Nathan S. Holmes — Overview

This is an introduction to some of the things I’ve written in past years.

I think I’ve only published one piece in 2021, since I’ve been working on a few more personal writing projects that will take many months and probably years to bring to fruition. My new stuff delves into significantly different subject matter from what you see here.

1. General (2018–present):

• Thoughts on Starbucks and the importance of places to gather (link)
• An article that explains the different jurisdiction in LA — this is by some magnitude the most read thing I’ve ever published due to the fact that it shows up in Google searches on the topic (link)
• My favorite books of 2021 (link) and 2020 (link) and a short overview of my favorite memoirs (link)

2. Explainers on streets and transportation in LA (2018–2020):

• A series of short guides to the different transportation departments in LA and CA (link)
• This three-part series looks at the policy-making process behind how we use our streets in LA, including the legislative process and budgeting. (start here: link)
• A pair of articles outlining my belief that the people in the community — and not transportation planners or elected officials — are still without question the biggest influence on how streets get used in LA (start here: link)

3. Assorted opinion pieces on transportation (2015–present):

• The One Main Problem Confronting LA Transportation (link)
• 5 Reasons why sitting in traffic isn’t as bad as we think. (link)
• 6 Strategies for coping with traffic congestion — inspired by the late comedian Mitch Hedberg. (link)
• Why Elon Musk‘s hyperloop from LA to SF won’t cut down on travel time (link)
• Why creating more travel mode choices is better than driverless cars (link)
• What Chipotle can teach us about the value of choices in travel (link)
• My thoughts in 2015 about LA’s new Mobility Plan (link)
• Finding the “right words” in transportation (link)

4. Stuff I wrote at UCLA while studying urban planning (2014–2015):

• Three articles for the UCLA Daily Bruin: Westwood could be a better urban village (link); UCLA should more actively support more bike lanes (link); some ideas for reviving green space on campus (link)
• Press primers for UCLA’s Institute of Transportation Studies on parking policy (link) and traffic congestion (link) (I should note that the traffic piece has been revised since my original version was published.)
• Short piece on teacher tenure based on my prior career as a high school teacher (link)