Is San Jose Destined to Be a Train Wreck for California Transportation?

The Bay Area City Could Be the State's Rail Capital. But Plans Are Veering Off Track

Can Californians find their way to San Jose?

That spin on the old song, made famous by Dionne Warwick, might be the most important question facing the state’s transportation system. Because plans to bring trains and transit into the 21st century depend on transforming the Bay Area city of 1 million people into our state’s rail capital.

But, in dysfunctional California, can all these plans stay on track?

Transportation expectations for San Jose are a function of the economy—it’s the capital of Silicon Valley—and of geography. San Jose sits about halfway between California’s …

by Joe Mathews | June 21, 2022

How Latin America Built L.A.

Excavating the Century of Economic Domination Beneath the 2022 Summit of the Americas

by Jessica Kim | June 6, 2022

Los Angeles is just the second U.S. city to host the Summit of the Americas, which brings together political leaders, civil society organizations, and business executives from North, South, and …

Not Your Average L.A. Mayor Voter Guide

From South L.A. to the Valley, Angelenos Will Have to Vote Their Values

by Talib Jabbar | May 27, 2022

As the primary election for Los Angeles’ next mayor nears and narrows, Zócalo, together with Creating Our Next L.A., convened a panel to answer the question on every Angeleno’s mind: …

How to Imagine a Los Angeles Without Traffic

The City Has the Solutions to Congestion, Pollution, and Accidents—We Just Need to Use Them

by JOSHUA SCHANK | March 31, 2022

For the last century, Los Angeles has been expanding its road space far beyond almost any major metropolitan area in history. We have built freeways and roads and parking lots …

Dear Mr. President, Please Save California’s High-Speed Rail

'Amtrak Joe' Is the Golden State's Last, Best Hope for Making a Rail From the Bay Area to L.A. a Reality

by Joe Mathews | April 27, 2021

Dear Joe,

I know I should call you Mr. President, but there’s no time for formalities. You must move fast if you’re going to save California’s high-speed rail project.

No malarkey: It …

The Sleeping Car King Who Brought America to the “Ragged Edge of Anarchy”

George Pullman’s Unbending Business Acumen Made Him a Mogul, But Also Inspired the Greatest Labor Uprising of the 19th Century

by Jack Kelly | January 10, 2019

George M. Pullman literally raised Chicago from the mud. He introduced luxury to the nation’s rail lines. He even created a model company town for his workers—a feat that prompted …

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