Category Archives: Transportation Headlines

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Transportation headlines, Tuesday, Feb. 1

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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.

Above it all in L.A. traffic (Washington Post)

Boston-based travel writer Necee Regis takes a rather uncommon approach to her L.A. getaway: she rides the bus. And she likes it. Her story is a tale of a sprawling, traffic choked city that is rather easy – albeit a bit slow – to get around on the wheels of a bus. During her three day public transit tour she visits tourist hot spots like The Getty, LACMA (and the gourmet food trucks parked near it), the Farmers Market, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and Venice Beach. Her bus experience was overwhelmingly positive – agency websites made figuring out routes easy, drivers were friendly and riders were welcoming.

BHUSD’s Softer Approach Aims to Calm Dealings with MTA (Westwood-Century City Patch)

After hiring an experienced public works lobbyist the Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD) has deciding to tone down comments about potential litigation against Metro over the proposed subway route that would tunnel under Beverly Hills High School. Board members are opting for a more diplomatic approach on the recommendation of the lobbyist, who helped officials negotiate an agreement with Metro to do seismic testing at the high school.

Brentwood on the Bus: What are the Odds? (Westside Today)

Joel Epstein gives reluctant Brentwood residents a primer in going Metro by relaying his family’s positive experience on transit in L.A. He notes that, unfortunately, many people must experience “teachable moments” to get them on transit – like his own wife, who switched modes after a car accident. The alternative to risking life and limb, Joel says, is the chance to read and listen to music as someone else does the driving.


Transportation headlines, Monday, Jan. 31

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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.

Buses fastest-growing form of intercity travel (USA Today)

According to a study out of De Paul University in Chicago, the number of intercity travelers who chose buses increased by 6% in the last year, the largest increase of any intercity mode in the nation over that time period. The biggest gains – with nearly a 25% increase – went to intercity buses that picked up passengers at curb-side locations in city centers, as opposed to those that operated out of established transit hubs. The study’s authors found that passengers were particularly drawn to bus companies’ very low fares and wireless internet.

Above it all in L.A. traffic (Washington Post)

On a recent trip to Los Angeles, a travel writer for the Washington Post decided to Go Metro and share her story. In this extensive piece, she recounts her experience using the bus system to navigate several of the city’s tourist destinations, including Venice Beach, the Getty Museum, and LACMA. The key to her success: embracing a sense of “zen-like flexibility.”

Texas road and transportation funding in crisis (Associated Press)

For the first time in 20 years, typically tax-averse Texas is considering raising its 20 cent gas tax to cover $11.9 billion worth of highway construction bonds that the state has issued since 2003. Despite the great need to invest America’s transportation infrastructure, national politicians have lately called raising the federal gasoline tax “a third rail.” Regular readers of The Source will recall that the federal gas tax has been stuck at 18.4 cents per gallon since 1993. Over the years, inflation and more fuel efficient cars have slowly eaten away at that key revenue source for transportation investment.


Transportation headlines, Friday, Jan. 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 blog.

Vermont subway stop could see new development (L.A. Times)

The veteran developer Jerry Snyder says that he intends to build a pair of high-rise apartment buildings at the intersection of Wilshire and Vermont that would have a total of 464 units in two buildings — one 25 stories, the other 30. It’s certainly a good location — with the subway headed from Wilshire/Vermont directly to downtown L.A., Hollywood and (one day!) Westwood.

Figueroa corridor: no shortage of parking (L.A. Streetsblog)

Check out the graphic on this post — seriously you have to see it, to believe it. The map shows how much parking there is along Figueroa between downtown L.A. and the USC campus. How much? Try 545 acres within one kilometer (about .6 miles) of Figueroa. There is an effort underwawy to remake the corridor between South Park and USC, which would be great because Figueroa in that stretch often devolves into a suburban-like commercial strip and the Expo Line will soon be running one block over on Flower Street.

Northeast U.S. should be priority for high-speed rail (Transportation Nation)

The House of Representatives’ transportation committee held a field hearing in Grand Central Station in New York on Thursday and some members said the Boston-to-Washington corridor should be the national priority for bullet trains. It’s already Amtrak’s busiest corridor in the U.S., but some elected officials believe that Amtrak isn’t capable of turning it into a true high-speed line and that efforts to put bullet trains in less dense parts of the U.S. are taking money from the northeast.

Transportation headlines, Thursday, Jan. 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 blog.

Sean Martin – Taking over L.A. on two wheels (I Am Los Angeles)

Sean Martin is an L.A. cyclist and blogger who wants to normalize cycling in the city. His observations from behind the handle bars paint the city as a place ruled by cars but he concludes that, despite the challenges, L.A. is also a cycling city.

