Category Archives: Transportation News

Coming soon to an escalator near you

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They say it never rains in Southern California and this year that has sometimes been the case. But we can hope for more rain and snow next winter and by then, several Metro subway escalators will be better protected from the elements.

To keep the escalators running more reliably — as well as to protect those of us riding them — Metro is beginning the process of adding canopies over stations along the Red and Purple lines.

The first one should be complete this summer at the Westlake/MacArthur Park Station, where construction is beginning on the support rails that will hold up the pretty canopy umbrella. (See rendering.) If you use that station, you may have noticed construction folks working around holes in the pavement where the three supports will be anchored. The umbrella itself will be added when the supports are secured.

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Reminder: Green Line to LAX open house tomorrow morning at Union Station

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Green Line to LAX fact sheet

Click here for a high-resolution PDF version of the fact sheet.

If you’re passing through Union Station on the way to work tomorrow morning, take a few minutes to swing by the East Portal of the station (i.e. the bus stop side of the station) for an open house for the Green Line to LAX project study that is currently underway.

There will be some poster boards explaining the project — a fact sheet is above — and agency staff to answer any questions that you have about the project.

The project aims to connect the new station for the Crenshaw/LAX Line and the Green Line at Aviation and Century to the LAX terminals. Among the possibilities being studied are a people mover, light rail extension and busway. It’s obviously a critical connection because LAX is one of the busiest airports in the nation in addition to being a major employer in the metro area.

There are also two community workshops scheduled in the next week — on March 1 and March 7. There’s more information after the jump.

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Transportation headlines, Tuesday, Feb. 28

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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 Headlines blog, which you can also access via email subscription or RSS feed.

Colorful Pakistani Bus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The American bus revival (BBC News Magazine)

Since voters, Congress and state legislatures can’t seem to get behind high-speed rail, someone has to pick up the demand for long distance and regional transportation. Into the void has stepped Greyhound and low-cost startups like Bolt Bus, which runs buses with fares starting at $1 between New York and Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. In September, when traveling between New York and Philadelphia, I opted for Bolt, which offers free wifi, over Amtrak’s Acela. The trip cost me $13 while Amtrak would have been $105. It didn’t take me long to do the math.

Looks like all systems go for Central subway (San Francisco Chronicle)

If all goes as planned, San Francisco will have a major new piece of transit infrastructure when the Central Subway is completed in 2018. The 1.7-mile project will link San Francisco’s commuter rail station to Chinatown, with key transfers to both the muni rail and BART that run under Market Street in downtown. The project is expected to cost $1.6 billion and earlier this month the Obama Administration recommended it receive $150 million in federal funds from the New Starts program — the project is expected to receive $942.2 million in funds overall in the coming years. The agency was also recently approved by the feds to buy two tunnel-boring machines and to build the starting point for the tunneling scheduled to begin in January. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee is a major backer of the project, which will bring a rail project into the heart of San Francisco and Chinatown. The subway will also connect with San Francisco’s new T-Third Line which runs at grade south to Bayview and Candlestick Park.

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Transportation headlines, Monday, Feb. 27

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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 Headlines blog, which you can also access via email subscription or RSS feed.

The 305 bus: to be or not to be? (L.A. Times)

Passengers complain at the impending loss of the 305 line, which zigzags across town between Willowbrook and Westwood. Metro plans to cut the line after the Expo Line opens, in part because of the new east-west rail service, low ridership and budget issues. Other lines have been beefed up and there are other ways to get from Willowbrook to Westwood in about the same time as the 305 — but most require one or more transfers. The New York Times looked at the prospective cut last July.

A HOT lane in the Seattle area. Photo by Washington State DOT.

A decent overview of the trend toward converting carpool lanes to high occupancy toll lanes in which most carpoolers still travel for free but single motorists can buy their way into the lanes by paying a toll via electronic transponder. The story focuses on Atlanta’s newest lanes, which have been controversial. Evidence points to the carpool lanes still moving faster than the general lanes but many vocal critics say the entire freeway is slower than before. Metro is set to launch its ExpressLanes project on the 110 freeway’s carpool lanes in the fall.

