Category Archives: Transportation News

Winter Metro Motion features transit-devoted Actor Vincent Kartheiser of TV's 'Mad Men'

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In the newest edition of Metro Motion, now running on television and the web, we tag along on a trip down the Metro Red Line with actor and regular Metro rider Vincent Kartheiser of TV’s “Mad Men.” Kartheiser gave up his car for public transit to help make Los Angeles — and the world — a better place. He says the switch has improved his life, as well as his commute.

Also on the show:

•A winter visit to Pasadena on a rainy day on the Gold Line includes museums, shopping and dining and, if the timing is right, the Rose Bowl and Rose Parade.

•Construction crews for the I-405 Sepulveda Pass Enhancement Project show what it’s like to labor in the dark of night so that rush hour freeway traffic is minimally inconvenienced.

•An interview with Metro Board Member and L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas explores the upcoming Crenshaw/LAX Line and how it’s going to make our region more mobile.

•What’s new in green vehicles, low- and no-impact cars that currently are on the market and the newest in Metro’s clean-burning fleet.

Metro Motion runs quarterly on cable stations throughout Los Angeles County, as well as on metro.net. That’s part two of the show above. Here is part one and part three.

Transportation headlines, Wednesday, Dec. 8

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Here is a look at some of the transportation headlines gathered by us and the Metro Library. The full list of headlines is posted on the library’s blog.

Americans strongly oppose proposed gas tax hike (Reuters)

Embedded in the slew of proposals offered by President Obama’s Deficit Commission was a recommendation to raise the federal gas tax by 15 cents a gallon. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 75% of Americans are opposed to the increase, which would be needed to keep the federal highway trust fund solvent. The existing federal gas tax has been 18.4 cents a gallon since 1993, meaning it has not risen with inflation. On top of that, in the last decade Americans are driving fewer miles and in more efficient cars, further eroding the trust fund.  All told, the tax has been able to pay for fewer transportation investments and Congress has had to pitch in from the general fund to keep it going.

No designated bus lanes for Beverly Hills? (Beverly Hills Courier)

While Beverly Hills’ neighbors to the west duke it out to be exempted from the Wilshire BRT project, Brenton Garen searches for an explanation for why his town was left out. Regulars of The Source know that the primary reason is that Metro had to submit an application for federal funding before it had the chance to coordinate planning the project with either Beverly Hills or Santa Monica.  Aaron Kunz, deputy director of transportation of Beverly Hills, chimes in diplomatically about the prospects of adding bus lanes to the three miles of Wilshire in Beverly Hills: “Before taking a position, the City Council would need to see and review a concrete plan and an analysis of impacts of the bus lanes.”

High-speed rail agency urged to rethink planning (SF Gate)

On the heels of the announcement that the first high speed rail tracks will be laid down in the San Joaquin Valley, a voter-mandated peer review panel has issued a report expressing misgivings with the current state of the High Speed Rail Authority’s planning.  The panel of experts is headed up by Will Kempton, the executive director of the Orange County Transportation Authority. Specifically the panel found that the Authority “lacks sufficient staffing; a clear financial plan; a business model dictating who will plan, build, own and operate the system and how; as well as a plan to manage inevitable cost increases.”


The art of transit

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And now for something completely different…


Video by Graeme Taylor, via Straylight

I really appreciate the effect achieved by Mr. Taylor for its ability to slow down the chaotic blur that the world often seems to be from the seat of a train.  I’ll let him explain how he achieved it.

The ‘trick’ is the camera collects images at a rate of 210 per second – but the film is played back at 30 frames per second. So, every seven seconds of footage that you watch corresponds to 1 real second. At least at the start, one real second is plenty of time for someone to move into, then out of, the camera’s field of view, but isn’t enough time for them to really do much: hence, the frozen effect.

To submit a photo or photos of something transportation-related, post them to Metro’s Flickr group or email them to sourcemetro@gmail.com. The photos we’ve featured can be seen in these galleries on Flickr.


Transportation headlines, Tuesday, Dec. 7

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Here is a look at some of the transportation headlines gathered by us and the Metro Library. The full list of headlines is posted on the library’s blog.

Metrolink unveils newer, safer passenger cars (abc7.com)

ABC has some video of the new Metrolink cars – the Guardian Fleet – that debuted yesterday.Designed to be safer in the event of an accident by better distributing impact forces, the cars are also a style upgrade. Metrolink calls the cars “the future of rail travel in the United States.”

Democrats and Republicans agree on higher gas taxes, just not in public all the time (Autoblog Green)

Gas taxes are like political kryptonite for both Democrats and Republicans – the federal gas tax hasn’t budged since 1993 – yet behind the scenes it seems both sides feel that a gas price hike might be a good thing. Even George W. Bush and Dick Cheney have been linked in support of increased gas taxes for deficit reduction purposes. But in the political battlefield, the idea of wildly increasing gas prices remains a very effective a tool in scaring voters away from one party and into the arms of another.

