Here’s a look at some of the transportation headlines gathered by the Metro Library. The full list of headlines is posted on the library’s blog. Don’t forget you can also follow the Metro Library on Facebook and Twitter.

A bike corral outside a business in Portland. Photo by BikePortland.org via Flickr.

Streetsblog LA reports that bike corrals may soon be coming to Los Angeles and tells the story of how that came to be. It all started when small business owner Matt Schodorf of Highland Park was unsatisfied with relatively paltry amount of bicycle parking space the city had provided adjacent his coffee shop – three inverted-U bike racks. After being inspired by a Streetsfilm (produced by Streetsblog) showing how successful bike corrals have been in Portland, Mike made it his mission to bring bike corrals to L.A. For those who don’t know, a bike corral is when space on the street – usually reserved for car parking – is converted to a large collection of bike racks. Bike corrals have a number of advantages, the most obvious being that they provide a lot more bike parking – but they also free up sidewalk space for pedestrians.

A new high-speed rail line in China has already affected competing air travel in a big way: all flights between the two cities the rail line serves have been suspended. This comes just 48 days after the train service started. What’s interesting is that the train ride is still about an hour longer than flying. Since the train serves the city centers and the airports require a drive to the city people prefer the direct connection the train offers.

The Pasadena Star-News welcomes the Gold Line Foothill Extension with eager open arms.  The news source cites three reasons why San Gabriel Valley residents should feel the same. First there’s the economic stimulus in the form of jobs and revenues that the construction and eventual operation of the line will bring. Secondly, the line will help ease congestion along the 210 freeway – or at least give commuters an alternative. Lastly, residents should look forward to increased growth and new transit oriented developments along the line.