The Time is Now - Break up the LADOT

Exhibit 1, from an audit of the LADOT done in 2006-2007, under the direction of Farid Saffar in the Controller's Office.

Last March, I wrote a post, "Break Up the LADOT", in which I very vaguely outlined how a potential money-saving dismantling of Los Angeles' biggest roadblock to livable streets - the LA Department of Transportation.

From removing traffic calming around new developments (that they've shown MEASURABLY IMPROVES safety and livability), to spending millions on a Pico-Olympic one-way study prior to talking to local residents and community members. This is a $160 million people killing machine that produces less safe, less profitable, and less livable streets in Los Angeles. It is designed to blunt the efforts of communities trying to improve their neighborhoods by slowing down traffic, reducing car trips, and making bicycling, walking and transit use easier.

So, here is a diagram of how I think the department should be ripped apart and sent in pieces to other city departments.

Exhibit 2, from my March 2008 post "Break Up the LADOT"

Click on the picture above to embiggenate the diagram. This is painting with a pretty broad brush! I estimate that a few tens of millions of dollars can be saved by cutting out car-centric administrators while maintaining the required armies of paper shuffling ground troops to plan and apply for grants and capital improvement projects.