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.
Invasion of the cell phone snatchers (New York Times)
The New York Times has an interesting story about the rise of cell phone thefts in New York. L.A. has the same problem, as Metro riders have been warned. Cell phones are easy and profitable to resell, so they make an inviting target for thieves. In New York, theft of iPhones and iPads last year accounted for 14 percent of all crimes, according to the Times. The piece brings up the issue of the need for creation of more effective technology to prevent these crimes, including tracking devices for lost or stolen phones and/or programs that can make the devices inoperable if stolen. In the meantime, Metro and the L.A. County Sheriffs are advising everyone to keep phones and iPads stashed away — particularly when entering and exiting trains and buses.
Why is a small street repair project like Expo Phase 2? (Agoura Acorn)
Everyone talks about the mega projects connected with Measure R but the importance of Measure R to our daily lives should be measured not just in new rail lines and highway widenings but in the small bits of repair and redesign that keep our region moving and prevent us from screaming. Out in pretty Agoura Hills, Measure R is funding a Canwood street improvement project, a new roundabout at Kanan and Agoura roads and a widening of Agoura Road. It’s an investment that makes life better for the people who need it, just like trains and buses do.
Chinese bus maker will manufacture in Lancaster (L.A. Daily News)
Out of this deal, Long Beach Transit will get 10 all-electric buses and the people of Lancaster could get “hundreds” of jobs.
Can adopt-a-highway be a model for adopt-a-stop for public transit? (Transit Cooperative Research Program)
A new report by the Transportation Research Board suggests that adopt-a-stop programs, in which volunteers agree to pick up litter at transit stations and assist in other maintenance tasks, can be a valuable resource for public transportation agencies. Like adopt-a-highway programs, such programs can keep transit areas tidy but they also — and significantly — can create a sense of ownership within the community and improve safety and security for passengers. Not a bad idea.
One year later, who is riding the Expo Line? (USC Annenberg Neon Tommy)
A bunch of people. (Hooray!)
Categories: Transportation Headlines
Rick Beaver, in fact we do have such cleaning crews. Here is an article about one inmate who died during such a work session: http://articles.ivpressonline.com/2012-08-18/prison-inmate_33264802
Above with the Adopt a Highway Program; I was wondering why in California we do not do like other states and let chained inmates supervised by Sheriff’s deputies clean up along highways and transit lines. Instead of letting them sit in jail and eat, why not make them work and pay back the taxpayers who pay taxes to keep the jails running?
Light rail lines ONLY BENEFIT THOSE who: a.) live within L.A., or b.) those who go into/out of L.A. on a DAILY BASIS! If you are NOT a city of L.A. resident, you not only get the “short-end” of any “light-rail” development, you get the SHORT-END OF BUS LINE EXPANSION AS WELL!
This is exactly why we need locked gates. Criminals should not be allowed entry into the system. The more barriers there are to gain entry to the system, the more obstacles they face to do their criminal deeds. It will also make them harder to do an easy escape too if we had locked gates on exits too.
What genius thought it was a great idea to have an open honor system? Did they not foresee problems like this happening?
Installing gates throughout the Metro Rail system has to become the number one priority for the security of the riders.
Remember the Gold line when opened was thought to be slow. MTA made some adjustments, trip time when down and ridership increased. I would hope MTA sorts out the slow section of the Expo before the complete line to Santa Monica is done, otherwise the whole trip will seem really slow.
Yeah I agree. Love the Expo line but it sucks that it gets stuck in traffic a lot.
I posted this on the article about the Expo Line as well:
I will say that I am one of those USC graduate students who takes Expo to campus from downtown. However, as of recent I’ve been taking the bus (81 or Dash F) more and more as the train has been incredibly slow. On a good day – when the train gets to the lights perfectly – it will take 10 min to get from 7th to Expo/USC; the same amount of time as the bus. More recently the train takes nearly 20min. I know having a drunk driver take out a pole near 23rd Street station didn’t help things but, the train really needs light priority in the DTLA to USC corridor. Drivers on the 110 North, should look up while they are stuck in traffic and see the Expo train flying by them and wish to themselves that they were on the train. Instead, the train is in as much stop and go traffic as they are.
Cell Snatching is no joke. On the Gold Line one day, a couple hoodrats exited the train, and as they did, one proceeded to grab a man’s iPhone straight out of his hands. Luckily the man had a death grip on his device and the would-be theif had to walk home empty handed. Lesson: Keep your phone in your pocket or keep your head on a swivel!