California Gov. Jerry Brown defends cutting redevelopment agencies (L.A. Times)

Big city mayors from across the state met in Sacramento with Gov. Jerry Brown – and let him know they’re not keen on his budget cutting plan that includes axing redevelopment agencies. The governor says that voters are on his side and that since cuts have to be made, it’s better to cut redevelopment than public safety or education. Some mayors pointed out that some of Brown’s previous accomplishments were redevelopment projects – and that his current residence is also the product of redevelopment.

We need trains to ‘win the future’—so get over that deficit hysteria (Grist)

Grist notes that despite Obama’s inspiring words about American high-speed rail in his State of the Union address, there’s a disconnect between the rhetoric and the reality of funding the project. The article then goes on to quote the words of historian Tony Judt who believed rail is one of the aspects of modern life that is truly timeless – but it requires a public investment to survive.

Transportation headlines, Wednesday, Jan. 26

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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.

Obama aims to boost infrastructure spending (Wall Street Journal)

The Journal notes that Obama’s infrastructure plans — discussed in his State of the Union speech Tuesday — will be challenged by the fact money for highway projects is already scarce and neither Democrats or Republicans have shown any appetite for boosting funds by raising the federal gas tax. More details on where the money may come from are expected in the President’s next budget, to be released in February.

Should the government regulate “infotainment” systems? (NPR)

It looks like there will be more computer screens in cars in the future and that has raised questions about the impact of motorists glancing away from the road more often. In the old days, it was possible to reach for the air conditioning or radio knob. In some cars it will involve tapping a screen. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood recently visited Detroit to talk about districted driving — which results in about 5,000 deaths in the U.S. annually — but it’s not yet known whether the feds will crack down on infotainment devices in private vehicles.

High-speed rail officials propose aerial structure along 10 in SGV (California High-Speed Rail blog)

Facing community opposition to bullet train routes along existing rail corridors or surface streets, the state agency planning the high-speed rail line is investigating an aerial structure that would carry the train as much as 75 feet above the 10 freeway. This is for the planned connection between L.A. and San Diego — a segment, it should be noted, that would be built and funded after the Anaheim to San Francisco leg. So it’s a ways away from happening.

New figures confirm that 2010 was a hot year (New York Times Green blog)

In case you missed the news: two American government agencies say that 2010 was tied for the warmest year on record while the British say it was the second warmest. The news comes on the heel of cold snaps in the U.S. and Europe while the Arctic is experiencing much warmer than usual temperatures. Of course, many people believe global warming is the culprit; the weather may be crazy but the climate is trending warmer. By the way, taking transit is usually a good way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Transportation headlines, Tuesday, Jan. 25

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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.

Long Beach takes its bike plan progress to the riders (Long Beach Press Telegram)

Over the last few years, Long Beach has rightfully earned the reputation as So Cal’s most bike friendly city. Since 2001′s long range plan was adopted, the city has installed a slew of bicycling infrastructure, such as painted bike lanes, sharrows and bike boulevards.  Overall, biking is up in the city and the number of accidents is holding steady. But transportation officials are not resting on their laurels: Mobility Coordinator Charlie Gandy is leading a series of workshops seeking input from residents in advance of the next long range plan.

Deadline pressure threatens high-speed rail (Fresno Bee)

Now that the San Joaquin Valley has been tabbed as home to the first 115-mile segment of high-speed rail construction, the California High-Speed Rail Authority will have to keep a brisk pace to meet upcoming federal deadlines. The Fresno Bee takes a look at some of those deadlines — a finalized environmental review by this September, construction started by 2012 and completion by 2017 — and what it will take to meet them.

Signal synchronization project OK’d (Daily News)

Through a grant from the California Transportation Commission, the city of L.A. will be able to synchronize a number of intersections in the western San Fernando Valley.  Trips times along certain roads will be cut by as much five minutes on a 30-minute drive.  In addition, the same round of grants will give local transit a safety and mobility boost, namely the following:

$46.55 million to install rail collision avoidance technology along the Metrolink system and Pacific Surfliner Intercity Rail Corridor.

$2.94 million to install rail collision avoidance technology along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad tracks from Los Angeles to Fullerton.

$20 million to convert high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes to high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes along the I-10 and I-110 corridors.

$33.99 million for the acquisition of 100 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority. Continue reading →


Transportation headlines, Monday, Jan. 23

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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.

For wildlife, a safe highway crossing (New York Times Green blog)

Wildlife-vehicle collisions exact a steep toll each year: the deaths of more than 100 motorists, many tens of thousands of animal deaths and $8 billion in property damage and injuries. The group ARC recently held a design competition for a wildlife crossing bridge over busy Interstate 70 at Vail Pass in the Colorado Rockies. The winner was selected yesterday with a design for a bridge wide enough to provide forest, meadows and shrubs to help different animals navigate the bridge. There presently isn’t money to build it, but the idea behind the competition was to come up with a design that would work in many different parts of the country. Watch the above video.

