The United States’ mens hockey team outscored Canada 7 to 6 in two games in the Olympic tournament, but the wrong team walked off with the gold medal on Sunday. And that means yesterday afternoon was a tough day to be on mass transit in Vancouver, when Frozen People of the North spontaneously broke out in song. Jhenifer Pabillano, who writes Vancouver TransLink’s Buzzer Blog, captured the, uh, unbridled passion. I hope Angelenos can return the favor Saturday night after the Los Angeles Kings — with Olympians Dustin Brown, Jack Johnson and Jonathan Quick — paste the Montreal Canadiens at transit-accessible Staples Center. My grouchiness aside, Jhenifer did an awesome job helping people get around the Games. Click around her blog.
L.A. Times columnist Tim Rutten says that Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s 30/10 plan is one of the mayor’s best ideas yet — and that Congress should get behind it soon rather than later. The mayor is seeking a loan that will allow a dozen Measure R projects slated to be built in the next 30 years to instead be constructed in the next 10. Excerpt from Rutten:
On a recent visit to Los Angeles, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), an influential member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, agreed that “these sorts of things are what we really need to do. . . . Taking one of the most congested places in the country and taking a big-bang approach is visionary. The problem is that this hasn’t been done before. The federal government hasn’t worked with a region on a scale like this.”
The Daily News has a nice photo gallery of shots taken by Richard Miller of the Hollywood Freeway when it was being constructed. Click on the “photo gallery” tab and then “freeway.” The photos help give you an idea how much Earth was moved and neighborhoods demolished to accomodate the freeway.
The rest of today’s headlines, compiled by the Metro library, reside after the jump.
The Big Question: What Is The Purpose Of Federal Transportation Spending?
DC StreetsBlog
Cleaning The Air At American Ports (The single largest source of air pollution in Southern California are the Ports of LA and Long Beach. Environmentalists, environmental justice advocates, and Teamsters are working together to replace offending diesel drayage trucks)
New York Times
The Compelling Case For The Cable Car
New Geography
Downtown Connector Study Excitement: Underground Option Added
LA Curbed
Downtown Streetcar Takes Big Steps Toward Reality
LAist
Fixing The Great Mistake Of Planning For Cars (video)
NY StreetsBlog
A Freeway Is Born (exhibition of historic photos)
Los Angeles Daily News
How Feasible Is Antonio Villaraigosa’s 30/10 Gambit For Los Angeles Transit?
Transport Politic
It’s Come To This: Bake Sales For Transit
Publicola
LaHood Backs Feingold’s Plan To Cancel Unspent Transport Earmarks
DC StreetsBlog
LA Times Reports On HSR Controversy, Not HSR Facts
California High Speed Rail Blog
Metro Procures Environmental Consultant On Behalf Of Downtown L.A. Streetcar Project
Los Angeles Streetcar, Inc.
Opinion: Villaraigosa’s 30/10 Vision – Washington Should Get Behind the Mayor’s Transit Proposal For L.A.
Los Angeles Times
Opposition To Senate Extension Results In Looming Shutdown Of Federal Transportation Programs
Transportation For America
The Road To Recovery Runs Through The DOT (TIGER Infographic)
Fast Company
Road Transportation Emerges As Key Driver Of Warming In New Analysis From NASA
Science Daily
Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus System May See Increase In Fares, Affecting UCLA Transportation
UCLA Daily Bruin
Should Metro Extend The Red/Purple Lines To Downtown’s Arts District?
LAist
Vancouver: Olympic Transit Payoffs
Human Transit
Will The Highway Trust Fund Shut Down?
League Of American Bicyclists
Categories: Transportation News