, TOTAL REVENUE PASSENGERS AND TOTAL REVENUES

WITHIH HALF MILE RADIUS OF RAPID TRANSIT LINES
BY TEN YEAR PERIODS - 1930 to 1980

Note:

Above figures for total revenue passengers and revenues

are based upon rides to and from the central area, and
do not include any local riding which might occur .

1'1\1:,

r
11i

74

the Interborough Rapid Transit and Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Lines in Hew York, based upon New York Metropolitan
area population.

This indicates that future riding habit

assumed is undoubtedly conservative.

There will without question be considerable short
haul riding on the lines, which will further increase revenues.

As against this, it can be expected that with

growth in business, fares at a future date will be reduced

in the outlying zones, and this may materially reduce
revenues.

This reduction, however, should not be consid-

ered until such time as the system is able to care1br its

full share of debt service on construction costs, and then
should only be made with the fact in mind that future capital expenditures for grade separations and sUbway and
elevated extensions will be necessary to serve increasing
population and reduce running time.
A further source of revenue is that of advertising
concessions in the cars and also of concessions at stations.
Experience in New York indicates that gross receipts from
these aggregate approximately 4% of passenger revenue, and
gross passenger revenues have been increased by this percentage in Section XII of the report in the discussion of
net income.

-.

75

XI.
OPERATING COST OF PROPOSE)) RAPID TRANSIT
As in the case of estimating future passenger revenues, local experience offers little assistance in making
intelligent estimates of future operating costs of a rapid
transit system in this area.

The declining riding habit,

\

which has resulted in a decline in car miles operated,

t
'i ..'

and the unstable economic conditions existing during the

last few years, make recent figures useless.

For example,

the expenses per car mile for passenger operations of the

Pacific Electric Railway show a decline in expenses with

"

a decline in passenger car miles operated.

Year

Passenger Cal" Miles

%1930

./

Operating Expense
Per Car Mile

%1930

1930

24 889 540

100.0

dl.
w 0.3748

100.0

1931

22 892 890

92.0

0.3600

96.0

1932

20 774 941

83.0

0.3263

87.0

This decline in operating costs haa been due to deferred

maintenance, as well as forced economies resulting from
decrease in passengers carried, and is not representative
of normal conditions.
The basis used herein for estimating operating expenses is the number of car miles operated and the cost
per car mile.

.,'

The latter includes all such expenses as

maintenance of way and structures, maintenance of equip-

76

ment, power, operating labor, materials:_ and equipment,

injuries and damages, overhead and

de?reciat~on,

but not

taxes, interest or dividends.

Revenue Passengers Per Car Mile

Rather than set up an elaborate schedule of car operation in order to determine car miles operated each ten
year period, this quantity has been derived for each line
from the revenue passeneers per car mile.

This factor

for a route of given length is a measure of the number of

car miles necessary to operate in order to provide adequate service.

If the cars are operated to full capacity,

the factor varies directly with the carrying capacity of

the cars ued and inversely with the length of the line.
However, it is also controlled by the headway between
cars or frequency of operation.

For example, assume a

line ten miles long upon which are operated cars which
can carry an average of 80 passengers per ono way trip,
with 7,200 passengers carriod daily.

With a factor of 8

revenue passengers por car mile, the cars would be operated to full capacity each trip and would travel 900 car
miles por day, making 90 one way or 45 round trips -- one
round trip each 24 minutes for an eightoen hour operating
day.

This might and undoubtodly would afford too infre-

quent servico to satisry the riders along the routo, and

!H
iI'
i"

i'

77

.~'.

a figure for revenue passengers per car mile somewhat less

than 8 would be necessary in order to afford proper headway or frequency, and would increase the number of car miles

I.

4-

operated daily, with a reduced average number of passengers carried per trip.
In estimating the car miles operated annually for

..
l

each line, the m.unber of revenue passengers per car mile

for the year 1930 was taken as an initial figure.

.C i

Consid-

ering car capacity and length of line, it is very npparent

that the cars in the Pacific Electric system are operating well under full capacity.

Therefore in the succeed-

ing.ten year period the figure for revenue passengers per

/'

./

car mile for each line was increased in line with past ex- ...-.perience on the system. The number of car miles operated
at each ten year date will on this basis increase at a
rate

~ower

than the increase in total passengers carried.

Actual car miles operated in the future on each line will

of necessity have to be governed by traffic as it occurs,
but it 1s felt tho assumptions made aro reasonable.

Cost of Operation per Car Mile

It may be safely assumed that operating costs pOl'
car milo on a rapid transit system will be lower than
they are at pro sent on the Pacific Electric system.
0xanlple, figures for tho yoar 1930 show the following
car mile:

For
pOl'
I .'

'" ,

78

Subway -- New York

18.00

Elevated -- New York

20.12

Surf'ace lines

!:~a...'1.h.at

Surface lines

Bronx

40.29

Surface lines

Brooklyn

36.84

t an

55.24

112 Surface lines throu&"1.ou t country

40 Interurban lines

rr

,,

32.08

II

38.24

Lesser maintenance costs per operation in subway or

on elevated structures over snrface operation on paved
streets or in private right-of-way, reduced labor operating costs due to increased running time and to train operation, and similar factors, all serve to lower aggregate
operating costs por car mile.
go to make up costs

o~

Likewise many

f'ac~ors

which

operation do not increase in direct

proportion to the number of car miles operated, and this

results in a lower cost per

c~

mile as the

nurr~er

of car

miles increase.

