For a complete list of planned service advisories please visit the Service Advisories page on Metro.net. And for the latest service alerts follow @MetroLAalerts on Twitter.
There are currently no planned service advisories, follow @MetroLAalerts on Twitter for the latest updates.
The Tour de California's 2008 edition near Pt. Reyes National Seashore. Photo by Miwok, via Flickr.
One more possible thing to do this weekend: check out the start of Stage 7 of the Tour de California bike race in downtown Claremont. The race, in fact, is starting in front of the town’s Metrolink station before the course heads north for a grueling loop through the mountains before a final climb to the base of the Mt. Baldy ski lifts.
The Metrolink Saturday schedule for the San Bernardino line is below. The race begins at 11:45 a.m. and there will be large TVs in downtown to monitor the racers’ progress throughout the afternoon. Here’s the city’s race website and here’s the official Tour de California website.
If you’ve never been to Claremont, it has a great transit-oriented downtown and the Claremont Colleges are a short walk away. Even though the race will quickly head into the mountains, it should be a fun morning in town.
Click above to see larger.
California Governor Pat Brown praises the work of the MTA Board at a civic luncheon in 1961, where, from left, Gov. Brown, U.S. Senator Clair Engle (D-CA) and MTA Chairman A.J. Eyraud proudly show off L.A.'s imminent state-of-the-art rapid transit rail car for the proposed rapid transit system to Century City. Photo originally published in November 1961 edition of The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) employee newsletter Emblem.
50 Years Ago This Week: Planning The El Monte – Century City Backbone Route (Complete With Nuclear Fallout Shelters, Large-Capacity Helicopters And A Beverly Hills Subway)
The title says it all but Metro’s digital resources librarian Kenn Bicknell spells out exactly what happened 50 years ago this week in the library’s Primary Resource blog. That is when Metro’s predecessor agency, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority, unveiled its plans for the Backbone Route, the 22.7-mile-long first leg of a rapid transit system that was to run from El Monte in the east to the yet-to-be-built Century City in the west.
And here we are in 2011 and the Westside Subway Extension is now being planned to connect downtown L.A. with…Century City.
Except for the fallout shelters, a diverse array of transit service can be found today along the actual routes proposed 50 years ago, says Bicknell. Check it out at the Metro Library’s Primary Resources blog.
My current ride.
Bike Week is wrapping up today, so I thought I would throw this completely self-serving question out there to Source readers: what kind of bike should I buy?
Background: I was gifted a Diamondback Topanga mountain bike when I moved to California in 1994. I’ve had it ever since and it has served me well — mostly on roads, not mountains — but the bike is falling apart. Latest problem: the thingy that holds the back tire to the frame is occasionally not holding the back tire to the frame, which may also be bent. It’s kind of a problem when riding.
So I’m in the market for my first new bike since President Clinton’s first term. I plan on using it for some commuting and errands around Pasadena, fitness and light touring. I don’t plan on going off pavement with it; I do plan on taking it on Metro Rail. Lightweight is good. My budget: $400 to $800. I’m guessing it’s the same kind of bike that would also work well for other Metro riders interested in biking more.
Please leave a comment and share your bike knowledge. Assume I know nothing about bike brands and models and technology.
And Happy Bike Week!
It’s another great weekend to Go Metro – there’s fantastic cultural, music and walking(!) events all across our great city. Tonight make sure to show your TAP card when you take the Gold Line to ArtNight Pasadena for discounts on ArtNight merchandise. Saturday is packed with stuff to do, including the Big Parade L.A. – it’s not your traditional parade but a community walk through L.A. meant to explore the city’s diverse neighborhoods. If you prefer a jubilee to a parade there’s the Silver Lake Jubilee all weekend, and Metro riders get two for one entrance tickets! On Sunday, why not combine Metro and connecting Amtrak service at Union Station to get out of town and visit the California Strawberry Festival in Oxnard – there’s a free shuttle to the event from the Oxnard Amtrak station.
All events are subject to change or may be be sold out, please check with the venue before making plans. To plan your trip and to check all other transit options, please consult Google Transit or the Metro Trip Planner.
DESTINATION DISCOUNT AVAILABLE
ArtNight Pasadena
Grab your friends and Go Metro to Pasadena’s most prominent cultural institutions for an evening of free arts, culture and performances.
Website: http://www.artnightpasadena.org/
When: 6-10pm
Price: FREE
Where: Various locations, Pasadena
Nearby Metro Rail: Gold Line Memorial Park Station
Nearby Metro Bus Stops: Walnut/Raymond (267)
Other operators: Walnut/Raymond (Pasadena ARTS 51, 52)
DESTINATION DISCOUNT AVAILABLE
East West Players KRUNK FU BATTLE
A hip-hop musical extravaganza!
Website: http://eastwestplayers.org/
When: 8pm
Price: $15-$50 (Metro riders save $10 off single-ticket prices for regular performances.)
Where: 120 Judge John Aiso St.
Nearby Metro Rail: Gold Line Little Tokyo/Arts District Station
Nearby Metro Bus Stops: Judge John Aiso/1st (30, 40, 42) Judge John Aiso/Temple (40, 42, 445)
Kylie Minogue at The Hollywood Bowl
Australian pop superstar returns to the Hollywood Bowl to promote a brand new album.
Website: http://www.hollywoodbowl.com/
When: 7:30pm
Price: $39.50+
Where: The Hollywood Bowl, 2301 North Highland Avenue
Nearby Metro Rail: Red Line Hollywood/Highland Station (Transfer to Bowl Shuttle), Red Line Universal City Station (Transfer to Bowl Shuttle)
More weekend events, after the jump. Continue reading
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.
Ban Cars In L.A.’s Downtown? An Idea That Just Might Work (GOOD)
The above video was produced by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo architecture students and Gensler – an architecture firm that is making the move from Santa Monica to downtown L.A. later this year. After a series of animated infographs – did you know 36% of downtown L.A.’s geography is devoted to parking? – a proposal is made to ban parking from the core of downtown. The video then presents an imaginative vision of a downtown L.A. that is walkable, livable and self sustaining thanks to smarter land use.
Five Great Ways To Get People To Ride Bicycles To Work (TreeHugger)
Did Bike to Work Day inspire you to commit to a daily bike commute, or do you a need a little more incentive? How about cash? Or a free bike? Or, more realistically, $5 a gallon gasoline? Check out this TreeHugger post for the full list.
Speaking Out on the Streetcar (L.A. Downtown News)
The Downtown News attended Tuesday’s streetcar meeting and heard what locals had to say about the $125 million project. While most were positive about the project, many wanted to see the route extended to Union Station to offer better connections for people who don’t live in downtown. I’m in full agreement. Since Union Station is the region’s transit hub, connecting it to the streetcar could transform the project from a local perk to a true regional amenity. And when you’re spending millions, why not get the most bang for the buck?
photo by Frederic Mancosu, via Flickr
As I’ve written several times lately, you don’t need a big fancy camera to take a nice photo. This one, of a train in Switzerland, was taken with an iPhone and obviously got some help with the use of the many great photo apps available.
To submit a photo for the Art of Transit, post it to Metro’s Flickr group, email it to sourcemetro@gmail.com or Tweet it to @metrolosangeles with an #artoftransit hashtag. Many of the photos we’ve featured can be seen in these galleries on Flickr.
