We had a lot of posts on The Source today, so I wanted to re-post the poll in case anyone missed it. Here’s a link to our earlier post providing more info on the subway vs. traffic issue.
Thanks to everyone for reading and the thoughtful comments. Have a great weekend!
There has been lots going on in recent days, so I wanted to re-post this poll one last time for anyone who may have missed it in the flurry of recent posts on The Source. At this point, readers seem to want comments and we hear you loud and clear.
Here’s the original post about my initial reluctance to have comments and here’s a foll0w-up with some good comments from readers.
And another reader comment, from Charles:
I voted ‘yes’ for sourcing a comment board and do realize and actually applaud you/Fred/others moderating it. You’re right, too often on other blogs, a few people dominate the discussion with multiple “serve and volley” rants ‘n responses, not to mention the off-topic comments by politically-oriented whackos.
Submitted for your consideration is the suggestion to limit individual comment on any particular post to one (1) comment and one (1) follow-up response to another point of view OR clarification. Period.
Here are some of the emails and comments we’ve received in response to my post on Wednesday about possibly opening The Source to comments. Also, if you haven’t voted and have an opinion, please take the above poll.
From Bob:
I voted yes. IMHO, one of the most valuable parts of a Blog is the comments section and many of us have no interest in Facebook or Twitter. As long as you’re willing to moderate to weed out the weirdos, go for it.
From Greg:
I enjoyed the comment part of the Bottleneck Blog, but it sometimes became….counterproductive. I have three suggestions: 1) I have seen on other sites that one must opt in to even see the comment section. In other words, the comments are only visible if one presses a button after each article. It would be wonderful if your webmaster/designer could incorporate this feature. 2) Perhaps there could be a per-reply character limit. This would encourage people to hone their arguments instead of ramble. I do realize that this could be circumvented with multiple replies, so….3) Is there any way that the reader could selectively exclude certain commenters – a “hide” feature, like on Facebook? Continue reading
When we started The Source last fall, we decided not to allow reader comments. I was probably the most vocal person against allowing comments based on my experience running the Bottleneck Blog at the L.A. Times. Relatively few people seemed to write the majority of comments on that blog and often used the comments section to hash out long-winded policy debates, often relying on facts not easily checked.
Well, I’m beginning to change my mind. People are commenting on The Source on Facebook and Twitter and we get regular, interesting and thoughtful emails from readers. It is beginning to feel to me that allowing comments is a good idea, albeit with restrictions. This would have to be a moderated comment board. This is NOT going to be a free-for-all.
Before taking the next step, I wanted to know: what do you think? Would comments allow for a better Source experience? Would you use the comment board? Please vote — it will help us make a good decision. And feel free to email us at sourcemetro@gmail.com.
As for our latest subway poll, we’ve received many comments, which have come in through the poll page, email and via the Westside Subway Extension Facebook page.
Click above to see a larger image.
Some don’t like the poll itself, others definitely aren’t thrilled with the idea of placing a station at the VA Hospital — they want a station farther west. The latest results are at the right.
Here’s my two cents on that: at this point, the Board of Directors of Metro have decided in the agency’s long-range plan that the subway for now is going to Westwood based on the funds the agency has available through Measure R and, hopefully, the federal New Starts program.
The Board could hypothetically change its mind and decide to fund the subway going farther to Brentwood — but that requires more money. And right now, of the more than $13 billion in transit projects in Measure R, about $6 billion are going to projects in the Westside — the subway extension, the second phase of the Expo Line and a future 405 transit project linking the Westside to the San Fernando Valley.
So it’s a political issue. The Measure R sales tax making all these projects possible was approved by voters across the county and the Board of Directors have already had many eons of discussions about distributing those funds across the county. That is important to keep in mind.