Operating Costs.
In estimating operating costs for the local system,
it is not assumed that New York exporience will be reached, but operating costs nre assumed at the outset for surface lines to be equivalont to present costs, and for subway and elevated sections will be considerably above New
York exporience.
.""

~'f
r
;j

These figures, however, will be reduced

with increase in traf'fic, and such a reduction is assumed

',I

:! 1

79

\ . '.
~

I '

in opeTating costs used herein.

The proportion

car

o~

miles operated on each class of structure -- surface,

elevated and subways -- is taken in the approximate

pro~

portion that length of track on each structure bears to

the average length of line operated.

Based on these as-

-'

sumptions, a weighted cost of operation per car mile is

developed.

All of this data pertaining to unit costs per

.r,

car mile and costs per car mile for each line at ten
year future dates is shown on Table 15.

..

In Table 16 are shown the operating costs for each

line at each ten year period
.,-,..,
"'-~

~rom

1930 to 1980, total

passengers carried being taken from Table 13.

Car miles.!
I'

operating are computed as heretofore described 'and cost

./

per car mile used is given in Table 15 referred to.

The operating ratio -- total operating cost

+ total

operating revenues, expressed as a percentage -- becomes

very low in future years with the

~ares

used.

"".

Operating

ratios on New York rapid transit lines were 68% in 1930.

The five cent fare in New York makes for low operating
revenues, and were tho fare there increased in proportion
to length of t rip, the operating ratio would be much lower.

Our operating ratio of 60.6% is reached for the sys-

tem in 1950, and in the discussion of financing the sys','

tem, actual estimated revenues as given in Tables 13 and

14 nre reduced beyond this date to maintain this operating
ratio, on the theory that fares will commence to be reduced after 1950.

Such an ~sumption makes for

conservatisli~,..

79-a _
\

Table 15

BASIC DATA - OPERATING COSTS

A. Assumed Cost of' Operation

19~0

1930

'.

:950

~
.'

~---.9~r lU1e

onHapid .Transit System

1960
f

J.970

-1

'It'

1980

:r-

I,
1-

Subways

Oe27

0.24

0.23

0.22

0.22

0.22

. Ii

Elevated

0.32

0.29

0.27

0.26

0.26

0.26

I:

Surface

0.38

0.35

0.33

0.32

0.31

0.31

I,

.-

Assumed Proportion of Car

Line

~U1es

Elevated

Subway

Pasadena-etc

Operated on Various Types Track""

38

Vineyard-etc

38

Glendale-etc

11

Long Beach-etc

Total

Suri'ace

30

89

100

62

100

62

100

61

100

~I-

C. Assumed Average Cost of Operation Per Car Mile

Weighted in accordance with type of track structure used.
Line

1930
%l

1950

1960

1970

1980

Pasadena-etc

0.368

0.338

0.319

0.307

0.298

0.298

Long Beach-etc

0.358

0.325

0.308

0.297

0.291

0.291

Vineyard-etc

0.339

0.308

0.292

0.282

0.276

0.276

Glendale-etc

0.352

0.323

0.304

0.293

0.287

0.287

. ..

1940

With construction of grade separations and extension of subway

ind/or elevated structures, these proportions will change and
average operating costs per car mile will be reduced.

./..

79-b
Table 16
OPERATING COSTS
OF RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM
-

Year

Total
:Cost per:Ope~ing
Passengers: Passengers :Car Miles :Car Mile: EXDense
Millions :per Car Mile: Millions
$
$1000's

. PASADENA-Etc-LINES
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

8.9
25.0
36.9
47.3
56.2
61.9

2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.3
4.5

3.56
8.33

0.368
:338
.319
.309
.300
0.300

10~54
11~82
13~07

13.76

$ 1
2
3
3
3
4

t
.,

8~5

2.1

19.1
29.0
36.3
41.7
43.6

2~5

3.0
3~4
3~7

3.8

.t,

LONG BEACH-Etc-LlNES
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

4.04
7.63
9.67
10.68
11.28
11.48

0.358

1
2
2
3
3
3

~327

.308
.297
.291
0.291

447
496
977
172
347
408

8.3
18.8
33~8

41.8
46.8
49.1

6~3

1.32

!:','

I:

',-,

8.0
9.0
9.5
10.0
10.3

2~35

357
564
864
967
1 029
1 048

3.76
4.40
4.68
4.77

3~9

13.8
24.2
32.6
38.0
40.8

2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.3
4.5

1.56
4;60
6~91
8~15
8~83

9.07

5.6
.14.0

,I

Ii'!
Ii:I' )"
I,
J
'

'I

,:1:

il

il

il i;

:--'-- ...

I: II

r'

]1

I.

