1951: I Love Lucy debuts on television, the Korean War rages on and Los Angeles sees its first transportation agency run by government officials.

The need for comprehensive, coordinated planning prompted the State of California to enact legislation creating the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority, often referred to as “the first MTA.”

After 78 years of privately-run transit, L.A. rode into a new era of regional planning as legislated by the State Assembly with directors appointed by the Governor.

What started as a regional planning agency eventually became a transit operator.

And while the agency lasted only 13 years, the short-lived era included the final demise of the streetcar system, major changes in bus operations and no less than three major rapid transit proposals, including the now famous monorail plans.

The entire story can be found here on the Metro Library’s Primary Resources blog.