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ART OF TRANSIT: A film/TV shoot at Union Station over the weekend. Photo from our Instagram feed.

Thousands get out of their cars and onto their bikes at CicLAvia (L.A. Times) 

Organizers estimate more than 100,000 people participated in Sunday’s event. Crowds looked healthy to yours truly. This is the final CicLAvia of 2013; officials at CicLAvia say they are hoping to have four events in 2014, including a possible April event along Wilshire Boulevard.

My three cents: I’d like to see the events get a little deeper into parts of the county too many people never visit. Specifically, I’d like to see Crenshaw Boulevard and Leimert Park included on a CicLAvia route.

Plan circulating to extend transit sales tax (Daily News)

Actually, no real news here — just shows how little attention is paid to news concerning the Metro Board of Directors. As part of the acceleration strategy adopted by the Metro Board in June, the Board asked staff to investigate when it might be best to return to voters and ask for an extension of the Measure R half-cent sales tax due to expire in mid-2039. That was basically an acknowledgment that any project acceleration attempts would likely need Measure R revenues past 2039 unless the federal government completely changes course (and reopens) and starts showing local transit agencies with millions of interest-free dollars.

That’s kind of doubtful.

Part of that conversation included a request by Board Member Michael D. Antonovich to poll local Council of Governments to ask what they wanted to see included on such a ballot measure. That said, it’s from certain yet whether there will be a Measure R extension and how such a ballot measure may be structured. It remains very far from certain that such a ballot measure would expand the list of projects funded by Measure R or increase funding for any particular project. 

With deadline looming, three states must help fund Amtrak or risk losing service (Governing) 

California, Illinois and Indiana have until Oct. 16 to reach a funding agreement deal with Amtrak. For all the fuss raised by some members of Congress over Amtrak, the fact is that states pay a good chunk of the bills for rail service.