III: I
'"

I
:

I'!, ,I ;~
:

l'

I'

':

': itt
I 1'1' ,
i i, ;\'1
I J;
I

0.339
.308
.292
.282
.276
0.276

1
2
2
2
2

529
417
011
299
438
504

11

I,

l~

!
11

.(

,: 1.""
Il I;

i
iI

[Ii

I, t'I
i

GLENDALE-Etc-LlNE

1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

,(

I !l t

ill,:

VINEYARD INTERURBAN LINES-l~

1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

,I: 'I

II,

'Ii

r
0.270
.240
.230
.220
.220
0.220

II~
:

I,',

./

1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980

IIII

il
tl

::,1 1 'I1
1)' i [,

VINEYARD LOCAL LINE*

...

I,

321
818
361
652
921
128

, It

3.0
3~5

23~1

4.0

33.7
43.6
50.0

4~5

4.8
5.0

1.87
4:00
5.77
7.49
9.07
10.00

0.352
.323
.304
.293
.287
0.287

1
1
2
2
2

652
292
753
197
604
870

I
I

-li-

Vineyard Service separated because of local and express

service operated.

---- - . ._.

. . _.

~~"'iIIIIIIIIi_

"

:i

"

Ii

80

!'I'
I:

XII.

NET OPERATING

---

I:

il

~VENUE

il

'~

Operating Ratio

I
"i',

Est~ates

of total operating revenues and operat-

\.

1:

'!,.\

ing expenses have been made for succeeding ten year per-

I,

In order to develop future an-

il

:1
'I'
I,

)i

:'
I

Total operating revenue in this .table is given

as revenue from passenger fares, plus

4%

additional from

concessions.
Net operating revenue is applicable to payment of
taxes, interest, principal repayment, diVidends, and may
be devoted also to extensions and improvements in service.
The operating ratio, 83.8% in 1935, is gradually reduced
to 60.6% in 1950, and without fare reductions would continue to decrease until 1974, at the end of which year
all bonds would have been paid off.

Since in all proba-

bility fares will be reduced with increase in traffic,

it was assumed that the operating ratio would remain at
60.6% from 1950 onwards, and that faros would be reduced commencing with 1950 in such proportion as to continue

the above oporating revenue with the operating expenses

as shown.

It

pared, in which these quantities are shown for each year,

figures.

J'

I li~'

Ii

nual operating revenues and expenses, Table 17 was pre-

interpolating between ten year intervals for the annual

1\

iods, conrraencing with 1930 and ending with 1980, for

each of the four lines.

1
I:p -

il

. ') r
. ?I
!, iI
I:'

':

,
)

80-a
Table 17
SUW~ARY

OF OPERATING REVENUES, OPERATING EXPENSE,

ETC. AND BALANCE AVAILABLE FOR INTBREST,
PRINCIPAL PAYUElITS, ETC.
'01',

RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM

Year

Total

Net

:Retained

: by P.E.

:Operating:Operating:Operating:Operati~g:ForTa~s
: Revenues: Expense : Revenue: Ratio~': Interest

Etc.

:
:Ba1ance o
..

1930

4 400

4 296

104

101.6

1935

7 994

6 442

1 552

83.8

1 400

152

.t,

..

8
9
10
10
11

713
432
150
869
588

6
7
7
8
8

871
300
729
158
587

1
2
2
2
3

842
132
421
711
001

81.7
80.5
79.2
78.1
77.1

1
1
2
2
2

600
800
000
200300

242
332
421
511
701

1941
1942
1943
1944
1945

" 12
13
13
14
15

311
033
756
478
201

8
9
9
9
9

825
063
301
539
777

3 486
3 970
4 455
4 939
5"424

74.6

66.8

2
2
2
3
3

500
600
900
100
300

1
1
1
2

986
370./
555"
839
124

1946
1947
1948
1949
1950

15
16
17
18
18

923
646
368
091
813

10
10
10
10
10

014
252
490
728
966

5
6
6
7
7

909
394
878
363
847

65~3

3 600

64.0
62.8
61.7
60.6

4 000

4 400
4 800
5 200

2
2
2
2
2

309
394
478
563
647

1951
1952
1953
1954
1955

19
19
19
19
19

040
267
494
721
948

11
11
11
11
11

098
230
362
494
627

7
8
8
8
8

942
037
132
227
321

5
5
5
5
5

400
500
600
700
800

2
2
2
2
2

542
537
532
527
521

1956
195'7
1958
1959
1960

20
20
20
20
21

175
402
629
856
083

11
11
12
12
12

759
891
023
155
287

8
8
8
8
8

416
511
606
701
796

5
6
6
6
6

900
000
100
200
300

2
2
2
2
2

516
516
506
501
496

"

Figures in $1000's

1936
1937
1938
1939
1940

""

I.

72~4

70.3
68~5

"
"
TI

"

II

"
"
n

II
II

,
, ~~-}

,-

l'

8Cb

"

Table 17 - Cont.

:Retained :

Total
Net
.
P.E. .

:Operating:Operating:Operating:Operatiug:For
by Taxes:

,Ii

:i

Year : Revenues: Expense : Revenue:

lil

'

Rat i 0 w :Interest :Ba1ance0

Etc.

