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.
Designing the successful cities of the future (Salon)
Here’s a boost for our self-esteem. L.A. is cited as example of what’s going right with city redesign across the country, as we lurch forward into a 21st Century we hope will be healthy and livable. “America’s urban reboot is in full swing. The awe-inspiring mega-projects — the High Lines and the Subways to the Sea — are being held up as a sign that cities are back.” But where are they (we) headed?
In true L.A. fashion, Spring Street green lane is ready for its facelift (StreetsBlog LA)
A scant one week later, cheers turned to taunts as the paint on the downtown L.A. Spring Street bicycle green lane dissolved in spots, the result of painting right after a major rain. Not to worry. The green lane will rise again, says LADOT. All we need is some sunshine and a little more paint.
Caltrans director urges possible criminal charges for fired worker (Los Angeles Times)
Less than two weeks after a Caltrans technician was fired for allegedly falsifying data, the agency’s director sent a letter urging prosecutors to reconsider their decision not to file criminal charges against the former employee, who allegedly falsified engineering test data on highway construction projects. Politically motivated overreaction or one that considers the potential consequences of modifying construction test data? Do those that monitor need to be better monitored? And, to coin a phrase, who can we trust?
Categories: Transportation Headlines
Re-designing LA to become more healthier and walkable are great, but LA should also start to prepare for the problems that come with becoming a public transit oriented city.
That being said, with my three week travel to Asia, I can point out the pros of running public transit oriented society, but at the same time, point out the many challenges that lie ahead for LA Metro when it becomes like Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Bangkok, or Singapore.
Can LA Metro envision itself operating under the existing system to sustain an efficient method of fare collections and checks from MILLIONS of riders every day and at the same ensure its trains to come on time every time accurate as a Swiss clock at the correct frequencies and the right number of express and limited services?
Can LA Metro imagine itself in the long term on how to squeeze the last inch of riders per train by making the seats face the aisle to maximize aisle space? Or banning bringing aboard bicycles as the pose too much of a hazard with so many people on board? Can LA Metro imagine its trains running at 120% capacity? Can our small sized light rail stations be expanded to handle longer rail cars, more people at the stations? Do we have the funds and resources and revenue available to make such upgrades?
Can LA Metro today prepare itself when it becomes a public transit oriented city that crimes such as pickpockets, lewdness of drunkards, and gropings starts to become a major issue? You may laugh about those issues now, but it is a serious matter when trains are filled to 120% capacity. Can LA Metro cope with law enforcement issues when a transit riders’ wallet is stolen, drunk people yelling profanity or even the health hazard issues of barfing on the tracks, or when lechers grab a woman’s butt when trains are smushed with so many people?
Can LA Metro cope with other transit riders’ nuisances like talking loudly on the cell phone or listening to the iPod too loud that music from the headphones become nuisances so that the need for effective public relation ads to be considerate of fellow transit riders become warranted? Does LA Metro have the budget allocated for that and will they have the revenue source to do so?
And while it maybe brushed off now, but what about the potential use of jumping off the tracks from oncoming trains to commit suicide? You think that’ll never happen, but every city I’ve visited never imagined that it’d become such a serious issue. Does LA Metro have the resources available to cope and deal to prevent such tragedies?
The above things that I mentioned are only the tip of the iceberg of problems and challenges that lie ahead for a public transit oriented society. One must not just look at the pros and think of it as a great thing, but one must also begin to think seriously about the problems that come with running public transit.
And the biggest one of them all is, how to sustain a revenue stream to prepare for all this. The money doesn’t stop once we build it, we still need continuous flow of money to maintain, sustain, and cope with the problems that arises with becoming a public transit oriented society. Where’s that funding going to come from, is again, what LA Metro needs to take a serious look at.