These powerful forces had no incentive to maintain or improve the old electric tram system. National City destroyed the railroad tracks and replaced the streetcars with buses built by General Motors, using Firestone tires and running on gasoline.

There is a long-standing academic debate over whether selfish corporate interests deliberately killed the Los Angeles light rail system. Some researchers say the system has died of its own accord, like many other tram networks around the world.

The controversy even spilled over into pop culture in the 1988 film. Who Framed Roger Rabbitwho firmly positioned himself on the side of the conspiracy.

What is indisputable is that, beginning in the mid-1940s, powerful social forces transformed Los Angeles such that commuters had only two choices: drive or take a public bus. As a result, Los Angeles was so clogged with traffic that it often took hours to cross the city.

In 1990, the Los Angeles Times reported that people were putting refrigerators, desks, and televisions in their cars to avoid getting stuck in terrible traffic. A series of films, Fall into ignorance has The The Earthpresented the next-level challenge of driving in Los Angeles.

Traffic was also a problem when Los Angeles hosted the 1984 Summer Games, but the Games went off without problems. Organizers convinced more than a million people to take the bus and had many trucks driving during off-peak hours. However, the 2028 Games will have approximately 50% more athletes, which means thousands more coaches, families, friends and spectators. So just dusting off plans from 40 years ago won’t work.

Olympic transportation plans

Today, Los Angeles is slowly rebuilding a more robust public transportation system. In addition to buses, it now has four tram lines – the new name for electric trams – and two metros. Many follow the same routes that electric carts once traveled. Rebuilding this network costs citizens billions, since the old system has been completely dismantled.

Three key improvements are planned for the Olympics. First, the Los Angeles airport terminals will be connected to the rail system. Second, the Los Angeles organizing committee strongly plans to use buses to move people. To do this, it will reallocate some car lanes and make them available for 3,000 additional buses, which will be taken to other localities.