'

I
i

Figures in $1000's

f
I

I
I

262
441
621
800
979

12
12
12
12
12

392
497
603
708
813

8
8
9
9
9

870
944
018
092
166

1966
1967
1968
1969
1970

22
22
22
22
22

158
337
517
696
875

12
13
13
13
13

918
023
129
234
339

9
9
9
9
9

240
314
388
462
536

1971
1972
1973
1974

22
23
23
23

983
090
198
305

13
13
13
13

401
463
525
587

9 582
9 627
9 673
9 718

60.6

"If

II

II

II
ft

"
tl

"
"
II

If

"

6 300
6 400
6 500
6 500
6 600

2 570
2 544
2 518
2 592
2 566

6
6
6
6
7

700
800
800
900
000

2 540 r
2 514
2 588
2 562
2 536

7
7
7
7

000
100
100
200

2
2
2
2

582
527
573
518

.!}

, Operating Ratio based upon Passenger Revenues alone.

a,This annual balance is available to pay interest upon bonds

issued for cost of system, for principa repayment,' to purchase new equipment, to provide bus feeder service, and to
finance grade separations and extensions of SUbway and/or
elevated structures.

f From 1950 on, operating revenues reduced to maintain an

operating ratio of 60.6% on the assumption that fares will
be reduced after that date.

!:
,

i,

21
21
21
21
21

lI

'I~ ;

I!

1961
1962
1963
1964
1965

I,

"

,.~ :
lC

I:
I~
I~
~

j'

OJ,
~

,"

81

'~'.

PJnount to be Retained by Pacific Electric from

Net Operating Revenue.
The net operating revenue in 1935 -- assumed as the

..
i

to $9,718,000 in 1974.

II
"

II

Since the Pacific Electric Railway will continue

to operate a large mileage of existing track in connection

must be met, in connection with which other expenses are

necessary -- and since it is likewise entitled to a profit
upon its operations -- it is not possible to apply the
entire proceeds of net operating revenue towards paymentI'
Accordingly~

.,

a figure ~~ountlng in 1935 to $1,400,000, which is 17.5%

of tho operating revenue for that year, was set aside as
apcrating income to be retained by the Pacific Electric
This figure was pro-

gressively increased each year until between 1955 and 1960

when it approaches 3010 of the total operating revenue,
and continues at approximately this figure ttntil 1974, when
all bonds arc paid off.
At present, pUblic utilities operating in the State
of California do not pay local taxes upon their operating properties, payments being made to the state on tho
basis of a percontage of gross revenues received from utili ty operations', tho present ra.te being

4t%

of such

1:

r
I

with the rapid transit system upon which debt service

for the purposes above described.

of debt service of the rapid transit system.

~'

j "

first year or operation -- is $1,552,000, which increases

I"

III
i

.
il
q

82

Ii

Ii'I
11
11

Ii
'I

revenues for electric railroads.

As a result of leg18-

Ii
I" I

lative action during the 1933 session, this basis of

II

taxation is to be changed and all utility properties

\'1

II

will return to local assessment rolls.

Any attempt to

forecast probable taxation on the railroad properties at

Ii
II

'i'

this time is impossible; and likewise it has been impos-

I
I
i

s1.ble in the time available to estimate bond interest

II

I:
II

il

and other charges upon that portion of the entire system

which is considered herein as comprising the rapid transit system.

il

iill

II f
q
III

For the year ending December 31, '1930, the Pacific

Electric Railway'-- according to the report of the California Railroad Commission -- had a net operating revenue
of $1,693,446, paid taxes of $1,082,934, leaving an operating income of $610,512.

,/

With a non-operating income

of $331,484, its gross income was $941,996.

Total deduc-

tions from gross income for that year totaled $2,911,818,

leaVing a net loss of operation of $1,969,822.

Interest

on funded debt for the year ending December 31, 1930,

was $2,652,669.
It is felt that the wmounts allowed in Table 17 to
be retained by the railroad, while not affording much or
any profits after taxes during the early years of operation, will later enable the rond to operate under profitable circumstances, oven with future fare reductions.

83

XIII
METHOD OF FINANCING PROPOSED RAPID TRAHSIT SYSTEM
National Industrial Hecovery Act .
Tho President of the United States, under this ,act,
has created an i1Emergoncy Administration of Public Works

"

ll

which functions under the direction of an administrator

appointed by him.

The Administrator is authorized to

prepare a comprehensive program of public works:~!lito increase the consumption of industrial

and agricultural products by increaseing
purchasing power, to reduce and relieve unemployment, to improve standards of labor,
and otherwise to rehabilitate indutry and
to conserve natural resources."
The'act contemplates an immediate plan of public works
"to provide employment qUicklyll and the formulation of a
"long-range national plan to follow".

To that end the

President has created a long-range planning board to assist the Administrator in tho preparation of the "comprehensive program of pnblic works".

The duty and function

of tho Emergency Administration as to Federal projects

and/or public works is to determine eligibility from the
standpoint of national planning 11
, Tho President is empowered to make grants to public
bodies to carry out the purposes of this act, grants being upon such terms as he shall prescribe, but not in

---_ _------------------------..

in quotations are quoted from Cicular No.1

Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works.

~!-Phrases

./

..

84

!I.

-,

r'~.

,11M

' fl'il
:I

excess o~ 30% o~ the cost of labor and materials employed upon any project.

