In the coming decades, the Los Angeles County region will be undertaking one of the largest transportation infrastructure investments in the Western Hemisphere. As Metro works with public and private sector partners to build this infrastructure, we are also seizing opportunities to improve mobility now. Our bus and train service has more than 1.2 million daily boardings. There are more than 10 million people in the county whose quality of life is impacted by our collective ability to marshal the creativity, resources and political will to quickly implement mobility solutions.

The Office of Extraordinary Innovation has been leading an effort at Metro to develop an ambitious strategic plan, Metro Vision 2028, that will touch every single user of the transportation ecosystem in Los Angeles County over the next 10 years. This plan — approved by the Metro Board in June — aligns all of Metro’s services, programs, and projects toward a unified vision. Metro’s mission is to deliver a world-class transportation system that improves the quality of life for those who live, work and play within L.A. County.

Vision 2028 is the result of more than 17 months of research, discussion and outreach. We solicited input from an extensive number of stakeholders, through customer and employee surveys and interviews with top influencers. We identified key trends, opportunities and challenges for the region.

It’s no secret that our region has a complex transportation ecosystem, with varying governing structures. These intricacies and nuances should not negatively impact a user’s mobility experience. The following five goals together advance our vision:

1. Provide high-quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time traveling;
2. Deliver outstanding trip experiences for all users of the transportation system;
3. Enhance communities and lives through mobility and access to opportunity;
4. Transform Los Angeles County through regional collaboration and national leadership; and
5. Provide responsive, accountable, and trustworthy governance within the Metro organization.

Metro has created a strategic plan that puts the user experience at the core of transportation and at the forefront of how we do business. The plan addresses the root cause of our transportation problem—we have increasing travel demands on a congested system. The current system is inefficient: limited street space is largely given to single-occupancy vehicles, which are too often stuck in traffic, while the most disadvantaged members of our community are confined to a patchwork of transportation options that frequently fail to meet their basic mobility needs.

In order to make the best use of our transportation capacity, we need to focus on creating high-quality alternatives to solo driving. Addressing the root cause of this problem will require bold actions and take leadership, partnership and widespread public support. This is a collective effort requiring participation from all players in the region, making leadership and partnership essential to achieving these goals.

To learn more, visit metro.net/vision2028.

Tham Nguyen is a Senior Manager in the Office of Extraordinary Innovation. Emma Huang is a Transportation Planner in the Office of Extraordinary Innovation