Infrastructure Prior to the 20th Century
Even though there had not been significant planning in Los Angeles until the 20th century, the late 1800’s brought about some imperative changes in infrastructure. A formal sewer system in the city was put in place in 1894 where raw sewage was discharged into the Pacific Ocean.[1] The public eventually criticized this method, so a Sewer Commission was established to address the concerns of the public. This commission endorsed the interior sewer and separate drainage systems and hired the Pacific Sewerage Company to filter out the waste impurities so that the resulting water could be used for irrigation.[2] Later in the 20th Century, the City of Los Angeles created a screening plant that operated as a treatment facility. The city eventually established the Hyperion Treatment Plant that still exists, although much more modified, today.
Existing streets were also modified, and the city opened new streets. This involved purchasing private property and widening and surfacing existing streets that had heavy construction. An ordinance was passed in 1873 that began the development of street car railroads in Los Angeles.[3] These streetcars were propelled by a cable wire and ran throughout the city (Figure 1). In 1869, the Los Angeles and San Pedro Railroad was built, and the twenty-one mile line connected Los Angeles with the shipping harbor in the San Pedro Bay. This was Southern California’s first railroad. In 1876, Los Angeles became a southern terminal of the transcontinental railroad that began the Los Angeles’ link to the global economy and is associated with the significant population increase of the 1880s.[4]
Even though there had not been significant planning in Los Angeles until the 20th century, the late 1800’s brought about some imperative changes in infrastructure. A formal sewer system in the city was put in place in 1894 where raw sewage was discharged into the Pacific Ocean.[1] The public eventually criticized this method, so a Sewer Commission was established to address the concerns of the public. This commission endorsed the interior sewer and separate drainage systems and hired the Pacific Sewerage Company to filter out the waste impurities so that the resulting water could be used for irrigation.[2] Later in the 20th Century, the City of Los Angeles created a screening plant that operated as a treatment facility. The city eventually established the Hyperion Treatment Plant that still exists, although much more modified, today.
Existing streets were also modified, and the city opened new streets. This involved purchasing private property and widening and surfacing existing streets that had heavy construction. An ordinance was passed in 1873 that began the development of street car railroads in Los Angeles.[3] These streetcars were propelled by a cable wire and ran throughout the city (Figure 1). In 1869, the Los Angeles and San Pedro Railroad was built, and the twenty-one mile line connected Los Angeles with the shipping harbor in the San Pedro Bay. This was Southern California’s first railroad. In 1876, Los Angeles became a southern terminal of the transcontinental railroad that began the Los Angeles’ link to the global economy and is associated with the significant population increase of the 1880s.[4]
Major Infrastructure Projects in the 20th Century
The population boom in the early 20th century brought about a major need for more water in Los Angeles. The population had risen by about 95,000 people in a period of ten years leading into 1900. [5] In 1913, ex-mayor Fred Eaton and city water engineer William Muholland purchased water rights in the Owens River Valley (about 215 miles away) for about $25 million dollars in aqueduct bonds. [2] This aqueduct allowed Los Angeles to supply an ample supply of water to the city’s growing population.
The Los Angeles River is the reason why the City of Los Angeles is located where it is today. This river, however, was unpredictable and was subject to flooding that would destroy property and take lives. As a result, the Los Angeles Flood Control District was formed in 1915.[5] To control flooding, the Los Angeles Flood Control District tried to channel the water and promote the need for reservoirs and dams; however, taxpayers were unwilling to provide enough funds to fund these projects. After two more major floods in the 1930’s, the Army Corps of Engineers took over channelizing the river (Figure 2). By 1960, the project was completed and the river was now a fifty-one mile engineered waterway. [6]
The population boom in the early 20th century brought about a major need for more water in Los Angeles. The population had risen by about 95,000 people in a period of ten years leading into 1900. [5] In 1913, ex-mayor Fred Eaton and city water engineer William Muholland purchased water rights in the Owens River Valley (about 215 miles away) for about $25 million dollars in aqueduct bonds. [2] This aqueduct allowed Los Angeles to supply an ample supply of water to the city’s growing population.
The Los Angeles River is the reason why the City of Los Angeles is located where it is today. This river, however, was unpredictable and was subject to flooding that would destroy property and take lives. As a result, the Los Angeles Flood Control District was formed in 1915.[5] To control flooding, the Los Angeles Flood Control District tried to channel the water and promote the need for reservoirs and dams; however, taxpayers were unwilling to provide enough funds to fund these projects. After two more major floods in the 1930’s, the Army Corps of Engineers took over channelizing the river (Figure 2). By 1960, the project was completed and the river was now a fifty-one mile engineered waterway. [6]
Dealing with Traffic in Los Angeles
There was a rapid growth in the economy in the 1920s and more people were able to purchase automobiles, causing more traffic congestion in the city. A Traffic Commission was appointed to come up with a comprehensive plan to relieve the traffic problem and the commission created the Major Traffic Street Plan in 1924 (Figure 3). [2] This plan included the widening, extension, and straightening of streets already existing, a separation of traffic classes where local and through traffic would not mix, and the creation of underpasses and elevated highways.
