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Mass transit meet LAX. Maybe. (L.A. Times)
The editorial likes the idea of taking light rail to a transfer to a people mover in a new integrated transportation building that LAX wants to build east of the existing terminals. The editorial, however, completely overlooks the tough decisions that go with that: namely, how to get light rail to the planned building.
There are basically two choices: move the Crenshaw/LAX Line west, thereby delaying the project and making it more expensive OR building a spur from the Crenshaw/LAX Line to serve the new building. Here’s our post from last week that explains the issues.
Lankershim Boulevard bridge price tag tops $27 million (Daily News)
The Metro Board will consider a $7.5-million increase to the project’s budget at their round of meetings this month. The bridge is intended to make it easier for people to travel between Universal City and the Red Line station without crossing a busy street. Some critics, however, say the bridge is unnecessary and that improved crosswalks could do the trick.
The story touches on some of the long history of this project. The bridge started as a tunnel that was supposed to serve as mitigation for the subway project and Metro is building the bridge as part of a settlement with NBC Universal. See this staff report for the long version of the project’s history; then immediately enroll any and all relatives in the nearest law school specializing in environmental law.
BART, unions to continue talking Tuesday afternoon — no strike (San Francisco Chronicle)
Although past the original strike deadline, BART officials and union officials are still trying to hammer out an agreement to keep trains running across the Bay Area. Workers with AC Transit in the East Bay also have indicated they will walk out if BART workers strike, meaning tens of thousands of people will need to find another way of getting around.
Huizar authors motion to promote more dense development in DTLA (Downtown News)
L.A. Councilman Jose Huizar, whose district includes much of downtown L.A., wants to incentivize the building of taller structures. The concern is that many buildings seven stories or under are being constructed in downtown. Some observers worry that new rules could halt the many projects underway.
Moose die-off alarms scientists (New York Times)
A moose in Yellowstone. Photo by Steve Hymon
Populations of moose are down across many parts of North America. No one is sure exactly why but there are theories, many of them involving climate change. In particular, a warmer world may be causing heat stress for moose and/or making the world a more hospitable place for species and diseases that thrive on moose.
As regular readers know, taking transit is a way to help reduce your carbon footprint — particularly for those who drive alone to work.
Categories: Transportation Headlines
What did or didn’t Metro do that caused the harm or damages to Universal that makes it liable to build this bridge?
Hi Warren;
Good question. I think the gist of it is that it was a mitigation for construction impacts and to also better connect peds to Universal City. It is a busy intersection; obviously there’s debate whether a bridge is the right solution.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
Regarding Lankershim: “Some critics, however, say the bridge is unnecessary and that improved crosswalks could do the trick.”
Having automatically deploying bollards to protect pedestrians would improve the crosswalk and cost less than a bridge.
here is an important bit in the huizar/dtla article:
“Additionally, it would pare down restrictions and requirements by reducing or eliminating parking regulations”
Denser development shouldn’t be just for DTLA. LA has to push for a denser development county wide.
We have so many old single family homes all over LA County, some dating back to the turn of the 19th century that are taking up so much land space.
We have greedy home squatters who cling onto their homes who are asking for million dollar price tags for asbestos and lead paint ridden 1940s era homes they bought in the 1970s for $40,000. The lots that are currently used up with these squatters could be better used for taller multi-family condos so as to bring down condo ownership prices to affordable levels.
You can’t have a strong middle class without a strong home ownership base. Having a single family home in LA is next to impossible thanks to the high price tags they want, so we need to start to looking at building more affordable condos.
I remember hearing Supervisor Yaroslavsky saying that the Lankershim bridge was the best of a bad situation. Seems that since the tunnel was estimated to cost less than this bridge does now, the bad situation is having Supervisor Yarslavsky as our representative. What a comical decision to build a sky bridge for a subway.