CoMotion LA's Tim Gribaudi on LA28: How Paris' Success Could Inform LA's Olympic Transportation Strategy

Tim, CoMotion, as our readers well know, has covered advances in modern urban transportation in a way that few others have. 

Could you thus begin by describing how LA ‘28’s hopes for a “car-light or car-free” event might benefit from the success of Paris ’24? 

Tim Gribaudi: First of all, thank you so much for having me and for your compliments on the CoMotion newsletter. As you may know, David, I'm a Paris resident. I was born and raised in Paris, and I returned here a few years ago from North America. I've witnessed the transformation that Paris has undergone. 

To set the context, in the 1990s, Paris was a car-centric city where only about 0.3% of trips were made by bike. Today, it's one of the leading cycling cities, with a sprawling transit system. It’s estimated that there are now more bike trips inside Paris than car trips, with cycling accounting for 11.2% of all trips. This transformation has been particularly pronounced over the last eight years under Mayor Anne Hidalgo, and the Olympics has been a moment where all of this progress has come together.

Paris faced enormous pressure, not just within the city but also throughout the Paris region, similar to how LA County spans a vast area with about 12 million people. The region’s transit system, managed by Île-de-France Mobilités (similar to LA Metro), includes 16 metro lines and five regional RER lines. All of these elements had to come together for the Olympics. They had to plan daily for different sporting events that altered the transit map, manage crowds at venues like Stade de France, and adapt the transit system to these challenges. The opening ceremony by the Seine River, for example, posed unique challenges. There were some controversies, like the increased fare from two euros to four euros, but overall, it was a massive success. Despite challenges like the train line sabotage on the day of the opening ceremony, there were no major incidents afterward. Now, the focus is on whether this success can be transformed into a lasting legacy for Paris. Four new lines are being added to the Grand Paris Express, which will connect the suburbs to the city. So, a lot is happening, but it remains a significant challenge.

A sizable delegation to Paris from Los Angeles involved in planning the LA 2028 Olympics, attended ’24 Games to observe and learn. What  do you think they learned?

Yes, there was indeed a sizable delegation, and we at CoMotion were happy to assist LA Metro and other stakeholders in connecting with key players in the region. When you're an outsider, it’s crucial to understand how the system works. Île-de-France Mobilités oversees the transit system, but each city is responsible for its own curbs and bike lanes. So, understanding the local context is key.

I think the LA delegation observed the key priorities for hosting a successful Olympics and the importance of early planning. Preparations in Paris started long ago, and understanding what needs to be prioritized for LA 2028 is crucial. For example, how to work with the community to ensure an inclusive Olympics is a major lesson. In Paris, there were controversies before the games, such as price hikes and restricted access to certain areas, which weren’t always communicated effectively to residents. Learning from these experiences will be vital for LA. Another key lesson is user experience—Paris did well in communicating with residents and visitors, using visuals and a special app to guide people through the city and avoid congestion on transit lines. This is something LA Metro is looking into as well.

Additionally, recruiting enough bus drivers and ensuring the fleet was adequately staffed was a significant challenge in Paris. With the Olympics taking place in August, a month when many Europeans are on vacation, they had to reschedule vacations and ramp up transit frequency. These are some of the challenges that LA can learn from.

You just mentioned that “bike trips” now outnumber car trips in Paris, with 11.2% of trips being by bike. Are you saying that there are fewer than 11% of trips by car in Paris today?

To clarify, these statistics refer to intra-Paris trips—trips made by Paris residents within the city. Cycling accounts for 11.2% of trips, while cars account for 4.3%. I don't have the numbers or the exact statistics. This shift is part of a broader trend that includes the closer suburbs, where bike trips are also ahead of car trips. It’s been a remarkable revolution, especially in the last four years.

How should we compare Paris/ Los Angeles car trip data, considering that the Metropolises are planned and populated differently? 

It's important to consider the differences between Paris and LA. Paris is incredibly dense, so LA should also look to cities with similar densities to North American cities, like Bogota in Latin America. Bogota led a cycling revolution with its Ciclovía program, which started in the 1970s. They've since developed extensive bike paths on key roads, and this has significantly increased cycling in the city.