If

A state Advisroy Board and a state

r\ 1

Engineer for the Public Works Administration are appoint\

I,

ed in each state, and these togother with the Administrator arc required to apply the following tosts in determining the eligibility of public projocts submitted by public
bodies upon which grants arc requestod:
1. "The relation of the particula.r project to
coordinated planning and its social desirnbilitr,.
Note: 'No project will be considered which
is mere mo.keshit to supply work 1!
2. lIEconomic desirability of the project, i.e_,
its relation to unemployment and revival of
industry.
3. "The soundnoss of tho projoct from an engineering and technical standpoint.
4. "The financial o.bility of tho applicant to
complete the work and to reasonable secure
any loans made by th9 United States.

;1 n."

1 ,

1,1

., \

"i

I!

)l!"

I:
! iii'

:;

'Ii

l! ("

Ii:

i 1:
i; ,1
i I'
I

Ii

5. i'The legul enforceability of the securities

to be purchased by the United stutes or of
any leaso to be entored into between the
applicant und the United States."

'

II'
!
I
1. i

Tho President has proscribed and the Administrator

will apply the following test to enable him to determine
whether to make the grant, and if so, to what extent:
"The social and economic significance of tho
project and its relative import~~co in the
comprehensive national progrwm of public works
contemplatod by the act, and the extent its.
construction will provido employment and purchasing pm"lOr in the vicinity. If

85

Bonds purchased by the

-.

Goverp~ent

are to be annually

amortized pursuant to state statutes and according to the

life of the project in a pel'iod

i1

,.

no t to exceed thil'ty years

except in the case of such projects as obviously

hav~

longer life and in no case to exceed fifty years".

The system of rapid transit proposed in this report

-'

meets all the requirements of eligibility for a Federal

loan and grant as prescribed in the National Industrial
Recovery Act.

The plan proposed is part of a comprehensive

plan, is urgently needed from the standpoint of creating

and maintaining 'social and economic values, is sound from
an engineering and technical standpoint, is financially
feasible, stutuas exist which allow adequate secu!ities to

be issued, and it will provide a large amount of employment and create an extensive local purchasing power.
A further point
all

in fact, the most important of

in its support is that only by means of such fin-

ancing as can be provided under the National Industrial

Recovery Act can a system of rapid transit be made possible in Los Angeles for many years to come.

It is possi-

ble thereunder because of {l)the low interest rate, 3.~

of total cost of the project which is due to the 30% grant
and (2) the possibility of using a portion of the grant
to apply upon the debt service in the early years.
The rapid transit service will be a competitive
EEsinoss and fares SUfficiently