Now, the good stuff:
From Joseph:
This station is a bad location. The VA will not allow development, parking for transit riders, or a bus transfer center on their land, and all of the buses that serve the VA also serve Westwood and Bundy (the stations east and west of here). So it will only be useful to get to the VA hospital itself. Instead, the station should be placed a couple blocks west at the edge of the VA property, between Barrington and Federal, where there are many offices and apartments in walking distance. The VA would still be only a 5 minute walk or short shuttle ride away; the current parking lot shuttles could also serve the new station portal at the corner of Wilshire and Federal. A station there would be much better used and more cost-effective…. Continue reading
Since our last update, the VA station poll has garnered 173 more votes but the results remain unchanged: most who voted still want the station, even if they won’t use it.
Here’s the breakdown as of 11am:
The poll is still open, so if you haven’t voted yet please do. One thing to remember: the Westside Subway is currently only funded to Westwood. Thus, subway planners are looking to build the line – at least for now – as far as either Westwood/UCLA or to bring it just a bit farther to the Westwood VA Hospital. To go any further west would require new funding sources and an update to the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). For more factoids relating to this poll, check out the original post.
We’ve also received many comments, which have come in through the poll page, email and via the Westside Subway Extension Facebook page.
Marvin Brown, retired US Army Reserve, writes:
I just wanted to add that due to ongoing war in Afghanistan etc. the number of returning injured Veteran’s is increasing and they are not all elderly. I am sure they will see the train station as a benefit not to mention the members of the Army Reserve and National Guard Units next to the VA facilities who I’m sure would ride the train rather than endure the horrible freeway traffic in and out of the area. Those who are familiar with this are know that the “short” distance from Federal or Bundy is not very short or easy access to the hospital. Let the able bodied make the journey. The Veterans will need a variety of services provided by the VA for years to come and once again the numbers are growing.
Tobias wrote on the poll page:
Look, I’m all for veterans getting better access to the services they need, but you gotta understand this: this project is competing for money against other projects all around the country, and one of the most significant criteria by which it will be judged is cost effectiveness. Regardless of the station location, the cost will be the same, but the fact is, if the station is further west, it will almost certainly have more ridership, and thus be more cost-effective. It will provide better access to Brentwood, AND vets will still be able to use it by means of a shuttle bus, the same shuttle bus they would be using if the station were closer. It just really is the right decision, and not all that selfish. As for the 405 line, it should have an underground transfer station on-street at Wilshire and Westwood, but that’s a whole different can of worms…
On Facebook, Tommy Lovato writes:
We need to think about this long-term, with the idea of a transit NETWORK in mind. Some time down the road, there will be rapid transit connecting the Valley and the Westside. The only reasonable place to put that transit line will be along I-405/Sepulveda. In that case, it makes sense to have a Purple Line station as close to the 405/Sepulveda as possible.
Allon Percus sends us this email about the specific station location on the VA site:
It’s hard for me to vote without knowing where the VA station is likely to be. Two very different options have been floated: north of Wilshire, and south of Wilshire. The first of these options could, if properly designed, be really convenient for pedestrian access to Brentwood. I would enthusiastically support it. The second option seems much less accessible to the community at large – it looks like a hospital station exclusively. That would be a great opportunity wasted.
As of 11am the majority of votes in our latest poll are in favor of a VA Hospital station at the currently planned terminus of the Westside subway, but it seems most people who voted don’t plan on actually using the station.
Here’s the current breakdown of votes:
If you have yet to vote, please do so. Refer to yesterday’s post for a little background info on the issue.
Despite the numbers, most of the comments we’ve received so far are in opposition of the station.
Brian Miller shares his opinion:
A station at the VA Hospital would be a terrible waste of funds given that there is a great mix of high density office,retail and residential uses just to the WEST of the VA Property. A station at Wilshire/Barrington would make much more sense, as it would serve the high-density West LA neighborhood and still be close enough to the VA for shuttle service (for the veterans and visitors that will actually use the subway, once in a while, to get to and from the hospital).
