This article looks at the income along LA’s Metro stations. As planners, we are taught that transportation (especially rail) leads to economic development. It would be an interesting case study to see what was done wrong or right at these struggling stations. And, even more interesting to see if the planners and developers are looking at their own plans to see what could be done to better going forward with the ambitious plans to expand train service in CA.

By Kyle Kim and Sandra Poindexter

This year has seen the extension of two Metro lines to affluent communities. The income level around

Metro stations can go from twice the amount of Los Angeles County’s median income to well below in a

matter of a few stops. We decided to look at median household income levels along all the lines to get a

clearer picture of who’s being served. While not a perfect measure, looking at income levels along the Los

Angeles Metro stations offers a look at how income is distributed.

http://www.latimes.com/visuals/graphics/la-g-metro-median-income-20160216-htmlstory.html