hi~

to provide edequate

return to pay such interest rates as even the City of

.,t

--------------------------------------------------------------.~-

L.V...

~~~

,'.t .

, 't:-.'.,
Cij~.li..) 1

"(.~;.:
.......~(~t

,i\,-"

l~

t,,)~

"

L L rJ ~U' tnK' 11~:

/~.

...

en

...-

en
l\I

...

""""11 ..,.. , .......', ",""..

- - - - .1117 ... NC.C 1"&"_ "... U TO K UK'
.. COWMeu_ ..," rM"OICO ".V)t(,
~'1'O

.-

ACCOW"'"

, GN

lito"". '
T '''ITlIlI
, . tot,.., Of' \0' AHOIU
. OOfMLAW.-..MA COlI.'''''''
1IfO"#1 . . . . 'UI

DISTRlBUTIO,N
OF POPULATION

L"'

LOSS:!~~~~~ ~~~~;tm~~tl

>

COUNTY OF' LOS ANGELES

,

I-

en

/or

..,

en

'

...

f930
ONE DOT REPRESENTS
ONE HUNDRED P,EOPLE

THE REGIONAL
CHARLES H. DIGGS -

PLANNING COMMISSION
DIRECTOR.

JUNE

III
10

1932

R 19 W

R 18 W

R 17 W

....

' R 16 W

R IS W

R 14 W

R 1'3 W
_aJ

-l

R 12 W

er"~~

I , I liD

RIOW
..-...

...... === - ...

---.~~--,.~

l.. T II

..

'ow

I-

I l i S ,I,

R'W~j

,:;:,.,J".:;~~~I'~;,.l'Nat.,
..

'M:-:""JJIlf.~~"

86

Los Angeles could

riding. A 4~%

con~and

would not attract sufficient

interest rate upon the cost of the project

would call for annual interest charges of $1,670,000 at

the outset, and with principal repayment deferred ten
years, a totaldebt service of $2,910,000 in 1945 with no
means except assessment levies to care for deficits in
the early years.
Other local projects, of a monopolistic nature. can
attract and maintain custom at higher rates to support
higher cost of debt service, but a rapid transit system
is not of this nature.
Method of Financing
The qlestior/as to whether the application for the
loan and grant is to be made by the City of Los Angeles
or by some other public agency empowered to do so is one
to be decided by local interests and will not be discussed herein.
An analysis of future revenues, operating expenses

and debt service, as given in Table 18, shows that after

the first few years the project will be financially selfsupporting.

The National Industrial Recovery Act allows

public bodies to decide whether bonds will be issued in an

amount equal to the entire cost of the project as approved, or for such amount less the Federal grant, if the latter is made. In the former case the grant may be utilized
towards meeting debt service during early years.

,;<:.-

"

8G-2

~-

Table 18

INTEREST, PRINCIPAL PAYMENTS

PROPERTY ASSESSMENT AND SURPLUS
RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM
Basic Data:
Total Cost of System
Right of Way
Structures-Labor and Materials
30% Grant-Labor & Materials
Balance - Loan
Bond Issue
Portion of grant to be
used for debt service

Bond Interest -

4%
)

Bond Retirement)

6 years

)...2.

II
If

40 years
~"

:
:
':Received: Paid by:
.: .
~:
:
:
/: from :Assess- : Paid. : ; .~
:Interest:Principa1: Total : Pacific:ment
:from :
;ij Year: Payment: Payment :Payments:Electric:District:Grant:Surplus ./
~

Figures in
1 200

152

500

548

1 200

242
332
421
511
701

500
500
400
400
300

458
368
379
289
699

986
1 :370
1 555
1 839

200
100
10

494
190
75

1935

1 200

1936
1937
1938
1939
1940

1
1
1
1

200
200
200
200
I 200

500

1941
1942
1943
1944
1945

1
1
1
1
1

500
500
500
500
500

1
1
1
1

660
640
620
600

1946
1947
1948
1949
1950

1 080
1 060 .
1 040

500
500
500
500
1 500

1
1
1
1
2

580
560
540

1
1
1
1
1

1
1
1
1

',951

~952

1953
1954
1955

180
160
140
120
100

020

1 000
960

920
880
840
800

000
000
000
000
000

~1000's

1
1
1
1

200
200
200
700

1 680

520
000

I 960
920
880
840
800

2 124
2
2
2
2
2

219
524

309
394
478
563
647

729
834
938
1 043
647

2 542

2 527

582
617
652
687

521

721

2 537
2 532
.2

86-b
Table 18 - Cont.

:
:
:
:Received:Paid by :
:
:
:
:
: from :Assess-: Paid
:Interest:Principa1: To' al : Pacific:ment
:from :
Year: Payment: Payment :Payments:Electr1c:District:Grant:Surp1us

Figures in $1000's
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960

760
720
680
640
600

1 000
1 000
1 000
1 000
1 000

1 760

2 516

1
1
1
1

720
680
640
600

2 511
2 506
2 501
2 496

1961
1962
1963
1964
1965

560
520
480
440
400

1
1
1
1
1

000
000
000
000
000

1
1
1
1
1

560
520
480
440
400

2
2
2
2
2

570
544
518
592
566

1
1
1
1
1

010
024
038
152
166

1966
1967
1968
1969
1970

360
320
280
240
200

1
1
1
1
1

000
000
000
000
000

1 360
1 320
1 280
1 240
1 200

2
2
2
2
2

540
514
588
562
536

1
1
1
1
1

180
194
308
322
336

1971
1972
1973
1974

160
120
80
40

1
1
1
1

000
000
000
000

1
1
1
1

2
2
2
2

582
527
573
518

1
1
1
1

422
407
493
478.

Totals

30 100

30 000

160
120
080
040

60 100

83 543

756
791
826
861
896

2 910

3 500

29 853

87

Under this method it is possible to make a variety

of

esti~ates

covering the financing of this project. The

one given in Table 18 is not the only one available, but

is presented as afZording a reasonable basis of financing.
The total cost of the project -- taken as $37,200,000
involves

~1,550,000

strt.. . ctures.

and the balance of $26,500,000 as a loan.

The estimate

in Table 18 assumes that bonds will be issued in the sum

of ~30,000,000, bearing 4% interest, which bonds will be
purchased by the government.
SQ~

Of the grant of $10,700,000

of $3,500,000 will be reserved for payment

~f

portion of the debt service during the first nine years

of the project, the remainder of the grant -- $7,200,000,
with the proceeds of the bond issue of $30,000,000 -being used for construction.
On this basis there will still be a deficit to
meet the debt service during the first nine years.

This

deficit must be c arod for by the creation of an asscssment district in which is included benofited property.
The deficit

-'

Of the latter, 305t or ~~10,700,000 is assumed

to be received as a grant from the Federal Government,

the

for rights-of-way and $35,650,000 for

~ounts

to $500,000 annually for the first

tJ.utee years" $400,000 annually for the fourth and fifth

years, and is roduced progressively to $10,000 the ninth
year, after which no assessment will be necessary.

88