Westside rises up against Bergamot project (Santa Monica Daily Press)

Plans to build 325 residential units and 495,000 square feet of creative space at Stewart and Olympic in Santa Monica is drawing criticism from as far as Brentwood, with one restauranteur saying it will impact his business there. The development will be next to a station on Expo Line phase 2.

Arroyo Seco Bike Path, a pictorial (KCET)

Nice look at the two-mile bike lane along the Arroyo Seco from York Boulevard to Montecito Heights. It’s really a shame there isn’t a bike path all the way from JPL to Cypress Park, where the Arroyo Seco flows into the L.A. River. If there’s a will, there’s a way, people.

Transportation headlines, Friday, Feb. 24

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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 Headlines blog, which you can also access via email subscription or RSS feed.

Photo credit: KCET

L.A. State Historic Park: a deserted railroad yard is transformed yet unfinished (KCET)

In its Departures column, KCET features an article on the unfinished work of creating Los Angeles State Historic Park. The piece tells the story of the battle to preserve as a park a former abandoned 32 acre rail yard in downtown L.A. The park is between Chinatown on the west and the L.A. River on the east and is within walking distance of City Hall and Union Station. The Cornfields, as it has become known, is also served by the Chinatown Gold Line station.

Moving sustainably (Google)

In addition to public transit, part of the transportation solution is going to be businesses stepping up to help their employees get to work. Not every company can afford to do what Google is doing to reduce its transportation carbon footprint but then, lots of companies that can afford to do more to promote alternatives to the lone driver car commuter, are not doing enough. In this video, Google’s Transportation Operations Manager talks about the various transportation solutions Google is promoting. You can learn more at Google. Now if I can only convince my wife to ride the bus or bike to her job at Google in Venice.

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House transportation bill won't eliminate transit funding from gas taxes

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Not sure this registers as a surprise — the transportation spending bill offered by Rep. John Mica (R-Florida) in the House was pounded with criticism from many corners. Here’s the news from Metro’s government relations staff:

House GOP Reportedly Will Make Changes To Surface Transportation Bill – End Effort To Eliminate Mass Transit Account

As the House and Senate try to adopt a multi-year surface transportation bill in the coming months, a new twist developed today, when House GOP leaders reportedly decided to cut the length of their bill from five years to two years.

The new bill will also reportedly scraps plans in the original GOP transportation bill that would have ended the transfer of motor fuel taxes to the Federal Highway Trust Fund’s mass transit account. This language, had it been adopted into law, would have compromised the longstanding practice of using motor fuel taxes to pay for federal transit projects and programs.

Our agency has been working with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the American Public Transportation Association and other local, state and federal mobility stakeholders to oppose efforts by Congress to weaken the mass transit account. In the coming days the House GOP leadership will decide on the path forward with respect to when the newly modified bill will be considered by the full membership of the House of Representatives.

Recap of other Metro Board actions taken today

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Here are some other actions taken by the Metro Board of Directors at this morning’s meeting:

•(Item 31) The Board approved a motion by Metro Board Chair and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to study and recommend a variety of improvements to Metro Rail and busway stations, including:

1. Find ways to upgrade access to Metro stations through better signage, crosswalks, sidewalks, bike signals, bike parking and more streetscape amenities.

2. Evaluate and suggest upgrades to security systems for park-and-ride lots used by Metro patrons.

3. Evaluate options for reducing noise at Green Line stations in the median of the 105 freeway.

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What's happening at other transit agencies?

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Two Pittsburgh light rail trains glide over the snow. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

This weekly post features news from other transit agencies and planners from around the world. Did we miss a good story? Let us know in the comments.

