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.
Traffic smooth after Bay Bridge closure (Sacramento Bee)
This it it: the bridge connecting San Francisco to the East Bay has been closed in order to spend the next few days connecting the new eastern span to Yerba Buena Island and the ground on the East Bay side; the new span is scheduled to open at 5 a.m. Tuesday. Fears of epic gridlock never materialized; the closure has been promoted for months and transit in the region beefed up.
Most amazing statistic: it has been nearly 24 years since the Loma Prieta earthquake damaged the bridge. It should also be noted that the quake did not damage the BART train tunnels that run under San Francisco Bay.
Check out this animation of a drive over the eastern span. There is also bike and pedestrian lanes on the eastern span — too bad it won't be possible to bike all the way to San Francisco. Still, it's something.
New map shows increase in Metro Rail ridership since 2000 (Lawrenzo)
Nice map by Lawrence Sims allows users to see ridership gains on each of Metro's rail lines. Nice job, sir! Screen grab below.
Lawmakers look to revive Los Angeles' 1984 plan to reduce traffic for the Olympics (Governing)
Misleading headlines: it's actually one politician — from Riverside — calling for one aspect of the plan to be reinstated: banning trucks on freeways during peak commute hours. The writer at Governing thinks there's evidence that such a ban would help ease traffic. I'm not so sure: the vast majority of vehicles clogging area freeways at rush hour are cars and light trucks. That said, my occasional forays onto the 210 during rush hour are no fun — and part of the no fun-ness is sitting next to giant trucks in my medium-sized Subaru.
Categories: Transportation Headlines
If you listen to the news during your morning commute you would hear every morning and evening about a big rig that has caused another accident closing down 3 to 4 lanes of traffic. The traffic reduction plan is absolutely a good one.
Yes, a lot of trucks at any given time of the day. Use of any of the routes into Los Angeles, from any direction is a concern to a lot of persons. Connect the dots! Since 1953 the 710 has been “under construction” stopping at Valley Blvd in East Los Angeles and California Blvd in Pasadena.That is 60 years! Sheesh! The route through here would eliminate a great amount of traffic, even if it is open to just passenger vehicles and light trucks. Live on or near Fremont Ave? You might as well moved to the freeway as much traffic as it handles. Maybe limit large truck times on the freeways, say 6 A.M to 9 A.M. and 4 P.M. to 8 p.m. Semi’s are not allowed. Who knows? No matter what is done, do it soon…not 60 years from now!
That traffic reduction plan would probably have a huge impact on the 710. If you’ve ever driven that to or from Long Beach, it’s astonishing how much of the traffic is semis.