The LAT is providing updates on today’s shooting at Saugus High School.
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The A Line (Blue) south of Vernon Station earlier this month. Photo by Steve Hymon/Metro.
Quick update on A Line service this week — it has been better this although there were delays Tuesday due to train congestion and, separately, a car blocking the tracks in Long Beach.
The vast majority of the new equipment installed during the closures worked as expected but there were issues last week (as you know) with some switches, signal equipment and overhead wires. Those have largely been resolved. This was a big, unprecedented– the idea being to get the work done in 2019 instead of doing it off-and-on over the next four years.
As for travel times, Metro is working with the cities of L.A. and Long Beach to secure more green lights for A Line trains. Twice the number of trains are being run in downtown Long Beach — and that means making adjustments while running service.
Regular A Line riders: how has it been this week?
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Do it for Tom. https://t.co/F9iA1Mshlm
— LA Metro (@metrolosangeles) November 14, 2019
Here’s the link to the Tom Hanks profile in the NYT magazine. In addition to his other great work, a couple recommendations: “Bridge of Spies” and “Charlie Wilson’s War.” And this from last year:
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In the news…
•The NYT looks at four cities — London, New Delhi, Madrid and Beijing — trying to limit car traffic and pollution from vehicles. The tactics used range from tolls to using license plate numbers to determine who gets to drive on a particular day. As for success, there has been some — but challenges continue.
Related: Metro is gearing up for a congestion pricing feasibility study to determine where in Los Angeles County pricing strategies might be tested.
•Interesting take on fare evasion in Vox. A couple of issues tossed about: whether cops are better used on fare enforcement in the NYT subway or trying to reduce the deadly havoc on the streets above. And this insight (not a shocker): enforcement gets harder when service gets poorer.
•Nice piece looking at six of the artists who created art for the Crenshaw/LAX Line in the LAT. Below one of our videos:
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Art of Transit: Metro bus operator Wesley Levy getting ready at home for a work shift.
Photo by Steve Hymon/Metro.
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More news…
•Several reporters go on an 8,000-mile road trip in electric cars to see if EVs are ready for prime time. Their conclusions: charging stations remain a patchwork in many parts of the U.S., public interest in the vehicles is high and North Dakota is the toughest state to navigate in an EV.
•Local air quality continues to…what’s the word…suck. If everyone could drive a little less (we do have a transit system and other ways to get around) that would be helpful. Here’s the current map courtesy of the South Coast Air Quality Management District:
Green is good, yellow is moderate, yellow is worst and red is even worse.
Categories: Transportation Headlines
It won’t be a surprise when the feasibility study reveals that congestion pricing is a good idea. After all, the only way metro can attract more passengers would be by forcing them out of their cars. And by the way, what’s the percentage of Metro employees who get to work by Metro or bus? My guess is very low. Inquiring mind wants to know.
If the blue line was given signal priority it definitely doesn’t feel like it. DTLA-DTLB is 60 minutes, just like before construction, and it slows to such a crawl in LB that walking almost feels like it’d be faster. Lights in DTLA are almost as bad. Don’t understand why it can’t at least travel faster when in its own right of way.
Amazing that Metro would post this map without any useful explanation whatsoever.
Did you fail to notice the question about the meaning of the colors?
It’s hard to determine which overpaid governmental bureaucracy is less responsive to the taxpaying, voting public–Metro’s or AQMD’s
Hi burbox;
My bad — I accidentally cropped out the key. Green is good, yellow is moderate, orange and red are both unhealthy with red being the worse ranking.
Steve Hymon, Editor
The Source
Hi Steve, Can you share the link to the NYT article you are referring to? Thanks so much! ~Bronwen Keiner, Burbank Transportation Management Organization/Go Glendale
Hey Bronwen;
Good to hear from you and hope all is well! Here’s the link, which I added to the post: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/11/14/climate/car-ban-air-pollution.html. Thanks for heads up on that!
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
What do the colors and numbers mean on the map? Nothing to explain posted (?)
I think they’re air monitoring stations.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source