Transportation headlines, Wednesday, May 8: Distance-based road usage, green ports, social media outreach, transit use and city usage

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 by Diyanski via Flickr

Photo by Diyanski via Flickr

Advocates of distance-based road pricing look to Oregon (Road Pricing)

As vehicles become more fuel efficient, fuel tax revenues continue to shrink. That’s one of the reasons eyes are on Oregon, as it explores a distance-based road usage charging system for the state. The feds no doubt are watching, too. Here are the details.    

L.A. is a leader in green ports, Mayor says (Los Angeles Times)

The world looks to L.A. for ways to reduce pollution, Mayor Villaraigosa said at a ports conference this week. He cites a modernization of the Port of L.A. and the state’s tough emissions law. He also could add Metro’s efforts to improve mobility to and from the ports by work on the I-5 and I-710 south, as well as the Alameda East Corridor. The story doesn’t mention it, so we will.

Public agencies lag behind in social media outreach (Transportation Issues Daily)

Social media is changing the way organizations engage with the public. And public agencies are not up-to-speed on conveying messages via mobile media. Okay. We buy that. Any suggestions for what Metro could do? 

What public transit teaches us about how people use cities (The Atlantic: Cities)

Ridership is an identifyer of how and at what time people use — or don’t use — transit: whether movement is centralized, decentralized or has mutiple focal points. Three videos track travel patterns on public transit in San Francisco, Geneva and Zurich. Interesting to see Californians up and about before folks in two of the great European business centers. We can also see that at 1 and 2 a.m. it’s lights out in Zurich, while San Francisco is on the move. Wonder what L.A. would look like.

Update: New I-5/SR-170 connector will open on May 8

map

Rain has delayed the connector opening and related closures by one day.

Here’s the press release from Caltrans:

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will open a new I-5/SR-170 connector on Tuesday, May 7, at 5 a.m. The connector is a three-lane, mixed-flow connector going from the northbound Hollywood Freeway (SR-170) to the northbound Golden State Freeway (I-5). Northbound SR-170 traffic will merge with the three outside lanes of northbound I-5.

Construction began on the 2,400-foot connector in late 2010. It is part of a project that is also constructing a high occupancy vehicle (HOV, or carpool) lane in each direction of I-5 between SR-170 and the Ronald Reagan Freeway (SR-118), a distance of 3.4 miles, and a direct HOV connector between I-5 and SR-170. The direct HOV connector will enable freeway-to-freeway transfers without exiting the carpool lane.

The project will alleviate congestion, encourage carpooling, improve air quality, and provide a smoother ride for motorists. The work is part of Caltrans’ effort to provide motorists with a seamless carpool lane network in California.

Work began in August 2010 and is on track for completion in mid-2014. Caltrans thanks motorists for their patience and understanding during construction.

For more information, visit www.I-5info.com.

Upcoming Closures Related to This Project

The week of May 6, crews will remove remaining falsework and complete striping on the new I-5/SR-170 connector, requiring night closures of northbound I-5 between Sheldon Street and Osborne Street and southbound I-5 between the I-5/SR-170 interchange and Sheldon Street, as well as night closures of southbound I-5 on-ramps at Terra Bella Street and Osborne Street. Closure details:

Where

Northbound I-5 between Sheldon Street and Osborne Street
Southbound I-5 between the I-5/SR-170 interchange and Sheldon Street 

When

Northbound I-5 Closure
Tuesday night, May 7, through Wednesday morning, May 8, 2013
11:59 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Southbound I-5 Closure
Wednesday night, May 8, through Friday morning, May 10, 2013
11:59 p.m. to 4 a.m.

DETOURS (see map below)

Northbound I-5 detour: Traffic will be detoured off the freeway at Lankershim Blvd. and onto San Fernando Road. Motorists will re-enter northbound I-5 from Osborne Street. Detour signs will be posted.

Southbound I-5 detour: Traffic will be detoured off I-5 at the I-5/SR-170 interchange and onto southbound SR-170. Motorists will reenter southbound I-5 from Laurel Canyon Blvd. Detour signs will be posted.

Firestone Boulevard ramps will close permanently, plus other closures and work on the I-5 South

More traffic news for commuters … this time for the I-5 South. Here’s the release from Caltrans:

Santa Ana Freeway (Interstate 5)

Firestone Boulevard Ramps Will Permanently Close

 NORWALK – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has scheduled the following lane, ramp, connector and full freeway closures as part of the Santa Ana Freeway (I-5) South Corridor Improvement Projects from the Los Angeles/Orange County line to I-605:

FIRESTONE BLVD. RAMPS WILL PERMANENTLY CLOSE

Wednesday, April 3 at 7 p.m. - the northbound I-5 Firestone Boulevard off-ramp.

