People view LA area very differently from other cities.
From a car driving perspective, traveling distances aren't too long in time and distance often because there are no stops to pick up and drop passengers. For transit riders, it's a long process of many stops and transfers. Short distances 7 miles or 20km is fine and ideal, but greater distances isn't so great.
In LA driving 20 miles or less isn't bad, but many drive 30 40 to 70 miles like south bay to Downtown. Or the valley to long beach or Pomona to Westwood. There are those from Irvine into LA, Palmdale to LA, San bern to LA. Yes there are so many who use public transportation these distance. I often read why people don't use public transit for those commutes. Duh .... it's insane.
The thing with public transit is who should it benefit? The people who live in near suburbs, middle suburbs, far a uburbs, exurbs?
Chicago is 250 square miles, new york is 305 square miles, Los Angeles city is 472. But the CTA and MTA system covers primarily the city limits that converge in the central areas of the loop or Manhattan. LA county metro system covering an area 3 times the size of LA city based on the map. That's 5 new york cities, 7 Chicago's. Nyc, Chicago are efficient because people are going to a central highly dense core area and it's rail system follows that.
I think LA needs to focus more on its core areas. I think the core area is huge already the size of 3 Manhattans. From Santa Monica to Beverly Hills Hollywood to downtown 15 miles long and 4 miles wide from Hollywood to 10 freeway. You can't fix that. So you make do with with the things gs you have.
LA should have a network of streetcar trams. On sunset blvd from downtown to echo park, east Hollywood, West Hollywood. Tram on Santa Monica Blvd, , melrose, 3rd st, Olympic, pico, North south trams on Vermont, Western, la brea, Westwood Blvd, bundy, Lincoln.
In Downtown streetcars should go down to historic south central, on Olympic to Koreatown and Westlake, Beverly thru historic filipinotown and rampart, Cypress Park, Lincoln heights El Sereno, south boule heights. These wouldn't duplicate existing lines of expo, blue, red or purple lines. The nearest metro station would be half mile or more away.. streetcars should focus on getting people around locally neighborhood to neighborhood with stops every 1/4 to 1/2 mile, while metro gets them region to region of the county. With most stops from 1/2 mile toMelrose,
The most dense parts of LA are in the core already. Job rich, tourism rich. Shopping, culturem attractions, etc. Allow for more density and development. Allow for more walkable amenities, road diets, tree shade, beautiful street art. Honestly people say LA is not walkable but many parts have mostly connected walkable areas. Often time not enough places of interest within them. I think downtown to Koreatown on Olympic, wilshire , Beverly, are interesting but I doubt someone on the Westside think ethnic shops and good eating places in Westlake or Koreatown are good. Maybe su set Blvd through hipsters cafes, restaurants neighborhoods is more appealing.