On a train, a fight between the silent and the quiet (New York Times)

New Jersey Transit recently introduced “quiet” cars. It’s a good concept for those taking the commuter trains into Manhattan from the ‘burbs. Problem is, different passengers have different ideas over what constitutes “quiet.”

What makes a city smart? (Time)

Go to the link to see a video of mayors from major cities discuss what they think qualifies a city as smart. L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is featured and he agrees with colleagues from other cities: the more infrastructure investment, the better.


Transportation headlines, Friday, Jan. 21

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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.

Growing without driving: gap between VMT and GDP continues to widen (The New York Times)

Sometime in the 1990s, the growth rate in America’s total vehicle miles traveled (VMT) began to diverge from the growth rate for U.S. economy’s GDP. This gap widened in the 2000s despite the economic downturn. What gives? The Center for Clean Air Policy suggests that divergence in VMT and GDP growth has something to do with the type of industries that boomed in the 1990s and 2000s (they generated fewer VMT) and the potential saturation in travel.

2010 UMR remains a flawed and misleading guide to urban transportation (CEOs for Cities)

CEOs for Cities has major problems with the Urban Mobility Report released by the Texas Transportation Institute yesterday – namely that the study ignores the effects of longer distance travel on commute times. In other words, it misses the importance of land use when it comes to ranking cities. One example cited is Portland, which is ranked as having worse traffic than Nashville, despite the fact that commuters in Portland actually travel 75 fewer hours a year than those in Nashville due to shorter commuting distances. The congestion may be worse, but the time wasted in a car is less.

Los Angeles transit projects pitched to new Congress by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (L.A. Times)

The Mayor of L.A. visited the new Congress this week to continue efforts to sell the 30/10 Initiative to the Feds. Overall the feedback was positive, with Republican leaders agreeing on the need to expedite projects but expressing skepticism on some specifics.


Transportation headlines, Thursday, Jan. 20

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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.

State announces it’s setting aside $30 million to purchase Union Station (L.A. Times)

The California High-Speed Rail Authority said it plans to use the money to partner with Metro to purchase the historic train station and some surrounding land in downtown Los Angeles. Metro is expected to provide the bulk of the funds to buy the property from TPG Capital, which is in the process of obtaining Union Station from another firm. The Authority and Metro believe owning the property will better allow them to handle the surge of passengers from high-speed rail and the expansion of Los Angeles’ transit system.

Los Angeles are still has a lot of traffic (Texas Transportation Institute)

The L.A. area still ranks first (i.e. worst) in the country in a couple of key statistics that measure congestion. The Institute’s annual rankings also show that traffic can be pretty stinky in Washington D.C., New York and Chicago. It’s also worth mentioning the average commute time, as reported by the Census Bureau, for Los Angeles County is now 29 minutes — a number that is pretty typical for large metro areas. San Francisco’s average commute time is 29.1 minutes and Cook County (which includes Chicago) is 31.9 minutes.

Graphic shows influence of gas prices on miles driven (Treehugger)

It’s not exactly news that people tend to drive less when the price of gas soars, but this neat chart vividly shows the connection. Although the number of miles driven per motorist has dropped in the past five years, the writer concludes that it takes an awful lot to get Americans drive less.

Transportation headlines, Wednesday, Jan. 19

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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.

Bussing it to the airport: the life and death(?) of Line #439 (More Than Red Cars)

This post offers a detailed history of Metro’s Line 439 – a line that recently went through some significant service changes in last December’s bi-annual shakeup. The birth of the line, which provides local bus service to LAX, began in 1940 when Pacific Electric discontinued some streetcar service and replaced it with buses. Variations of Line 439 have been around since then, but the introduction of LAX FlyAway service from Union Station to LAX put a major dent in the line’s ridership numbers.

How London leads the way in techno wizardry (London Evening Standard)

Transport for London – the city’s transit agency which I reviewed last month – has helped London emerge as a leader in transportation apps. The Evening Standard notes that TfL’s liberal policy of providing open data to developers has led to a wealth of useful apps that make getting around London a breeze. It doesn’t hurt that a full third of Londoner’s now have smartphones. It’s also worth mentioning that Metro provides open data feeds to developers at http://developer.metro.net/.

LaHood: Transport funding bill to be signed by August recess (DC Velocity)

Good news from U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood for those hoping that a new transportation funding bill finally becomes a reality. The most recent bill expired in 2009 but LaHood is confident that a new bill will be signed into law by August despite a politcally-split Congress. There’s probably no need to worry about a federal gas tax increase – LaHood, as part of the Obama Administration, believes such a tax hike would not be prudent in our shaky economy.