Autos, Transit, and the Sprawl of Los Angeles: The 1920s

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Abstract
The dispersed, low-density land use pattern characteristic of Los Angeles has roots in two periods of economic growth, when critical choices were made. Although many observers associate the sprawl of Los Angeles with freeway building after World War II, the pattern was well established before 1930. It can be traced to an early period of dispersed growth, from 1880 to 1910, when interurban street railways encouraged residential decentralization. The pattern was reinforced during the boom of the 1920s, when rapid growth was accompanied by dramatic shifts in travel patterns and industrial location, partly in response to the automobile. This article examines changes during those periods in the context of a continuing preference for low-density living. It also reviews the planning policies and political decisions of the twenties, particularly the adoption of a comprehensive highway program and the failure of a regional rapid transit plan to gain acceptance.

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