http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/bottleneck/2007/09/subway-to-sea-s.html

And they come with their old arguments: trains are slow, we don't want more density, new buildings will block our view, trains deteriorate our quality of life :nuts: .

Besides the NIMBYs, what do you think of that idea?

stupid... if you don't build anything, everyone will just pour out onto the streets (to live). people make babies, babies will grow up in time and NEED a place of their own. unless you want to live in a crowded unit with 4 generations worth of family living in it with you because housing is too expensive for them to move out and units will be at a 0% vacancy. so we can all just squat outside residential buildings waiting for the news of one open unit! Good God!

Sorry, but the preference of even not building up is a stuborn one and the idea should be put to death immediately. Are people not educated? just because you decide NOT to build it does NOT mean people will NOT come over here. and even if they don't come here, people grow from within!

Again, sorry, but I think more people have a view now (since more people fit into highrises) than they did before those highrises were built. sure, a neighborhood of 2,000 single houses might not have a view, but a new neighborhood with 2,000 in each new building does and so does the next apartment over with 500 units. Blocking your view? so you sit at home all day? do you even go to a public park? and explain to me how a train that might go from downtown los angeles to santa monica in 30 minutes is slower than a freeway that takes me between the two in a guestimate of 40 to 90 minutes!

This thread is terribly misleading seeing that the overwhelming majority of comments posted on the LA Times blog comments section are pro-subway and only 1 is anti-subway. Here is a typical comment:

What is "childish and ridiculous" are people who have a sense of entitlement that because they've had a certain quality of motoring for the past five decades, that this will be able to and should continue for the next several decades, and all government resources should be spent on road improvements to try innoculate them from any inconveniences arising from increasing urbanization that might motivate them to modify or alter their preferred lifestyle. That's childish and ridiculous.

Not building transportation alternatives that will keep this city economically and environmentally viable because NIMBYs want to pretend that we are still in the Los Angeles of several decades ago. That's childish and ridiculous.

Burying one's head in the sand and pretending as if urbanizations isn't going to happen and can be stopped because they want Los Angeles to be what it has been for the last several decades and don't want the future to arrive. That's childish and ridiculous.

Not building needed public transportation projects because someone wants their individual taxes to be lower no matter what the cost to everyone else and to future generations. That's childish and ridiculous.

Your biggest fear that one train will lead to another is for many people their dream come true. Go to the maps section on the Transit Coalition's website or getlamoving.org for visions of what L.A. could be.

Your fear that this will change Los Angeles from being the "beautiful city" it is neglects to mention that Los Angeles is already changing. Long overdue rail projects and other public transportation projects are a late-in-coming response to changes that are already happening. More public transit will help keep the air quality of this beautiful city.

Not wanting to responsibly plan for the future or deal with the reality of ever-increasing population. Now that's childish and ridiculous!

Los Angeles may also need to create other infrastructure improvements as the sewer system and parks you have mentione. However, Los Angeles is finally growing up and dealing with reality.

I suspect many people who wish to live in their past conception of Los Angeles, a LaLaLand, where one lives a suburban lifestyle in an urban environment, will no doubt be dragged kicking and screaming into the future.

I can almost feel what it means to be a NIMBY, but trains aren't very obtrusive at all. And well, for denser housing? It's inevitable, get over it.

I'm just preaching to the choir here, but this city is gonna keep growing regardless. People are coming into the L.A. metro area faster than people are realizing, I don't get why some people in the city are so resistant to change?