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The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority (sometimes referred to as LAMTA or MTA I) was a public agency formed in 1951. Originally tasked with planning for rapid transit in
The agency's powers were expanded in 1954, authorizing it to study and propose an extensive regional transit system. In 1957, another expansion of the agency's powers authorized it to operate transit lines, and it subsequently purchased the bus and streetcar lines then being operated by Metropolitan Coach Lines, which had taken over passenger service of the Pacific Electric Railway in 1953, as well as the bus and streetcar lines of the Los Angeles Transit Lines, successor to the Los Angeles Railway. Both companies, as well as MCL subsidiary Asbury Rapid Transit System, were acquired for $34 million (equivalent to $ in ). The MTA began operating the lines on March 3, 1958, and continued to do so until the agency was taken over by the Southern California Rapid Transit District on November 5, 1964.
During the MTA's tenure, the last remaining rail transit lines in Los Angeles were abandoned and replaced with bus service, the last former Pacific Electric line in April 1961, and the last former Los Angeles Railway lines in 1963.
Mass transit plans in Los Angeles since 1951 (2.6MB PDF file)Photo of MTA 1543 in Compon, 1960
{{Pacific Electric Railway 1951 establishments in California 1964 disestablishments in California Government of Los Angeles History of Los Angeles Transportation in Los Angeles Defunct public transport operators in the United States Public transportation in Los Angeles County, California Passenger rail transportation in California Electric railways in California Bus transportation in California Transit agencies in California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, the agency would come to operate the vestiges of defunct private transit companies in the city.
History
Formed in 1951, LAMTA's original mandate was to do a feasibility study for amonorail
A monorail is a Rail transport, railway in which the track consists of a single rail or beam. Colloquially, the term "monorail" is often used to describe any form of elevated rail or people mover. More accurately, the term refers to the style ...
line which would have connected Long Beach with the Panorama City district in the San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley, known locally as the Valley, is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County, Los Angeles County, California. Situated to the north of the Los Angeles Basin, it comprises a large portion of Los Angeles, the Municipal corpo ...
via Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) is the central business district of the city of Los Angeles. It is part of the Central Los Angeles region and covers a area. As of 2020, it contains over 500,000 jobs and has a population of roughly 85,000 residents ...
.
The agency's powers were expanded in 1954, authorizing it to study and propose an extensive regional transit system. In 1957, another expansion of the agency's powers authorized it to operate transit lines, and it subsequently purchased the bus and streetcar lines then being operated by Metropolitan Coach Lines, which had taken over passenger service of the Pacific Electric Railway in 1953, as well as the bus and streetcar lines of the Los Angeles Transit Lines, successor to the Los Angeles Railway. Both companies, as well as MCL subsidiary Asbury Rapid Transit System, were acquired for $34 million (equivalent to $ in ). The MTA began operating the lines on March 3, 1958, and continued to do so until the agency was taken over by the Southern California Rapid Transit District on November 5, 1964.
During the MTA's tenure, the last remaining rail transit lines in Los Angeles were abandoned and replaced with bus service, the last former Pacific Electric line in April 1961, and the last former Los Angeles Railway lines in 1963.
Services
Rail lines
Trolley bus
Bus
See also
* Jim Wilson (Los Angeles), MTA secretaryReferences
External links
Mass transit plans in Los Angeles since 1951 (2.6MB PDF file)
{{Pacific Electric Railway 1951 establishments in California 1964 disestablishments in California Government of Los Angeles History of Los Angeles Transportation in Los Angeles Defunct public transport operators in the United States Public transportation in Los Angeles County, California Passenger rail transportation in California Electric railways in California Bus transportation in California Transit agencies in California