Today's Headlines - more at Metro

4/23/2010

Transportation Headlines for Friday April 23, 2010

30/10 Survives The Metro Board Of Directors
StreetsBlog LA

APTA Seeks Public Transportation Security Funding
Progressive Railroading

Board Delays Decision Over Finishing 710 Freeway
Pasadena Star-News

City Hall Explores A Valet Program
Santa Monica Daily Press

Clash Over Metrolink Personality Tests May Be Avoided
Los Angeles Times

Councilman Smith Is Right: L.A. Should Fund Modes Based On Usage
StreetsBlog LA

Culver Boulevard Diagonal Parking Plan Proposed
Curbed LA

Density And Successful Provision Of Public Transit
The Transit Pass

Denver Launches First Large-Scale Citywide Bicycle Sharing Program In The U.S.
B-Cycle

Homeowners May Foot Bill For Sidewalk Repairs
Park LaBrea News Beverly Press

L.A.'s First Approved Bike Corral In Highland Park?
LAist

Let's Keep A Pork-Free 30/10 Initiative In Los Angeles
Natural Resources Defense Council Switchboard Blog

MTA Endorses Villaraigosa's Ambitious Transit Plan: The So-Called 30-10 Plan Seeks To Reduce Construction Times Up To 20 Years For A Dozen Transit Projects, Including The Westside Subway Extension, That Were Approved When Voters Passed Measure R
Los Angeles Times

MTA To Keep Fare Hikes, Board Upholds Plan But Will Hear Public Comments In May
Los Angeles Daily News

Natural History Museum's North Campus Will Be A Little Bit Of Wilderness In LA
("The transformation of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is scheduled to be finished in July 2011, just about the time trains for the under-construction Expo Line start pulling up to the nearby USC and Vermont stops.")
Curbed LA

New Report Tracks Urban Transit Emissions: Where Does Your City Rank?
StreetsBlog DC

Plan For 34th St. Puts Buses And Feet First
New York Times

Ten U.S. Cities In Free Fall: Economic Indicators In These Metros Have Gone From Bad To Worse, With No Sign Of Recovery (Los Angeles - Long Beach - Santa Ana Metropolitan Region: #6)
Forbes

U.S. DOT Admits Status Quo Untenable, Vows To Cut Transport Emissions
StreetsBlog DC

Week Of Action To Resurrect Transit
Transportation Equity Network

Which Local Streets Should Become Living Streets
StreetsBlog LA

4/22/2010

Transportation Headlines for Thursday April 22, 2010


The Metro Transportation Library has launched a new "Primary Resources" blog
.

Our new blog will:

profile the Library and Achives' unique collection of resources relating to transit and transportation history in Southern California

highlight activities in and information produced by the transportation research community

provide context for information related to Measure R projects and Metro's mobility agenda overall

Please check back frequently for new posts and information. It is an exciting time for transit and transportation in Southern California. We look forward to increasing access to important and valuable resources for our community.

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30/10 Public Transit Plan Could Be Derailed Over Highway Projects & "Regional Equity"
LAist

"30 In 10," Street Repair, Parking Privatization: The State Of The City
StreetsBlog LA

405 Widening To Take Awhile
Westside Today

$48.8 Billion In Highway Funds Now Available To States: Annual Apportionment, Restored Dollars Will Enable States To Make Longer-Term Plans
U.S. DOT Press Release

66 Years Ago Today: Design For "Four Level" Interchange Unveiled
Blog Downtown

Amtrak Conducts First Biodiesel Fuel Test On Heartland Flyer
Progressive Railroading

Battle Looms Over Tunnel To Finish LA-Area Freeway (710 Extension)
San Jose Mercury News

California Assembly Hits, Kills Traffic Justice Bill
StreetsBlog SF

City Council Approves Cycle-Friendly Projects
Long Beach Cyclists

The Dawn Of A New Age Of Coach Travel? (In the wake of extended disruption to air travel due to volcanic activity, bus travel may take on new appeal. "To develop as a mass alternative to flight, what's needed next is an integrated combination of enhanced vehicles, improvements to existing infrastructure, web 3.0 platforms and social innovation to make each step of a journey easy and fun.")
WorldChanging

Drive No More: 6 Alternatives To Your Car
TreeHugger

Fullerton City Transportation Plan Unveiled
Cal State Fullerton Daily Titan

Getting To Dodger Stadium: The Aerial Gondola And Escalators That Never Were
Metro Library Primary Resources Blog

Is Speed Obsolete?
("For a while now, a strain of urbanist thought has been asking: Should we want transit to be slower?")
Human Transit

Kerry On Senate Climate Bill: Federal Gas Tax Is Staying At 18.4 Cents
StreetsBlog DC

LA StreetSummit Follow-Up: The Power Of Pilot Projects (April 29)
Living Streets LA

A Lobbyist's-Eye View Of The Washington Transport Scene
DC Velocity

The Looming Infrastructure Crisis: Financial, Policy And Political Problems Are Hurting Efforts To Fix Our Infrastructure
Governing

Momentum Building Against Metro Fare Hikes Scheduled For July 1
StreetsBlog LA

Move L.A.'s Transportation Conversation II Program Schedule
(Los Angeles Cathedral Conference Center : April 29, 2010)
Move L.A.