Interest

paY~lents

alone of

~1,200,000

annually are

made for the first six years, and at the .end of the sixth
year the payment of $500,000 per year on principal commences, with reduction of interest payments.

The

princ~

pal paymont is increased to $1,000,000 year in 1950, the

maximum annual payment of interest and principal-$2,000,000
occuring that year.

Principal payments continue at

$1,000,000 a year until 1974 when the bond issue is complotely retired.

The total amount to be raised by local

assessment is $2,910,000 over a period of nine years, or

an average of $323,000 per year.
In the last column of Table 18, commencing with tho
year 1944, a surplus is shovlU, which gradually increases
to the year 1949, is reduced in 1950 because of increased
principal payments, and progressively increases from that
date until the bond issue is retired.

This surplus may

be used for a variety of purposes, including grade separations, extensions of olovated and/or subway structures,
and other betterments and improvements to the system.

No

detailed discussion is given as to ways and means of utilizing it, as it is felt that such could como better at a
future date after the

scrvic~

has boen in operation for

somo years.
Tho location and extent of the assessment district
necessary to meet the deficit on the system in the early
years is a matter beyond the scope of this present report.
It might include outlying areas which are served by the

:~

i,

20.000.000

'1 ....

....>-

:d~ ~

oZQ..

a::wo
.... :::Ea::
(f')lI)Q..

..',

....Z(f)0
:3z
Wll)

:::E<t

~
Q..

10.000.000

PAYMENTS FROM GRANT

~ooo.ooo

ANNUAL REVENUES. EXPENSES,

DEBT SERVICE, AND
SURPLUS
RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM

1935 -1974
-==::::J:::lOCC=:=-TO ACCOMPANY REPORT ON
A RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM
FOR CITY OF L.OS ANGELES
DONALD M.BAKER, CONS. ENG'FI.
NOVEMBER, '833

89

system.

However, it should be pointed out that if such

district included solely the Central Business Distnict

of Los Angeles -- which has this year an asse$sed valuation in land and improvements or $168,000,000 -- the assessment rate caused by an annual levy of $500,000 would amount to but
rea.

30~

per $100 of assessed valuation in the a-

On this basis a property with a present assessed val-

uation of $1,000,000 would be required to pay as its share

of the cost of the rapid transit system, the sume of $3000
a year or $250 a month during the first three years. This
would be reduced to $2,400 per year or $200 per month during the following two years, and progressively decreasing until after the ninth year it would disappear.
In this connection it is of interest to note that
assessed valuatiom of property locally have been reduced
about 38% since 1931.

The total city, county, school and

district rate during the current year is $4.24 per $100

and in 1931 was $4.27* per $100.

Assuming a property as-

sessed in 1933 at a value of $1,000,000 :

1931 Assessed Value

~ 1 613 000

1933 Assessed Value

1,000 000

(38~

less)
Saving in taxes since 1931

Tax Rate

Taxes Paid

4.27

$ 68 800

4.24

42 400

$ 26

400

The $3000 per year would raise present taxes on this property 7%, .wheroas the saving in taxes since 1931 would have
*The Flood Control District rate of 10 per $100 is levied
upon ~eal estate only.

90

been nine times this ~um~

If a district were createa

which ihcluded the Central District and sections outside

Of it served by the system, with a total assessed valu-

ation of $250,000,000, the levy during initial years on

-'

the above basis would be 20' per $100, and Vlould amount
t

to $8.00 per year for an average house and lot assessed

.t

at $4,000.

r
./

HIGHLIGHTS
of
REPORT ON A RAPID TRk~SIT SYSTEM FOR LOS ANGELESBy
DONALD ~:I. BAKER
Consulting Engineer
PAGE
5.

Los fu1geles Metropolitan District is fourth largest in the

country in populati.on. It has the lowest population de!'l~ity
of any 1ct~ge district ~- average density in settled area of
Los Angeles bein~ about 7000 per square mile. City of Los
Angeles has 53.4% of- population of Metropolitan Area.
36% of the land in the Coastal Plain in Los Angeles County
has been subdivided, but only 46 out of every 100 lots so
subdivided are improved.

7.

Los Angeles County increased its population thirteen times

in the 30 years from 1900-30.

7-b

Per Capita figures for Los Angeles County and the United
States at large show that locally average savings bank deposits are 1-1/3 times national average; residential tele-"
phones 1.45; automobiles 1.9; retail sales 1.5; output of
manufacturing products 1.5, and average wages 1-1/6 times
the national average indicating very high standard of living.

8.

Population growth of City of Los Angeles from 1900 to 1930

occurred in three cycles, the last one, commencing in 1918
and ending in 1930, had an increase of 704,000 population
of whom 550,000 were residents from other states.

II-a

The population in Los Angeles County outside of the City of

Los Angeles is now increasing more rapidly than that of city.

ll-a

About 3/4 million people live within a /lnile radius of 7th

and Broadway, and 1-1/3 million live within a 10 mile radius
of this point. Greatest increase in population in Los Angeles City and adjacent area between period 1923-30 occurred
in the northwest section, being 129%; that in other sections
ranging from 30~ to 35%. "
"

12.

It is estimated that the population of Los Angeles County

will have increased over that"o~ 1930 by 33% in 1940, 67~ by
1950 and 95% by 1960.
\
\.

13.

The center of population in the western portion of Los Ange-

A.GE

les County, including the cities of Los Angeles, Pasadena and

Long Beach, has shifted from Fifth and Spring Streets in 1918 te.",
Pico and Cherry in 1930. Center of new population added between ;
1918 and 1923 was Central and Venice, center of increase between
1923 and 1930 being at Ninth and Harvard, 4 miles northwesterly.
5.

