Western/Slauson Industrial Worker and Transportation Analysis
Council District 8, City of Los Angeles
The Western/Slauson Industrial Hub (WSIH) has performed a crucial role as an employment and economic development generator within the community of South Los Angeles, providing hundreds of job training opportunities for the residents of Council District 8 (CD8). Its robust mix of manufacturing, wholesale, warehousing, and transportation jobs support workers from a variety of educational and socio-economic backgrounds.
Despite strong market conditions and low industrial vacancies, employment in the WSIH has decreased over time. The City of Los Angeles was interested in conducting a local business inventory to better coordinate local business outreach efforts, with a particular emphasis on learning how the City might help facilitate increased public transportation use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
To this end, the City engaged BAE to conduct a Business and Transportation Study that analyzed employee commute patterns in the two relevant Transportation Analysis Zones (TAZs) that cover the WSIH. Next, BAE worked closely with CD8 to develop a customized Worker Transportation Survey that provided an even more tailored account of local commute habits. This included qualitative factors that influence worker transportation use, such as the starting time of shifts, safety concerns, and convenience of transportation options from their point of origin.
BAE synthesized the survey findings and provided recommendations to help the City prioritize potential mobility improvements that can help maintain Western/Slauson’s role as a sustainable employment center.