Raman Prioritizes Transit Overhaul
The incoming mayor will chair L.A. Metro and aim to resolve delays on the LAX Skylink project within her first week.
By Olivia Miller ·
Nithya Raman will place public transit at the center of her administration immediately upon taking office.
The incoming mayor defeated incumbent Karen Bass this week to secure control of the city’s transportation department and the Los Angeles Metro board. As chair of the 13-member Metro board, Raman will replace three current appointees: Councilmembers Katy Yaraslovsky and Imelda Padilla, and community advocate Jaqueline Dupont-Walker. These individuals all supported Bass in the recent election. The new leadership structure gives Raman direct influence over the county’s light-rail and subway operations.
Financial pressures and delayed projects define the immediate landscape for the new administration. Metro requires millions of dollars to fund a bus network for the 2028 Summer Olympics. Raman stated she will ask the city’s Congressional delegation to prioritize this funding. She also plans to reinstate a project team in the mayor’s office to clear city delays on major capital projects. Her stated goal is to prioritize Metro initiatives that provide the most benefit to the highest number of riders.
The Los Angeles International Airport Skylink people mover represents the most visible failure in current infrastructure. The 2.25-mile train connecting terminals to ground transportation is years behind schedule and more than $1 billion over its original $3.3 billion budget. Raman pledged to convene officials from the Los Angeles World Airports, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and the contractor, LINXS, during her first week. This meeting aims to assign responsibility for unresolved issues and technical failures that have stalled progress.
"Taxpayers deserve an advocate at the negotiating table, not another bill for someone else’s failure," Raman said during a news conference near the airport last week. She criticized Bass and the airport board for failing to monitor the project effectively. Raman holds a graduate degree in urban planning from MIT, a background that analysts believe will drive a more aggressive approach to transit than her predecessor’s healthcare and community organizing experience.
Several specific corridor projects are already designated as priorities under Raman’s watch. These include the Sepulveda Transit Corridor, the East San Fernando Transit Corridor, and expansions to the K Line and D Line. A new light rail connection in Southeast Los Angeles County and the Vermont Transit Corridor are also on the list. The Vermont project recently broke ground to add dedicated bike lanes between 120th Street and Sunset Boulevard. Raman supports compliance with Measure HLA for this route while advocating for shared lanes on narrower sections.
Advocacy groups expect quick structural changes. Michael Schneider of Streets for All predicts Raman will form a task force for the Skylink project in her first 100 days. He also expects her to consolidate departments, such as moving the Street Services repaving division under the transportation department. Schneider said he anticipates a bond or tax hike to fund sidewalks, curbs, and street improvements. "I think it’s the first election where safe streets has become a campaign issue, and real money has gone behind it to try to change the status quo," Schneider said.