For LA, replicating these numbers would be revolutionary, but it’s possible if the city focuses on creating key connectors—segregated bike lanes that allow safe travel from, say, Santa Monica to Downtown. LA needs continuous and protected bike lanes rather than tokenistic ones that stop after a few streets. Additionally, some of these urban designs have been happening in other European cities like the Netherlands or Copenhagen. But also, look at Latin America. Going back to your question – for LA, it would be an incredible revolution if those numbers were to be replicated, and LA has the potential, but it has to think about those big connectors.

Unlike Paris, LA is a multi-centered city that includes many urban hubs.  Does the latter limit the lessons to be learned from the Paris Games?

That’s a great question, and I don’t think I have a straight answer here. While Paris is more centralized, LA’s multi-centered nature isn’t necessarily a limitation. LA can leverage its leading cities to lead the way in local change. Santa Monica and Downtown LA, for example, have already seen transformations with bike lanes and rethinking street design. The key is to connect these centers with effective transportation options, much like Bogota, which is also a multi-centered city with various neighborhoods and key areas. It’s about creating curb-centered efforts to connect these different hubs and ensuring that local efforts build the infrastructure needed around those connectors.

Turning to how public transit is used, Paris has a long history of reliance on public transit, but Los Angeles, especially post-pandemic, has seen a decline in use and a loss of trust. Based on your work and experience in both metropolises, what must LA METRO do to change the public’s perception of its transportation systems?

That’s a challenging issue, and I’m cautious about directly advising LA on how to move forward but drawing from my experience in Paris and my visits to LA, I’d say there are a few key elements. 

First, LA needs to think about the whole region in a connected, multimodal way. The success of Paris’s transit system lies in its density and integration. The building of the Grand Paris Express is going to be a revolution because you're going to see four new lines that will also allow you to move from one place point in the suburbs to another without going through that center, which is a game changer.

Second, increasing frequency and reliability is crucial. Buses, for instance, are a cost-effective way to enhance the transit system quickly. London’s experience with Transport for London highlighted the effectiveness of buses, and LA’s exploration of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) could be similarly impactful. Looking at Latin American cities like Bogota and their TransMilenio system, which moves 2-3 million people per day, could offer valuable lessons.

Lastly, safety is essential. Ensuring that people feel safe on public transit is a priority that LA Metro is already focusing on, and it’s something that Paris has also prioritized. Regular security presence on metros and trams in Paris contributes to a sense of safety, something LA should continue to emphasize.

Tim, as CoMotion's Managing Director, you well know that John Rossant brought CoMotion to LA believing that was becoming the the global center of advanced transportation. Indeed, he believed that Los Angeles was the city with the most potential for accelerating advanced urban transportation. Please address that potential, starting with Robo-taxis and AVs.

Well, look, Robo-taxis or AVs are definitely a reality. Waymo is now deployed in many cities. Of course, there are setbacks and drawbacks, as with all new technologies, but it's happening. The US and China are leading in this space, and you can see this in many American cities already. You don’t see it as much in Europe yet; it’s not a reality here. However, I think there are still many unanswered questions, particularly around regulation, liability, and insurance. 

For context, when Uber, Lyft, and others began to displace taxis and older forms of ground transportation, LA’s DOT leadership often asserted that the fomer were the vanguard of a major mobility revolution that would change everything. With hindsight, has urban traffic and congestion improved? Will Robo-taxis replacing traditional taxis be a giant step forward? 

That’s an interesting question, and I don’t have a definitive answer. My personal feeling is that, no, it doesn’t change much. There is a change in terms of safety because Robo-taxis learn much quicker than humans do. Despite some hiccups, the technology is likely safer than human drivers. There might also be an improvement in trip efficiency. 

In the end, Robo-taxis are still cars, and we need to think of them as cars. If we want a true transportation revolution, we have to put transit systems at the heart of all thinking, along with active mobility like walking and cycling, and create urban environments where the car isn’t the first option.

Pivoting our attention to the Curb. What have we learned about managing the curb in the last few years? How enormous the evolution been?