Obama Aide Defends Transit Safety Plan As Different From Rail Rules
StreetsBlog DC

Permanent Status Sought For Hail-A-Taxi
Blog Downtown

Pushing Pedals, Not Budgets (Travel resources for finding shared bikes programs around the world)
New York Times

Should Motorcycle Lane Splitting Be Legal In The U.S.?
Infrastructurist

Transit Industry Asks Congress To Quadruple Annual Security Funding
StreetsBlog DC

Ventura Bus Routes Get Slashed
KCET

4/21/2010

Transportation Headlines for Wednesday, April 21, 2010

30/10 Transportation Initiative Would Create Jobs, Cut Emissions In Southern California
Natural Resources Defense Council Switchboard Blog

Andy And Gandy: League Of American Cyclists' President Visits Long Beach
StreetsBlog LA

BBB Fare Hike Delayed For SMC (Big Blue Bus)
Santa Monica Daily Press

The Big Bang And Incremental Improvement
("Last Saturday RailPAC held what was a fantastic event at MTA headquarters in Los Angeles, bringing together rail advocates from across the state and even the nation to speak about the future of passenger rail in California, with an emphasis on high speed rail.")
California High Speed Rail Blog

Can The Density Of Some Neighborhoods Be Too Low For Transit To Work?
Next American City

Clean Trucks Battle Heads To Los Angeles Court
Business Week

East Los Angeles One Step Closer To Cityhood
LAist

Foothill Transit Considers Rate Increase
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

In State Of The City Speech, Villaraigosa Admits Errors, Vows Swift Action On Financial Crisis
Los Angeles Times

L.A. Bus, Rail Fares May Increase: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Is Proposing Fare Hikes For The First Time In Two Years To Offset A $204-Million Budget Gap - The Bus Riders Union Says The Agency Has Other Options
Los Angeles Times

Mayor's Office Rescues 10% Set-Aside For Bicycling And Pedestrian Projects In Measure R Local Return
StreetsBlog LA

MTA Holding Hearings On Green Line Extension Into South Bay
Daily Breeze

One For The Road? Bar Cars May Face A Last Call
New York Times

One Winner In The Aviation Crisis: Europe's Railways
Progressive Fix

Parking Lots Shouldn't Take Up Prime Streetfront Real Estate
StreetsBlog Network

Rallies Across The Country Call Attention To National Transit Funding Crisis, As Riders Begin To Join Forces
Transportation For America

Should We Plan Transit For "Bikeability?"
Human Transit

The Stimulus In Downtown: Federal Recovery Act Has Already Sent More than $500 Million To The Community ("The largest grants have gone to public entities such as Metro — the transit agency got $66.7 million to help fund the Gold Line Eastside Extension, and another $241 million to overhaul its fleet of buses running on compressed natural gas.")
Los Angeles Downtown News

TomTom's Latest Traffic Study Reveals Most Polluting Roads In The United States: Data From GPS Users Give Detailed View Of The Environmental And Economical Impact Of Carbon Emissions From Traffic Jams On Nation's Primary And Secondary Roads
("Of the top ten most polluting major, or interstate, roads in the country, seven are in California, including: I-5 South (#1); I 10 East (#2); I 405 South (#3); 60 East (#4); I 5 North (#6); 101 South (#8); and I 210 East (#9).")
Market Watch

Stranded At The Station: Mapping The Transit Funding Crisis
(Map of service cuts, layoffs, and fare increases at 150+ U.S. transit agencies : "With public transportation ridership at record highs, transit agencies across the country are facing unprecedented fiscal crises in this economic downturn, with many laying off workers, cutting back service drastically, and raising fares at the worst possible time. Americans took nearly 10.7 billion trips on public transportation in 2008, a four percent increase over 2007 and the highest level since 1956. Public transportation use has increased 38 percent since 1995 — nearly triple the growth rate of the population of the United States. Incredibly, these record ridership numbers are being met with one trend at transit agencies from coast to coast: Service cuts, layoffs, and fare increases.")
Transportation For America

Villaraigosa Presses Obama To Speed Up Funding For Local Transit Projects
LAist

Will The Metro Board Overload "30 In 10" With Highway Projects
StreetsBlog LA

4/20/2010

Transportation Headlines for Tuesday April 20, 2010

As Cellular Service Expands In Subways, Thefts Rise
New York Times

California Traffic Deaths Head Toward All-Time Low
San Francisco Chronicle

Could L.A.'s Transit Plan Become A Winning Campaign Issue For Boxer?
StreetsBlog LA

