PARIS (KABC) — In just a few years, Los Angeles will host the Olympics, but with all that excitement comes some logistical concerns.
Is the city ready for the world’s attention? How will its leaders tackle pressing issues like homelessness and urban infrastructure?
Paris and Los Angeles were simultaneously selected to host the 2024 and 2028 Olympic Games in 2017. City officials have been meticulously preparing Paris and are now getting a first-hand look at what it takes to pull off a global event.
We want the world to see the best of Los Angeles.
Eyewitness News spoke with Mayor Karen Bass about the big initiative heading into 2028.
LA’s love of cars and the need to adapt
Bass believes one of the biggest challenges will be “car-free Olympics.”
“We would need 3,000 buses to get into town, but all 3,000 buses can’t be electric because we would have to borrow them from many cities,” she said. “That would be a logistical nightmare in itself.”
The words “no cars” might worry some people – does that mean you can’t drive a car?
“Exactly,” Bass said. “To get to the Olympic venues, you’re going to have to rely on public transport. That’s what it means. You know, for a city like ours that was born with the car, that’s going to be difficult.”
While Paris residents and tourists have no problem using the Paris subway system, the Los Angeles subway system is not as popular.
Increased rider safety
There has been a recent spike in violence and drug use on Los Angeles’ public transportation systems, but what is being done about it?
Bass said the city has recently increased police staffing and equipped ambassadors with Narcan, which he said is working.
“Our ambassadors saved 190 passengers,” she said, “and I’m so glad they did it, but I’m so sad they had to do it, because that’s 190 people who overdosed on the bus, and last year, 50 people died in the first six months.”
Despite the alarming statistics, Bass said Metro ridership is nearly at pre-pandemic levels.
“Metro ridership has now earned us the second-highest position in the nation as the most-used transportation system,” she said, “behind New York and Los Angeles and ahead of Chicago. Safety must always be our number one priority.”
The Olympics can bring many benefits to a city like Los Angeles, and Bass hopes that visitors to the city in 2028 will be able to see all the city has to offer, not just the popular tourist sites.
“We want people to know where Little Bangladesh is, Little Armenia, Ethiopia, Chinatown is, that our businesses, our small businesses, our little mom-and-pop restaurants are involved in this too,” Bass said.
Addressing the homeless issue
Another big concern is the homeless problem in the city.
Bass was forthright when speaking about the issue, saying that fixing this very problem was the reason he ran for mayor in the first place.
“We don’t need to build big stadiums. The stadiums are all built. What we need to build is housing so people don’t have to live on the streets,” she said.
“I don’t want the world to see this from our second largest city, with an economy bigger than many countries. I want our city to show the world the best of Los Angeles.”
Four years is not enough time to overcome these enormous problems, but if we think positively, success could have far-reaching benefits that extend far beyond 2028.
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