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 Transportation Headlines online newspaper, which you can also access via email subscription (visit the newspaper site) or RSS feed.

Regional Connector construction concerns (Downtown News) 

The editorial loves the project but has concerns about Metro’s request for construction permits that could potentially allow the agency to work around-the-clock. Metro, in turn, has said that it is seeking flexibility to help keep the project on schedule and on budget. My three cents: one reason the Connector project is so expensive ($1.36 billion) and work intensive is because Metro listened to downtown residents and workers and is building the project underground instead of mostly at street level.

Mayor Villaraigosa unveils new downtown L.A. park (L.A. Times) 

Goodbye parking lot, hello new 2/3-acre park along Spring Street. And more excellent news: the city of L.A. has purchased the plot of land along 1st Street between Spring and Broadway. It used to house a state office building, but has been empty and an eyesore since 1976. The mayor said it will become a park which makes sense given it’s adjacent to Grand Park. If the federal courthouse ever gets built and Related ever builds its Grand Avenue project, the Civic Center part of downtown may actually look like a…downtown. The Red/Purple Line already serves the area and the Regional Connector will have stations at both 2nd/Broadway and 2nd/Hope.

Can a Fairfax area trolley solve wall-to-wall congestion from the Grove? (CityWatch) 

The article suggests that it would be better to improve the pedestrian experience in the areas around the Grove so more people could walk there — perhaps from the future subway.

A train that flies (Global Rail News)

If they could clip a couple of Amtrak cars to a Southwest plane, I’d give it a try. It would solve my travel woes: I won’t take long-distance trains in the U.S. — pack mules are usually faster — and I don’t like to fly, because I don’t like waiting in lines and the concept of carry-on luggage makes my see red.