Does Transportation Need A Sustainability Measurement System?
National Journal Transportation Blog

Fixing L.A.'s Sidewalks Is A $1.2 Billion Problem
LAist

Former U.S. DOT Chief On The Worst-Case Scenario: 4 Years Of Extensions
StreetsBlog DC

Foothill Rate Hike Could Prevent Cuts
San Bernardino Sun

GPS A Go-Go For Community Shuttle Bus
Planetizen

Is The U.S. Ready For A Sustained High-Speed Rail Funding Source?
Transport Politic

LACMTA Considers Light-Rail Extension
(Green Light extension from Redondo Beach Station to Torrance Regional Transit Station)
Progressive Railroading

Next Up: A Smarter Streetlight
New York Times

Op-Ed: Putting L.A. Transit In The Fast Lane: Villaraigosa-Backed 30/10 Initiative Would Lift Local Economy While Speeding Transportation Projects (Mark Ridley-Thomas)
Los Angeles Business Journal

Opinion: Let's Make 30/10 Work For All Of L.A. County
(Michael D. Antonovich)
Santa Clarita Valley Signal

Trains Connect Many Parts Of S.B. History
(" The first railroad arrived in San Bernardino in 1883, putting San Bernardino on the map...The 1918 Moorish-style San Bernardino Depot was once one of the busiest train depots west of the Mississippi River because Santa Fe Railways used it as a transportation hub.")
Riverside Press-Enterprise

TTC May Opt For "Open" Electronic Fare Payment System: The Toronto Transit Commission May Implement An "Open Payment" System That Allows Riders To Use Credit Or Debit Cards, And Even Cell Phones To Pay Their Fares At Turnstiles Or Fare Boxes
IT Business (Canada)

White House: Congestion Pricing On The Table (The Obama Administration's efforts to stop sprawl and make cities livable might include new rail lines, water commuting and - possibly - using tolls to fight traffic and pollution)
City Limits

Writing Women Back Into Cycling (call for survey participants)
Association Of Pedestrian And Bicycle Professionals

4/19/2010

Transportation Headlines for Monday April 19, 2010

110 N To 5 N Second Transition Lane Now Open
LAist

710 Freeway Project Redoes Chunks Of New Concrete Divider: Caltrans Says The $26-Million Barrier, Which It Finished In 2008, Was Necessary Then, And That Replacing Chunks Of It Is Necessary Now - Assemblyman Hector De La Torre Isn't So Sure
Los Angeles Times

APTA 2010 Rail Conference Preliminary Program (June 6-9 : Vancouver, 38p. PDF)
APTA

Bunker Hill: The Magazine For Downtown Los Angeles (new magazine launch)
Bunker Hill

Don't Let Bag Fees Make You Feel Nostalgic: Airlines' Golden Age Wasn't So Golden
Washington Post

DOT Official Says No To Fuel Tax hike
Journal Of Commerce

Earth Day Event: Go Car-Free To Wilshire Center Earth Day
Green LA Girl

Free Web 2.0 Apps For Cities
Next American City

Going Underground: Plan For A Below-Surface Regional Connector Draws Support, Though No Work Is Imminent
Los Angeles Downtown News

LA Metro: Promoting Mass Transit
("Los Angeles' Metro is doing something that no transit agency in the country has ever done: it's marketing its products and services as if it were a private company bent on turning a profit. But for Metro marketing isn't about increasing the bottom line. It's about reducing traffic, cleaning the air and making people's commutes in this auto-clogged city a bit less stressful.")
EMBARQ Network and Vimeo

Legislation Seeks To Create Weapons-Free Zones At Public Transit Stations
LAist

Local Officials Say They're In The Dark On Dangerous Freight Rail Traffic
Center For Public Integrity

Metrolink Won't Cut All Local Routes
Camarillo Acorn

Metro's Marketing: Making Buses Brighter, Drawing More Riders
Curbed LA

More Aboard! Amtrak Weighs Long Route Improvements
Associated Press

Obama's Visit Will Bring Street Closures During Monday Rush Hour (this evening's event in Exposition Park)
LAist

So This Is Hollywood: Video As A Tool For Environmental Change - EMBARQ Produces Visual "Best Practice" Case Studies Of Sustainable Transport And Urban Planning
EMBARQ: The WRI Center For Sustainable Transport

The Stimulus In Downtown: Federal Recovery Act Has Already Sent More Than $500 Million To The Community
Los Angeles Downtown News

StreetFilms Organizes Its L.A. Page
StreetsBlog LA
StreetFilms LA

Transportation Bicycle Policy Hits Potholes
Associated Press

VMT Fee Should Replace Gas Tax, ULI Report Suggests
AASHTO Journal