Our thinking has advanced enormously. Over the last 15 years, we’ve moved into a new digital sphere for curb management. We're moving into a new digital sphere of coding the curb. So, we have to rethink the way people access the curve. Ride-sharing and the delivery boom following the pandemic have placed an enormous strain on curb access. 

Here in Paris, it’s really difficult sometimes to move around, even as a cyclist, because ride-shares or delivery vehicles stop at the curb. We’re now thinking about the curb digitally—how people access it, and how cities regulate it to prevent chaos. 

With a new rave of rethinking the curb, we have to think about it digitally. We have to ask, how do the public sector and cities regulate nonanarchic access to the curb? There’s been a lot of work by groups like the Open Mobility Foundation on data specifications that allow better management of curb access, and their curb data specification has been a game-changer.

Concerning CoMotion, since first coming to LA, you’ve spent significant time and focus on urban air transport. Update our readers, is it yet a reality anywhere?

First, inter-city air transport is already a reality—helicopters are used in big urban sprawls. Services in cities like São Paulo or New York, which connect downtown to airports or places like the Hamptons, already exist. The revolution is happening with EVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles) and other clean, electric options for advanced air mobility. These can offer cleaner, less costly trips and have the potential to be a game-changer. 

We’ve seen tests in Paris for the Olympics, like Volocopter’s partnership with the Paris region. The technology works; it’s now a question of scale and regulation. In the United States, we’re still waiting for federal approvals, but in the next few years, I think we’ll see EVTOLs in our skies. Public acceptance and ensuring it’s not just a technology for the privileged few are also key considerations. We also need to think about it in a truly multimodal way that can complement our transit systems, rather than just serve as a replacement.

VX2024 this past May hosted a panel on Long Beach’s plans for an urban transit hub. Your CoMotion newsletter also highlighted Archer’s plans for air taxis in LA by 2026. Could you elaborate on both?

Long Beach is focusing on innovation in the AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) space. They’re looking to develop their airport and become a hub for incoming travelers to the region, with advanced air mobility playing a key role.

For LA, Archer is looking to capitalize on LA’s multi-centered urban sprawl. LA is the perfect case for advanced air mobility because of its vast urban spread with multiple centers. Archer has positioned itself as a key contender, but there are others in the race as well.

Before concluding Tim, you have been eloquent on the subject of multimodality. What does the term/label encompass, and what doesn’t it?

That is a wonderful question. For me, multimodality means being able to go from your home or wherever you’re starting to wherever you want to go using different mobility options in an integrated way. It’s about connecting people and providing opportunities. Historically, those without cars in LA and many other cities have had fewer opportunities. 

If we want a future where cars aren’t at the center of every transportation strategy, we need interconnected transportation systems that allow for a seamless transition – like biking to the metro, then taking the metro and then arriving in the center and maybe taking a free-floating bike to your work. Multimodality also considers equity; it’s about providing more transportation opportunities for everyone.

Speaking of urban multimodality. What do Cities, like Seattle led by Greg Spotts, offer in the way of a successful example of a working City’s ground transportation system?

I will say that it’s important for key players from across the U.S. to come to CoMotion. It’s not just about LA; it’s a nationwide and global conversation about transportation. Seattle has been a leader in public transit with one of the most successful systems currently, and they’ve also been revolutionary in active mobility. Greg is a clear leader in this space, and we’re excited to have him as part of the conversation in November.

Lastly, What can our readers expect from CoMotion LA on November 13-14?

We’re really excited about this year’s edition of CoMotion LA. We’ll be bringing together 1,000 participants from across the U.S. and beyond. There will be a big focus on LA28, with the Olympics in Paris just ending and the Paralympics still to come. After that, all eyes will be on LA. We want to celebrate this moment and look at the transportation plans for the Olympics. At CoMotion, we’re always working to support LA in its transformation. This year, it will be all about multimodality—an overused word, but central to what we believe at CoMotion—and equity, ensuring that transportation opportunities are created for everyone.

[With CoMotion LA scheduled November 13th and 14th, Tim promises its focus will be on LA28 and multimodality, celebrating LA’s ongoing urban transportation transformation preparing for the World to visit. (Register for Commotion Here)]