Today's Headlines - more at Metro

2/10/2012

"Measure R Plus," Gold Line Closures, Beverly Hills Subway, Busyard Wetlands, High Speed Rail, House Transportation Bill & More

Art Decopedia ("The Art Deco Society of Los Angeles has set out to catalog the historic treasures of the Los Angeles area.")
Art Deco Society of Los Angeles

Boehner Uncertain On Passage Of $260B Transportation Bill
The Hill

California Alliance For Jobs Runs Radio Ads Touting High-Speed Rail
Sacramento Bee

A Day Of Action To Stop The Attack On Transit, Biking, And Walking
StreetsBlog Network

Editorial: U.S. House Throws Transit Under A Bus
Sacramento Bee

Gold Line Work Brings More 210 Closures
Pasadena Star-News

GOP House Works To Undo Reagan Legacy On Transportation
Transportation Nation

House Bill Delays Rail Safety Mandate ("Shortly after a train collision near Chatsworth, Calif., Congress required rail operators transporting passengers or toxic materials to install equipment by the end of 2015 that would automatically stop a train that is in danger of an accident...But a House bill that would dictate the nation's future transportation agenda pushes back the installment deadline five years.")
Associated Press

HSR Supporters Ramp Up Organizing And Information Efforts
California High Speed Rail Blog

If You Liked Measure R, You'll Love Measure R Plus!
Move LA

In California, Green Jobs Are Recession-Proof
GOOD

Integration Of Bicycling And Walking Facilities Into The Infrastructure Of Urban Communities (166p. PDF)
Mineta Transportation Institute

Industry Council Approves Study For Railroad Project
Walnut Patch

Key To Smart Transit Is Data Sharing, Experts Say At Cities Summit ("A lot of cities are not connecting their transport systems effectively to their information and communications systems, and we think that’s a perspective that has to be put front and centre.")
Vancouver Observer

Mayor To Metro: Subway Plan Needs More Study ("The dialogue over the route of the Westside Subway Extension continues as Mayor Barry Brucker responds to Metro's latest open letter.")
Beverly Hills Patch

Megapolitan America: A New Vision For Understanding America's Metropolitan Geography
Metro Transportation Library Primary Resources Blog

Money Battle Looms Over Ambiguous RDA Law ("City officials have said that redevelopment funds could amount to as much as $300 million worth of capital projects, including rebuilding the Downtown public parking structures and renovating the Civic Auditorium, as well as several projects related to the Expo Light Rail line.")
Santa Monica Lookout

Obama Administration Reaffirms Support For California High-Speed Rail
Los Angeles Times

Opposing The House Transit Bill That's So Bad It "Defies Belief"
Next American City

The Polka Dotted Plan For Silver Lake's New Pedestrian Plaza
Curbed LA

Principle And Power In Federal Transportation (Reviews the principles that have generally been used to evaluate federal transportation policy in light of this week's House bill)
Sustainable Cities Collective

Reclaimed Bus Yard Begins Life As Urban Wetland ("A nine-acre park at Avalon Boulevard and 54th Street offers walking paths, native plants and pools with bacteria that clean polluted storm water.")
Los Angeles Times

Safety Management In Small Motor Carriers (92p. PDF)
Commercial Truck And Bus Safety Synthesis Program

Santa Ana Residents Get A Say In Transportation
Orange County Register

Senate Moves Closer To Debate On U.S. Transportation Bill
Bloomberg

Senate Transportation Bill Would Restore Commuter Tax Benefit
The Hill

Senate Transportation Bill Clears First Floor Vote, 85-11
StreetsBlog DC

Send A Love Letter To Better Transportation And Land Use (SCAG 2012 to 2035 Regional Transportation Plan / Sustainable Communities Strategy)
StreetsBlog LA

Seven Fatal Flaws In The House Highway Bill
Center For American Progress

SF Agencies Take Aim At Bureaucratic Obstacles To A Transit-First City
StreetsBlog SF
Transportation Sustainability Program (26p. PDF)
SFMTA / San Francisco Planning Department / San Francisco Office Of Economic And Workforce Development

Ticket To Ride: Los Angeles By Subway ("Get ready for some exploration on LA’s vastly under-appreciated underground train system.")
Urban Travel Blog

Top U.S. Rail Official Backs High Speed Rail: Endorsement Follows Capitol Meeting With Gov. Jerry Brown
NBC Los Angeles

Transit And The Power Of "No" ("In California, the Government Performance and Accountability Act, which supporters are attempting to get onto the state's ballot this November, would require that funding sources be identified prior to the enactment of any new program valued at $25 million or more.")
Governing

What The Smoggiest Cities In The U.S. Can Do To Improve Air Quality ("The top five smoggiest cities in the U.S. are all suspiciously located in California.")
National Geographic

White House Backs $109B Senate Transportation Bill
The Hill

Zipcar Parking 10 Cars In West Hollywood Soon
LAist

What are transportation community leaders around the nation tweeting about today? Check out the Metro Library Twitter Daily, our online digest in newspaper format updated every day.