Japan to China: You’ve hijacked our high-speed rails (MSNBC)

China high-speed rail recently broke a new speed record – 302 mph – and Japan thinks it’s a bunch of baloney that China is taking credit for Japanese technology. But the real fun in this article is that while these Asian high-speed rail giants quarrel over who’s better at blowing past 300 mph, a European high-speed rail exec talks some well deserved trash about U.S. rail, “Your network is so late and so outdated.” Hey! It only takes Amtrak 11-plus hours to go from L.A. to Oakland!

Metrorail (WMATA) Map and Train Locator (The Unofficial D.C. Transit Guide)

I love cool transit tech and think it’s high time L.A. starts being a leader in this field. Here’s a Google Map that displays the real time location of trains on the Washington D.C. Metrorail system. Probably not so useful when you’re sitting at home, but imagine it on a display in a station or on your iPad while you wait.

Dining map update: Cake and then burgers near Metro

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Okay, we heard your cupcake cries and we feel for you … and agree with you, for the most part. A few transit-accessible places follow:

Renita Anderson likes Sprinkles, the chi-chi cupcake emporium in Beverly Hills. Their cupcakes are seriously beautiful, if a bit pricey. She also likes Toast Bakery Café on Third Street in West Hollywood. Toast also serves breakfast, if you’re not in the mood for cupcakes. But why wouldn’t you be?

Dots Cupcakes in Old Town Pasadena or on Arroyo Seco, also in Pasadena “also have pretty fabulous cupcakes,” Nedra Jenkins wrote. And both can be reached via the Gold Line.

Jared recommended My Sweet Cupcake along the Gold Line at Mission Station. They also serve vegan cupcakes.

We also tried Yummy Cupcakes on Magnolia in Burbank. (Metro local 183 goes right by.) And someone recently mentioned the excellence of Buttercake Bakery on Sunset in West Hollywood. Anyone know?

For details on all of these places and more, go to the Metro Dining Map on The Source. Or to recommend others email us at sourcemetro@gmail.com.

Next stop: Burgers. Know any good spots?


Trailhead Hunter: Temescal Canyon

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Sunset Blvd Entrance to Temescal Gateway Park

The Sunset Boulevard Entrance to Temescal Gateway Park looking to the north.

The first stop on our quest to track down the best Metro accessible hiking trails takes us to Temescal Gateway Park.

Located along Sunset Blvd. in the Pacific Palisades, the entrance is accessible via Metro bus lines 2 and 302 and the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus Line 9.  If you’re traveling from the Eastside, the 2 and 302 to can be a bit of a slog, clocking in at over an hour from Union Station.  Accordingly, if you’re up for making a transfer, I might recommend taking the Big Blue Bus 10 Express, which travels from downtown L.A. to Santa Monica via the 10 freeway, and then connecting to BBB #9.Temescal Bus Signs

Regardless of your level of hiking gusto, Temescal has something for everyone: “easy to moderate” hiking trails, picnic areas, and grassy fields for your family soccer match.  As described by LAMountains.com, a great resource for all hikes in the Santa Monica Mountains, the park encompasses 141 acres of seasonal streams, shaded canyon paths and scenic ridge-top views. And for the intrepid set, from Temescal Canyon you can access Topanga State Park and hundreds of miles of trails in the “Big Wild,” a 20,000-acre expanse of urban wilderness in the Santa Monica Mountains that stretches from Sepulveda Pass to Ventura County. Continue reading →


Transportation headlines, Monday, Dec. 6

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Here is a look at some of the transportation headlines gathered by us and the Metro Library. The full list of headlines is posted on the library’s blog.

Artists and new infrastructure part of Boyle Heights improvement project along Gold Line (KPCC)

A $12-million project to improve infrastructure along the Gold Line Eastside Extension was announced on Friday and KPCC talks with L.A. City Council member Jose Huizar about the planned improvements. Better walkways, improved safety enhancements and more bike lanes are all on the list. The hope is that the changes will improve access to the line, bring tourists to the Eastside and support the emerging arts community in Boyle Heights.

Drive Less, Pay Less: New Insurance Plans for California (LAist)

Pay-as-you-drive auto insurance is coming to California early next year for State Farm and Automobile Club members. What that means is if you drive less, you pay less. Drivers can either self report their odometer readings or allow the insurance companies track their mileage with a ‘telematics’ device.

Plan B: High-speed track could be used by conventional trains (Bakersfield.com)

High speed rail officials are coming up with a backup plan for the 65-mile Central Valley segment of high speed rail track that was approved last week – just in case the whole high speed rail thing doesn’t pan out. This worst-case-scenario plan is just a concept right now, but the idea is that if high speed rail ends up not happening, the new tracks could be used to improve Amtrak service through the Central Valley. The tracks would allow Amtrak trains to increase their speeds from 79mph to over 105mph, shaving 22 minutes off a about five-hour train/bus trip between Bakersfield and Sacramento or 28 minutes off the about six-hour journey from Bakersfield to the Bay Area.

