Leaders working in infrastructure policy, development, and design discussed “Transportation — Mobility Equity” at the USC Ronald Tutor Campus Center on February 27, as part of the Jacobson Family Sustainable Impact Symposium, a signature program hosted by USC Marshall Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab (BSEL). Panelists included Heather Repenning, executive officer of sustainability policy at Los Angeles Metro, Selika Talbott, CEO at Autonomous Vehicle Consulting, and Sherri Franklin, CEO at Urban Design Center and a BSEL fellow last year. The conversation was moderated by Marelle Jimenez, senior student engagement programs advisor at BSEL.

The panelists shared perspectives from diverse careers in urban planning and infrastructure development, as well as policymaking at the federal, state, and local levels. All agreed with Repenning’s statement: “Sustainability is about cities, but really it’s about people.”

People are what drive the work Franklin does. During the panel, she emphasized the concept of “people flow.”

“I began looking at communities and how they connect,” Franklin said. “We fought for the DASH program and to bring community busing programs into urban centers to bring kids to Big Bear and Mammoth and give them an opportunity to explore.”

Franklin’s work considers infrastructure from the point of view of how it serves the people in the surrounding spaces. Projects like painting signs discouraging littering in storm drains and building gardens and sidewalks can help improve the quality of life in neighborhoods.

“Academia and researchers are often exploitative of issues in the community. We publish a paper, but what do we do in terms of the community we took it from?” Talbott questioned. “What if we helped community organizers get skills for grants, so they could reach solutions they can share in the community?”

Public organizations like the L.A. Metro can be broadly influential, given the financial and practical support of L.A. County behind its mission.

“Public policy matters a lot,” said Repenning, who also teaches at USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. “L.A. Metro is a $9 billion-a-year agency. We have a very broad mandate and almost universal support to transform the transportation system in LA.”

According to Repenning, that mandate includes programs to ease airport congestion and increase accessibility, as well as metro access programs supporting low-income riders.

Accessible transportation will prove to be an even bigger issue when it comes to big ticket events like the 2028 L.A. Olympics. Repenning said the core of L.A. Metro’s planning revolves around bus transportation, from adding more bus lanes and more buses to their fleet to setting up mobility hubs.

“Our hope is to have a seamless, integrated ticketing process, where riders can switch between bus, metro, bike, and rideshare easily,” Repenning said. “We are interested in the legacy and making sure we can make permanent investments for all communities for the folks who live here.”

Global events like the Olympics offer Angelenos the opportunity to engage tourists, who might not otherwise visit their communities. Infrastructure is important for getting people around, Franklin shared, but also in terms of building a global community for L.A. neighborhoods, artists, and experiences.

“We plan on being a major tourist destination when the World Cup comes, when the Olympics come,” said Franklin, who was also a BSEL Senior Fellow last year. “We want to create places we can hang out and learn from each other.”

Talbott agreed that these moments can be opportunities to change life for residents. However, she cautioned, this often doesn’t happen. One issue, she said, is surge pricing during the events. “Will you allow Uber and Lyft drivers to surge prices? Because you know who will get hurt? Communities that live here.”

Another consideration is safety for tourists so they can easily access local culture beyond sporting events.

“Tourists are the lifeblood of this city,” Franklin said. “We have the largest creative industry in the world. How do we help people feel safe and comfortable to use our transportation systems and experience our great city so we all benefit from the wonderful tourism that’s going to come here?”

Ultimately, however, the panelists reminded the audience that there’s a balance between growing infrastructure and accommodating large-scale global tourism. Efforts to engage and welcome tourists should also benefit Los Angeles residents long after visitors leave.

“In city after city, in the country and around the world, when we have these large-scale sporting events, we should use them as opportunities to improve life for the communities who live here,” Talbott said.