About 2/3 of ,the population of Los Angeles County outside of the

City of Los Aneeles live within incorporated cities. Average
individual farm acreage holdings in entire county are 42 acres
as against 157 acres for United states as a whole.

7.

About 2/3 of present population of Los Angeles City and Metro-I

poli tan District acquired 1n past 20 years, passenger auto reg- ,tistration of Los Angeles City in 1915 was 35 per 1000 population'
in 1931 was 366 per 1000.

8.

The trend in residential construction from 1919 to 1930 was decidedly towards multiple dwellings, but in 1932 this trend had
been reversed to single family dwellings.

..~

.,'

I'
2-a Pacific Electric Railway in 1932 operated 110% of their 1914
track mileage, 78% of their 1914 car mileage and carried 78% of!
the number of revenue passengers they carried in 1914.

2-b Pacific Electric busses carried 18% of total passengers carried

by system -- except L. A. Motor Coach Company.
2-c Los Angeles Railway in 1932 operated 105% of their 1914 track
mileage, 89% of 1914 car mileage and carried 99% 'of 1914
- revenue passengers.
2-d Los Angeles Railway busses carried 6% of total revenue passengers carried by system, excluding L. A. Motor Coach Company.
6-7 In 1923, 605,OOO'persons entered Central Business District in
12 hour day, 52% coming by rail and 48% by automobiles. In
1931 697,000 persons ente:r:ed the district during the same time,
62% by automobiles and 38% b~ rail and bus.

70
~

One person out of two residing within 10 mile radius, or 1 out

of every 3 residing within the entire Metropolitan District now
enter the Central Business District daily.

-,

The proportion of persons within the 10 mile radius who cnter

the district by automobile was the same in 1923 and 1931. Proportion of persona entering district by rail and bus tran~porta
tion has decreased nearly 50% between these dates.
3.

About 30,000 automobiles, each parking 45 minutes, could be accommodated in the Central Business District during a business
day at the curb. Due to overtime parking, only 20,000 are
actually accommodated.

~.

Offstreet parking facilities within and adjacent to the Central

Business District have a capacity for 56,000 car stalls and
actually park 60,000 daily. About 275,000 automobiles daily
entered the Central Business District in December 1931.

J.

Loa Angeles has smallest percentage of usable street space in

terms of total area in its Central Business District of any
large city.

1.

It is estimated that cost of delays due to traffic congestion

within the Central Business District roach a sum of at least_,
$15,000,000 annually. Assessed valuation of the Central Business District is now $168,000,000 -- equal to 1/6 of assessed
valuation of entire city of Los fulge1es, or 1/10 of valuation of
Los Angeles County.

2.'

During period 1915-20,

per 100,000 population
while between 1927 and
to 7 acres per 100,000
decentralization.

about 20 acres of ground were built upon

increase in the 'Central Business District
1930, the rate of utilization had dropped
increaso, indicating a high degree of

About 30~ of the people livinG within tho Metropolitan District

of New York enter its Central District daily, this figure being
the same as that for Los Angeles Metropolitan District and its
Contral Business District.

By 1945 it is estimatod that 1,070,000 persons will cnter the

Central Business District .of Los Angeles daily. With the ,present
saturation of automotive traffic, it will not be poss~ble for
many more persons to travel to and from the Central Dil~rict by
automobile, which will make somo means of rapid transi 0srontial.

o.

A comprehensive study of transportation facilities, inc uding

stem and electric and motor busses, is needed to coordinato

systems.
\

"

-...--- ..

_.... --- --._--_.

-,

The possibility is indicated of utilizing some steam railroad

tracks or rights-or-way for future rapid transit extensions.
1.

The rapid transit plan proposed shows four lines radiating from
Central Business District serving all four directions. It includes (a) a subway on Aliso Street from Los Angeles River connecting with proposed Union Station at the Plaza throur~ Civic
Center, southerly on Hill (or some other street to be decided
later) to (b) Tenth Street westerly on Tenth to Hoover, thence
to Eighth, along Eighth to Pacific 31ectric right-of-way and
terminating at Vineyard; (c) an elevated line from present Pacific Electric Station to Alameda Street southerly between Alameda and Compton to Slauson, and (d) a continuation of existing
Glendale line under Temple to Bellevue, leaving Glendale line
at Riverside Drive, following east bank of Los Angeles River to
opposite Burbank, thence westerly to North Hollywood.

9.

Estimated cost of structures in s,stem is ~35,650,000 -- for

rights-of-way $1,550,000. Total $37,200,000.

2-a

Estimated that system will carry 90,000,000 passengers in 1940

and 147,000,000 in 1950, and 191,000,000 in 1960.
Usin~ a portion of the 30% grant obtained under the Public Works
Administration to pay interest during initial years and issuing
bonds for $30,000,000, it is estimated that the system can be
constructed, operated and.debt service met with a deficit of
e500,000 annually for the first three years of operation. This
deficit will be reduced to $400,000 annually fbr the fourth and
fifth years, and progressively reduces to $10,000 the ninth year
. after which it will disappear. Such deficit must be met by
creation of an asseSRment district. If such district were to
include property in downtown Los Angeles, the rate to be levied
the first year would be 30 per tlOD assessed valuation, as a
tax of $3000 per year on a property assessed at $l,OOO,OOO~

Reduction of assessed valuations during the past two years has

amounted to 38%. A 30' levy would increase present taxes paid
on downtown property 7%. The savings made in taxes over those
paid two years ago are nino times the tax levy necessary to
meet the deficit 'the first yoar~

-s-