West LA Times

Can car-obsessed Los Angeles manage a car-free Olympics in 2028? UCLA public transit researcher Jacob Wasserman says lessons from Paris and Los Angeles in 1984 suggest it is feasible. However, whether it can have a lasting climate impact remains uncertain. Wasserman states:

“Los Angeles has done this before — for the 1984 Olympics, when we had no rail and a smaller bus network. And in some sense, 2028 will have to be a largely car-free Olympics because there’s going to be very little, if any, parking at Los Angeles’ Olympic venues.”

He adds, “The question, not just for the climate but for almost every policy realm, is what the lasting legacy will be. Whatever is developed to serve the games should also serve the region long-term.”

Discussing Paris' approach, Wasserman notes: “Paris’ car-free Olympics seems like it will create a lasting change. There was a lot of construction, not for venues but for dedicating streets to bike lanes, and that has changed how Parisians get around. They’re moving away from private vehicles and on more to transit, bikes and walking.”

In contrast, he reflects on Los Angeles' past: “On the other hand, the 1984 Olympics didn’t change how Angelenos got around. People blame ‘car culture’ in L.A., and there’s some truth to that. But the real reason people drive more is because we make it very convenient for people to drive. Unless we make other modes of transportation comparable or better than private cars, nothing’s going to change.”

Wasserman also addresses equity concerns: “The history of freeway siting across the country is one of incredible racial inequality. It will be building on decades of inequity if the Games do end up with a lot of car traffic on these freeways between the venues. That ends up worsening the air quality for the nearby residents who are supposed to benefit from the economic investment in the Olympics.”

Media are encouraged to quote from Wasserman’s comments or schedule an interview with him or other UCLA climate experts. Wasserman is affiliated with the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies in the Luskin School of Public Affairs.

For more climate news, join a briefing by UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain on Friday, Aug. 16 at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET covering upcoming thunderstorms in the Pacific Northwest and updates on California wildfires.