We invite you to visit Metro's The Source, your window to what's happening with agency news, funding and policy issues, and how to get the most out of transit and Los Angeles.

2/09/2012

710 Gap, Transportation Bill, East Los Angeles, High Speed Rail, LA Traffic & More

February 9: This Date In Los Angeles Transportation History (The San Fernando earthquake impacts regional transit and transportation)
Metro Transportation Library Primary Resources Blog

5 Ways To Make Public Transit Awesome (Ideas from Los Angeles and Santa Monica are included)
Mother Nature Network

All Aboard: Don't Let Our Leaders "Miss The Bus" On Fair Transportation ("The proposed cuts would strike a devastating blow to communities already living without adequate transportation options.")
Huffington Post

Bus, Train Ads Roll To The Rescue Of Ailing Local Transit Budgets
Huffington Post

California's Green Economy Doubled Performance Of Total Economy During Downturn (Clean transportation: +119%)
Energy Collective

City Consultant Questions Metro's Subway Safety And Fault Reports (p.2)
Beverly Hills Weekly

Civil Rights Group Opposes Public Transit Cut In $260B House GOP Transportation Bill
The Hill

Continuing Project To Synthesize Information On Highway Problems (20p. PDF)
National Cooperative Highway Research Program

East Los Angeles Cityhood Plan Again Rebuffed ("Local Agency Formation Commission says the proposed city wouldn't be financially viable. Supporters of incorporation say they need more time to explore options.")
Los Angeles Times

Editorial: A Terrible Transportation Bill
New York Times

Experts Challenge MTA Studies Of Subway Routes ("Scientists hired by the city claim more thorough research is needed to justify Metro's plans for a tunnel under Beverly Hills High School.")
Beverly Hills Patch

February Resources For Transportation Communications Pros ("Los Angeles Transportation Library blog...has put together one of the deepest and richest transportation communication research resources on the web. You can find a listing of transportation blogs, transportation advocacy groups, communication campaigns and much more.")
Talking Transportation

Future Of Rail And Transit With Michael Dukakis (February 18 talk with Southern California Transit Advocates)
StreetsBlog LA

High-Speed Rail Touted In Jobs Coalition's New Radio Campaign
Sacramento Bee

Historic Clifton's Cafeteria Through The Decades (photo essay)
LA as Subject via KCET
Behold The Original Clifton's Facade For First Time Since 1950s
Curbed LA
Clifton's Unveiled: Forest-Themed Cafeteria To Become Tiki Bar, Speakeasy And Bakery ("It's about resurrecting the area's "golden era" when 7th and Broadway, where Clifton's is located, was one of the busiest intersections in Downtown.")
Blog Downtown

House Gas Tax Proposal Would "Erode" Transit Agencies' Credit Ratings, APTA Says
Progressive Railroading

House Transportation Bill Too Extreme For Some Republicans
StreetsBlog DC

Human Infographic! GOOD Attacks Traffic In Los Angeles (from the embedded video : "If just 3% of LA drivers switched to public transit or biked, all traffic could move up to 15% faster.")
GOOD

LaHood Says High Speed Rail In California Is About Jobs
Transportation Nation

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa On The Future Of L.A. (audio interview with transcript discussing Measure R)
American Public Media Marketplace

Mayor Villaraigosa Passes On Criticizing House Republicans, Reserves Praise For Senator Boxer ("I am still positive about the portion of the bill that expands the current $128 million to a billion dollars for the TIFIA program which is one of the programs that L.A. needs to accelerate the 30 years of transportation funding into a shorter period of time, hopefully a ten year period.")
StreetsBlog LA

Metro Responds To Beverly Hills' Westside Subway Extension Evaluation
Westwood-Century City Patch

New Federal Regulations For Truckers In 2012: Do They Go Far Enough?
Digital Journal

On A Rainy Day In Los Angeles, Villaraigosa And Ray LaHood Spread Sunshine For High Speed Rail
StreetsBlog LA

Ontario Offer For ONT Totals $250 Million
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Operator Drug- And Alcohol- Testing Across Modes (59p. PDF)
Commercial Truck And Bus Safety Synthesis Program

Opinion: Tools Can Help Cities Cope After Redevelopment
Sacramento Bee

Panel Of Transportation Experts Predicts Dire Consequences From House Proposal For Transportation Funding
APTA Press Release

Security, Emergency Management, And Infrastructure Protection Research Status Report (13p. PDF)
Transportation Research Board

Six Lies The GOP Is Telling About The House Transportation Bill
StreetsBlog DC

South Pasadena, Others Oppose 710 Gap Closure In SCAG's Regional Transportation Plan
Pasadena Star-News

There's A Chance House R's Won't Muster Votes To Pass Mica Bill
StreetsBlog DC

Transit Funding Dust-Up Complicates Transportation Bill
Riverside Press-Enterprise

U.S. Chamber Of Commerce: Transit Cuts Could Pass House
Transportation Nation

Why Is America's Transportation System Stuck In The 1950s?
GOOD

What are transportation community leaders around the nation tweeting about today? Check out the Metro Library Twitter Daily, our online digest in newspaper format updated every day.