Steelers, casino to foot bill for free transit rides on new Pittsburgh line

Here’s an interesting tidbit coming in over the wire: The NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers and a local casino have agreed to pay for three years’ worth free transit rides on the city’s newest segment of light rail. Free rides will be limited to the new 1.2-mile “North Shore Connector” — and the two stations it serves — which will link downtown to Heinz Field. The line is expected to open sometime this spring. Good deal!

U.S Senate amendment would set higher bar for BRT

The keen eyes of the Seattle Transit Blog caught an intriguing amendment offered by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to the Senate’s federal transportation bill. The gist of the amendment is that it would create higher standards for what the federal government considers true bus-rapid transit — and thus effect what kinds of BRT projects the feds would be willing to fund. The proposed standard — which hasn’t yet been inserted into the bill — would require any projected dubbed BRT to have its own separated right-of-way for more than half of the line, dedicated stations, traffic signal priority and other features that would ensure a high-quality transit experience.

Chicago approves $7.3 million for downtown bus rapid transit

Speaking of which: Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is kicking in $7 million — matched with a $25 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration — to implement a BRT system in downtown Chicago. Radio station WBEZ reports that the system will include “dedicated bus lanes, signal preemption, prepaid boarding or on-board fare verification, multiple entry and exits points on the buses, limited stops, and street-level boarding.” All of those features will help the buses run faster, saving commuters time and the transit agency money. The aim, in particular, is to speed up trips within downtown and help commuters make their last-mile connection from Metra commuter rail stations to their destinations.

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Metro Board moves to lock gates at Metro Rail stations within next six months

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The Board approved a motion by Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky asking Metro staff to plan to lock the gates at Metro Rail stations within the next five or six months.

“I think the evidence is resounding and clear — there are a lot of people who have been avoiding paying their fares,” said Yaroslavsky. “We’re talking about millions of dollars here” in terms of lost revenue.

Yaroslavsky also disputed previous reports suggesting the fare evasion rate is as low as three percent.

Metro tested locking the gates at a variety of subway stations last year. Here’s a staff report about the tests — in which Metro staff said that revenues greatly increased when the gates were locked.

The Metro Board also approved a motion by L.A. Councilman Jose Huizar to establish a working group of three TAP-enabled muni bus operators, three non-TAP enabled munis and Metro executive staff. The group will be charged with solving issues that are preventing some agencies from adopting TAP cards as a form of fare payment.

The more agencies that use TAP, of course, the easier it will be to have a regional fare system and to ensure that all passengers get through gates on the Metro system.

Metro is still working with Metrolink and other agencies to make commuter rail and EZ passes TAP-enabled. We’ll have more details in the coming weeks. 


Metro CEO Art Leahy's monthly report to the Board discusses Transitway accident, Beverly Hills trenching, Blue Line delays

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During his monthly oral report to the Board of Directors, Metro CEO Art Leahy told the Board:

•In the wake of the accident on Wednesday in which a private vehicle struck a platform on the Harbor Transitway and injured six people, Leahy said that he would ask Metro staff for a safety review of the Transitway. The report, due back in 60 days, would look at the signage and layout of the Transitway, which Leahy also noted has operated safely since its opening in 1998.

•Leahy also said that the Beverly Hills Unified School District had asked Metro for $500,000 in exchange for receiving access to trenches dug on the grounds of the Beverly Hills High School campus. “We’re not going to do that,” Leahy said. Metro released geotechnical reports on earthquake faulting in the Beverly Hills, Century City and Westwood areas last fall as part of the planning for the Westside Subway Extension. The trenches are part of geotechnical work that the school district is doing on the Beverly Hills campus in response to Metro’s reports.

•As for the Blue Line delays this morning, Metro officials told the Board that a power outage occurred on the line early this morning just south of the Blue Line maintenance yards, thereby preventing trains from leaving the yard and being deployed on the line. Power was restored about 5:40 a.m. and some trains were able to get out of the yard, but delays continued throughout the morning commute — as many of you already know.