We did receive an email in support of the station, from a former VA medical center employee, Robert Goldware:
As someone who spent his career working for a VA medical center, and as someone who interacted daily with veterans and their transportation needs, I can unequivocally say that a station AT the hospital would be a very smart decision. Many of our veterans do not have easy transportation to their medical appointments and for them, this is as big an issue as is the actual receiving of their health care. If it is built, they will definitely ride…
Some of the previous commenters have suggested that the station should be built at some distance from the hospital, such as at Federal or Bundy, implying that it is only a short distance from the hospital. It is a fallacy to think that it would be used by vets if it is that far away. Many many vets are infirm and have great mobility problems; just getting to and from the parking lot can be a challenge for these often elderly patients. And don’t forget also that this station would also be used by employees…there are thousands there, the biggest facility in the entire VA medical system.
And feel free to share your comments, either on the poll page, by sending us an email or by leaving a comment on Facebook.
This week we decided to have a little fun and joined our friends from Vancouver’s Buzzer Blog in celebrating I Love Transit Week.
We posted a few informal polls to engage Source readers and find out what you guys think about transit and – since it’s Metro Rail’s birthday week – to find out what Metro Rail lines you love the most, and which upcoming lines you’re most excited about.
While the polls are still open, here are the results so far. And to everyone who participated, thanks!
186 readers chimed in on this question, and 88% felt that transit is worth loving. The rest? Not so much. Here’s a comment left from a reader who’s not exactly in love with Metro’s transit service:
Metro is inconsistent, the drivers are rude and sometimes they dont even know where they stop! The fares keep on going up and up with nothing to show for it.
On the other hand, we did receive a lot of positive feedback on Twitter – check out what people had to say in this week’s Twitter Tuesday roundup.
What’s your favorite Metro Rail line?
200 readers voted for their favorite Metro Rail line, and the Red Line subway has proven itself to be the most popular line with readers with 48.5% of the votes. The Red Line also happens to have the highest ridership numbers of all the lines of the Metro Rail system. The Blue Line is also heavily ridden, but it’s not really loved by readers – only 7.5% named the 20 year old line as their favorite. The Gold Line actually performed rather admirably in the poll, garnering 31.5% of the votes, more than the Purple Line, Blue Line and Green Line combined.
Here are some comments we received on Facebook:
Red line! I hope to work in downtown soon since the Red Line from Nnorth Hollywood to Union Station is just perfect. The walk from the station to City Hall is quick and a great way to stay healthy.
I like the Gold Line the best because there is a station about a block from where I live. They are all good to me though. I have lived in a few cities and L.A. has the best public transit to me. Thanks for the great service Metro!
The Regional Connector interfaces THREE different lines, touching all faces of the compass, through Downtown. North to Pasadena (and beyond), South to Long Beach, West to Santa Monica, and East to East L.A. (and beyond). THAT is something to get extremely excited about!
I think the worst part of the current poll is that I can only pick one. I settled on voting for the Regional Connector, only because I live on the Gold Line now, and the Regional Connector would make it easier for me to get to all the other worthy projects.
Wednesday marked Metro Rail’s 20th anniversary, an impressive milestone when you look at the system today and consider that L.A. has long be known as the car capital of the world.
But what does the next 20 years hold for rail transit in L.A.? Yesterday, Steve posted a look at the projects that are funded by Measure R that could very well be built as rail lines – and if the 30/10 Initiative takes hold, we could see the rail system expand in massive way in the next decade. In other words, there’s a lot to be excited about if you love transit.
This brings me to today’s poll, which of these potential rail projects are you most excited for?
Don’t forget to tell us why: email us at sourcemetro@gmail.com, leave a comment on Facebook or shoot a tweet to @MetroLosAngeles (don’t forget to include #ilovetransit).
Our previous poll asked the simple question, do you love transit? 87% of you said ‘yes’ and 13% said ‘no’. The poll is still open if you’d like to add your two cents.
In honor of Metro Rail’s 20th birthday, today’s poll aims to find out which one of Metro’s five rail lines you love the most. Five lines in 20 years? Not too shabby.
Tell us why: email us at sourcemetro@gmail.com, leave a comment on Facebook or shoot a tweet to @MetroLosAngeles (don’t forget to include #ilovetransit).