New date and time! - the southbound I-5 Firestone Boulevard on-ramp.  

Note:  the northbound I-5 Firestone Blvd. off-ramp exits from the #1 lane, the far left lane.

Digital portable message signs are at the ramps to notify the motoring public. Motorists can exit at the Rosecrans Avenue, Norwalk Boulevard or Imperial Highway off-ramps.

ON-RAMP FULL CLOSURES:  Daytime,  9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Monday, April 1,   Tuesday, April  2,  and  Thursday, April 4

  • Northbound I-5 on-ramps at Alondra Blvd and Norwalk Blvd/San Antonio Dr. Motorists can access northbound I-5 at the Carmenita Road on-ramp.

Wednesday, April 3

  • Northbound I-5 on-ramp at Alondra Blvd.

Motorists can access northbound I-5 at the Carmenita Road on-ramp.

ON-RAMP FULL CLOSURES: Overnight,  7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Wednesday, April 3

  • Southbound I-5 on-ramps at Norwalk Blvd/San Antonio Dr.,  S. Firestone Blvd., Imperial Highway, Pioneer Blvd. and Rosecrans Ave.

LANE CLOSURES:  Nightly, 11:59 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Monday, April 1, Tuesday, April 2 and Thursday, April 4

  • Northbound and southbound I-5 – Up to two lanes from Florence Ave to Firestone Blvd. Continue reading

To accelerate the building of 13.5 miles of HOV lanes on I-5 in Santa Clarita area, Metro proposes charging tolls for vehicles with one or two occupants to use the lanes

I5_project_map

Metro this month is providing key details on plans to accelerate an important Measure R project for northern Los Angeles County. The project would add carpool lanes for 13.5 miles in both directions to Interstate 5 through the Santa Clarita area. A toll for vehicles with one or two occupants (at peak hours only for vehicles with two occupants) would be charged to use the lanes — with the tolls being used to finance the construction of the carpool lanes about 30 years earlier than planned in Metro's long-range plan.

There's a lot more detail in the Q & A that follows in the post. The absolute crucial details: the lanes would be managed to maintain speeds of at least 45 mph, the number of general traffic lanes would remain the same and the new lanes will add capacity to the freeway, especially when coupled with the new truck lanes being built on either side of the Newhall Pass.

There are two community meetings scheduled this month to discuss the project. The public can ask questions and provide feedback. Content at all meetings will be identical; please attend the location most convenient for you. All meetings are open to the public and we urge you to invite your friends and neighbors.

Tuesday, February 26th, 2013, 6-8 PM
Sports Complex – City of Santa Clarita
20880 Centre Pointe Pkwy
Santa Clarita, CA 91350
Served by Santa Clarita Transit Lines 5 and 6

Thursday, February 28, 2013, 6-8 PM
Rancho Pico Junior High School
26250 Valencia Bl
Stevenson Ranch, CA 91381
Served by Santa Clarita Transit Line 7

Below is the Q&A on the project with a lot more detail and there's a short Power Point on the project after the jump. I'm interested in your thoughts on the project, particularly if you live in Santa Clarita or elsewhere in northern L.A. County.

What exactly is the project proposing to do?

The project would use a public-private partnership to build one carpool/toll lane in each direction to the I-5 freeway for 13.5 miles between the 14 freeway and Parker Road. A private firm would be hired to help fund, build and manage the lanes and be paid back with toll revenue. That would allow the project to be completed by 2019 instead of 2040 or later.

This stretch of freeway includes some of the fastest-growing areas in Southern California — the city of Santa Clarita has gone from 79,000 people in 1979 to more than 201,000 in 2012 and is expected to add 50,000 more people in the next 30 years, not including growth in the unincorporated parts of the Santa Clarita Valley. Not surprisingly, traffic congestion in the Santa Clarita Valley and surrounding areas has worsened; the average one-way commute time of 32.7 minutes for Santa Clarita residents is among the highest in Los Angeles County.

The carpool/toll lane will be used for free by those in cars with three or more passengers. Buses, van pools and motorcycles would also use the lanes for free. Cars with two people will be able to use the lanes for free outside of peak hours — during peak hours they will be charged a toll. Single motorists will be charged a toll at all times.

Continue reading