In 1947, the Collier-Burns Act was put in place to help California’s highway congestion problems, which allowed Los Angeles to develop a Master Plan of Highways in 1948. The Collier-Burns Act raised the fuel tax by 50 percent, vehicle registration fees by 200 percent and centralized bureaucratic power in one agency (Caltrans). [7] This money went into funding a multi-modal highway system in Los Angeles and throughout California. The Master Plan of Highways coordinated freeways and surface streets. A revised Master Plan of Freeways was approved in 1955 where the old freeway system was retained but changes were made to newly adopted routes. This plan allowed freeways to be designated as state highways and the construction to be paid for by state funds.
There was a rapid growth in the economy in the 1920s and more people were able to purchase automobiles, causing more traffic congestion in the city. A Traffic Commission was appointed to come up with a comprehensive plan to relieve the traffic problem and the commission created the Major Traffic Street Plan in 1924 (Figure 3). [2] This plan included the widening, extension, and straightening of streets already existing, a separation of traffic classes where local and through traffic would not mix, and the creation of underpasses and elevated highways.
In 1947, the Collier-Burns Act was put in place to help California’s highway congestion problems, which allowed Los Angeles to develop a Master Plan of Highways in 1948. The Collier-Burns Act raised the fuel tax by 50 percent, vehicle registration fees by 200 percent and centralized bureaucratic power in one agency (Caltrans). [7] This money went into funding a multi-modal highway system in Los Angeles and throughout California. The Master Plan of Highways coordinated freeways and surface streets. A revised Master Plan of Freeways was approved in 1955 where the old freeway system was retained but changes were made to newly adopted routes. This plan allowed freeways to be designated as state highways and the construction to be paid for by state funds.
[1] LA Sewers. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2015, from
http://www.lasewers.org/treatment_plants/hyperion/
[2] Fogelson, R. (1993). The Fragmented Metropolis Los Angeles, 1850-1930. Berkeley:
University of California Press.
[3] THE STREET RAILWAY HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26,
2015, from http://www.erha.org/railwayhis.htm
[4] Photos: L.A.'s First Railroads Connected the Region to the Global Economy. (n.d.).
Retrieved February 26, 2015, from http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_focus/history/la-as-subject/photos-las-first-railroads.html
[5] Sloane, D. (2012). Planning Los Angeles. Chicago: American Planning Association.
[6] History of the Los Angeles River. (n.d.). Retrieved February 28, 2015, from
http://ladpw.org/wmd/watershed/LA/History.cfm
[7] My Way Or The Highway: Why Mega-Roads Rule The City. (n.d.). Retrieved February 28,
2015, from http://www.kcet.org/socal/departures/columns/laws-that-shaped-la/my-way-or-the-highway-when-mega-roads-took-over-the-city.html
IMAGES:
[Figure 1] retrieved from: http://users.humboldt.edu/ogayle/hist383/LosAngeles.html
[Figure 2] retrieved from:
http://www.kcet.org/socal/departures/columns/laws-that-shaped-la/the-law-that-killed-the-la-river.html
[Figure 3] retrieved from: http://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/citydig-how-three-men-tried-to-solve-las-traffic-problem-in-1924/
http://www.lasewers.org/treatment_plants/hyperion/
[2] Fogelson, R. (1993). The Fragmented Metropolis Los Angeles, 1850-1930. Berkeley:
University of California Press.
[3] THE STREET RAILWAY HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26,
2015, from http://www.erha.org/railwayhis.htm
[4] Photos: L.A.'s First Railroads Connected the Region to the Global Economy. (n.d.).
Retrieved February 26, 2015, from http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_focus/history/la-as-subject/photos-las-first-railroads.html
[5] Sloane, D. (2012). Planning Los Angeles. Chicago: American Planning Association.
[6] History of the Los Angeles River. (n.d.). Retrieved February 28, 2015, from
http://ladpw.org/wmd/watershed/LA/History.cfm
[7] My Way Or The Highway: Why Mega-Roads Rule The City. (n.d.). Retrieved February 28,
2015, from http://www.kcet.org/socal/departures/columns/laws-that-shaped-la/my-way-or-the-highway-when-mega-roads-took-over-the-city.html
IMAGES:
[Figure 1] retrieved from: http://users.humboldt.edu/ogayle/hist383/LosAngeles.html
[Figure 2] retrieved from:
http://www.kcet.org/socal/departures/columns/laws-that-shaped-la/the-law-that-killed-the-la-river.html
[Figure 3] retrieved from: http://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/citydig-how-three-men-tried-to-solve-las-traffic-problem-in-1924/