Blue Line pedestrian fatality

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Los Angeles Sheriff’s Dept. deputies are investigating the fatality of a male pedestrian who made contact with a southbound Blue Line train at the 130th St. crossing between the Compton and Imperial stations at approx. 7:40 p.m. on Friday. No details regarding the circumstances of the incident are forthcoming at this time.


Transportation headlines, Friday, Dec. 3

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Here is a look at some of the transportation headlines gathered by us and the Metro Library. The full list of headlines is posted on the library’s blog.

A rendering of high-speed rail in Fresno. Credit: California High-Speed Rail Authority.

High-speed rail tracks approved for Fresno area (Fresno Bee & L.A. Times)

As was widely reported yesterday, the Board of the California High-Speed Rail Authority voted 7 to 0 to begin construction of the state’s bullet train by building tracks between Corcorn and Madera — or, more specifically, an obscure point on the map known as Borden, reports the Bee. Officials say no bullet trains will run on the tracks until the entire Anaheim to San Francisco route is actually built. And in a worst case scenario, the new tracks will connect to existing BNSF tracks used by Amtrak, meaning that if the high-speed rail system is never built, the new tracks could be available to Amtrak.

A very strong story in the L.A. Times provides more details on those points. Excerpt:

Included in the plan are tracks, station platforms, bridges and viaducts, which would elevate the line through urban areas. The initial section, however, would not be equipped with maintenance facilities, locomotives, passenger cars or an electrical system necessary to power high-speed trains.

[snip]

To satisfy federal requirements, the starter route must have “independent utility.” That is, other passenger railroads must be able to use the track if funding dries up and high-speed trains never come to fruition. The rail authority says Amtrak’s well-established San Joaquin service could shift from its conventional track to the high-speed route between Borden and Corcoran in such a case.

Amtrak trains might be able to go faster on the line, but how much actual benefit the passengers on the San Joaquin service would realize hasn’t been determined.

London’s bike rental program goes public (The Guardian)

Mayor Boris Johnson’s plan to provide a fleet of 6,000 rental bikes across London has already been a hit with those who have memberships to the program and today anyone can rent a bike. Excerpt:

The expansion is a poke in the eye for sceptics who said it would never work; the fleet would end up at the bottom of the Thames and paramedics would spend the summer scraping novice riders off the capital’s streets. Londoners would never go for it, tutted the naysayers: they hate looking each other in the eye; they’ll never share saddles with a stranger.

[snip]

Despite major teething problems including rampant overcharging and chronic shortages of bikes and parking spaces, more than 108,000 people have signed up for a £3 membership key to use the bikes. No one has died and just 10 bikes have gone missing – and two of those have been returned, according to Transport for London (TfL). More than 1.8m journeys have been made, including about 20,000 every week day. Continue reading →

Transit around the world: Qatar Edition

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A rendering of Qatar's proposed rail system. Photo credit: Qatar Living.

In light of today’s announcement that Qatar has been awarded hosting duties for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, we thought we’d take a closer look at transportation infrastructure in the small Persian Gulf country. On a personal note, I’ve always had an affinity for Qatar, because the country’s name sounds like my own when pronounced by a Bostonian.

And, with all the love The Source has given to the metro system of the 2018 host city, Moscow, it’s time for some due diligence.

A preliminary internet search for public transit in Qatar yielded somewhat sparse results. The small country mostly relies on a network of surface roads and highways, with private vehicles the mode of choice for getting around. It probably doesn’t hurt (or help, depending on your point of view) that gas prices are often less than a dollar a gallon.

That said, the capital city, Doha, has an interurban bus system that connects it to other towns, as well as a taxi company wholly owned by the Qatari Royal Family.

But a rail network is on the way. The Qatar government has entered into a contract with Deutsche Bahn, a German rail company, to build an underground rail system in Doha with four lines and 98 stations.  Added to that is a high speed rail link to neighboring Bahrain, bringing the total price tag to $25 billion.

The coolest transportation project coming to Qatar ultimately has to be this proposed 30 km mist cooled bike path featured on Streetsblog in 2006:

The ruler of Qatar, Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani wants to get his people riding bicycles. One of the challenges in accomplishing this goal is the fact that, for much of the year, Qatar is hotter than a blast furnace. Fortunately, when you’ve got a pannier full of oil money, 115 degree daytime temperatures are no big deal. The Emir hired the Rand Corporation and Rand proposed a 30 kilometer shaded, solar-powered, mist-cooled bike path. The Emir gave the green light and with no cumbersome democratic processes to get in the way the project sailed through to approval (Qatar is similar to Brooklyn like that).