Op-Ed: Metro should launch a water taxi legacy for the 2028 Olympics

When the world comes to Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we’ll showcase the very best of who we are -- our innovation, our natural beauty, and our commitment to a greener, more connected future. That’s why we should seize this moment to launch something unforgettable and undeniably smart: a Metro-operated electric hybrid water taxi linking San Pedro and Long Beach. Yes, it’s a great Olympics idea. But more than that, it’s a lasting legacy.

While Long Beach has long embraced its shoreline with vibrant attractions and their own water transit, San Pedro’s waterfront has remained a working port more than a gathering place. That’s about to change. West Harbor, the $500 million retail and entertainment complex now under construction, will redefine San Pedro’s waterfront. With beautiful new restaurants, public art, and a live music amphitheater, it’s expected to draw millions of visitors every year.

But a great destination needs a great connection. In 2028, Long Beach will host 18 events, while San Pedro will host six Olympic sailing competitions, the Croatia House fan zone, and welcome thousands of guests to our local hotels and waterfront attractions. The harbor will be alive with visitors, athletes, and spectators, all needing a fast, easy, and enjoyable way to move between these two iconic neighborhoods. This is where Metro’s vision must rise to the occasion.

By focusing just on rail and buses in their plans for 2028, Metro risks missing an opportunity, not just for functionality, but for joy. The kind of thing that makes visitors fall in love with a city. We have to think bigger than wheels on roads, we should embrace the water. Imagine this: no bumper-to-bumper traffic, no bridge delays, no parking stress. Instead, boarding a water taxi with your friends, your family, and visitors from around the world for an unforgettable ride across our beautiful harbor. Metro-branded, affordable, and Metro-TAP card activated. It’s not just functional, it’s fun. And it’s exactly the kind of experience that people will remember long after the flame goes out.

And unlike so many Metro projects that have been in the works for decades, we don’t need to dig tunnels, build bridges, or pour concrete. The docks already exist. The boats exist. With just two electric hybrid vessels, we can deliver fast, frequent, and reliable service — not in a decade, but now. If operated by Metro, this water taxi can, and should, be part of the public transportation network. Affordable. Accessible. Enjoyable. That’s the transit trifecta we should be aiming for. One that serves Olympic and Paralympic visitors yes, but also be enjoyed by working families, commuters, and weekend explorers for decades to come.

People are ready for it. From business leaders and elected officials to local residents and transit advocates, the support I have gotten for this proposal has been overwhelming. It’s rare to see an idea that resonates this widely, this intuitively. Everyone understands how transformative, and how doable, this is.

We’ve already taken the first steps. Metro is doing a feasibility study, and my team has a demonstration ride in the works. We are building support at every level. And let’s not stop at 2028. The cruise industry in San Pedro is projected to triple in the years following 2028, bringing a steady flow of new visitors year-round. This water taxi could link them directly to the attractions, hotels, and beaches of Long Beach and beyond, and give local workers and families a better way to cross the harbor without sitting in bridge traffic.

But why stop in the LA Harbor? Electric and hybrid boats are already transforming coastal cities around the world. With new technologies like hydrofoil vessels offering smoother, quieter, and faster rides, there’s no reason Los Angeles County can’t imagine a larger water-based network. One that could take you from Malibu to Santa Monica, to Redondo, all the way South Bay to the OC, and beyond, without digging, drilling, or disrupting. Like Doc says to Marty in Back to the Future 2: “Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.”

Let’s get traffic off our bridges. Let’s give LA something it’s never had before: a beautiful, modern, environmentally friendly waterway that unites our coast, connects people, and becomes one of the defining legacies of the 2028 Games. It’s smart. It’s simple. It’s possible. Let’s make it happen — and let’s make it permanent.

Janice Hahn has represented the 4th District on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors since 2016, and is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Los Angeles City Council.