We invite you to visit Metro's The Source, your window to what's happening with agency news, funding and policy issues, and how to get the most out of transit and Los Angeles.

2/08/2012

Senate Transpo Bill, Gold Line Eastside "Redesign," Gold Line Foothill Extension, Crowdsourcing LA Mobility, MAX Transit, Carpooling & More

"Alight?" How About Just "Exit?"
Washington Post

Availability Of $826.5M In Fed Grants Announced
Metro Magazine
FTA Fiscal Year 2012 Apportionments, Allocations, And Program Information (71p. PDF)
Federal Register

Average U.S. Gas Prices Hover At Record-Level Highs ("An improving economy boosts demand for oil, driving up pump prices and crimping consumers' budgets.")
Los Angeles Times

Baucus Adds Transit Tax Benefit To Senate Transpo Bill
StreetsBlog DC

A Bridge Built To Sway When The Earth Shakes (includes interactive animated video demonstration)
New York Times

Butterscotch Line: Eastside High School Students Re-Design Gold Line Stations
StreetsBlog LA

California High-Speed Rail Authority's 2012 Draft Business Plan: Assessment - Still Not Investment Grade (71p. PDF)
Community Coalition On High Speed Rail

California Lawmakers To Consider Gold Line Extension ("A proposal to extend the Gold Line light-rail system from Azusa to Montclair in San Bernardino County faces a hiccup: the state law authorizing the project limited it to Los Angeles County.")
Los Angeles Times

City Taking "Think Labs" On The Road To Crowd Source Ideas For Improving Mobility In L.A. ("These upcoming meetings, which are free and open to the public, are part of what's known as LA/2B, described by the City as "a campaign to update the City’s Mobility Plan and positively shape the future of transportation in LA via crowd-sourced ideas from Angelenos.")
LAist

Committee Finds $9.6 Billion For $109B Senate Transportation Bill
The Hill

The Death Row Of Urban Highways, Part 2
The Atlantic: Cities

Express Bus Service Linking Torrance And Long Beach To Start In May
Daily Breeze

Feedback Sought For Lost Hills Overpass Improvement Project
Calabasas Patch

The History Of Carpooling, From Jitneys To Ridesharing ("Ridesharing began shortly after the introduction of the Model-T, America’s first automobile priced with for the middle-class.")
Shareable

House Republicans' Transportation Bill Survives A Beating In Committees
Washington Post

Is Highland Park The Next Echo Park? Two 'Hoods Debate
Curbed LA

John Boehner Bets Big On Road Bill Vote
Politico

Listen: Subway Platform As Musical Instrument ("Reach New York: An Urban Musical Instrument is an audio installation by artist/architect/composer Christopher Janney.")
Transportation Nation

Metro Comments On Beverly Hills' Report On Tunneling Safety For Westside Subway Extension
The Source
Metro On Bev Hills Tunnel Study: We Won't Build Unsafe Subway
Curbed LA
MTA Responds To City's Westside Subway Extension Evaluation
Beverly Hills Patch

Most Americans Want A Walkable Neighborhood, Not A Big House
GOOD

Parking Meter Rates, Fines Among Highest In The Nation
San Francisco Chronicle

Pugh Designing Inglewood's Crenshaw Line Stations
Curbed LA

Safe Bicycling Streets: What Will It Take?
KCET

Secretary LaHood, Metro Officials Tout state's High-Speed Rail Plans
The Source

Senate Highway Bill Set To Kick Off Thursday
Transportation Nation
Senate Likely To Begin Debate On Transportation Bill On February 14
Transportation Issues Daily
The Highway Investment, Job Creation And Economic Growth Act Of 2012
U.S. Senate Committee On Finance

Sisterhood Of The Traveling Bikes
Zev Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles County Supervisor, Third District

Torrance's Planned Withdrawal From MAX Transit May Kill Entire Service
Daily Breeze

Transportation Bill Lurches Forward Despite Revenue Doubts
Politico

Transportation Project Impact Case Studies (video : "Transportation Project Impact Case Studies (T-PICS) is a web tool that provides access to a nationwide database of 100 case studies that describe the pre- and post-construction economic development effects of 11 kinds of transportation projects.")
The National Academies via Vimeo
T-PICS Website

Upland To Receive $1 Million For Foothill Widening Project
Contra Costa Times

What's Behind HSR's Recent Political Struggles?
California High Speed Rail Blog

Why Women-Only Transit Options Have Caught On
The Atlantic: Cities

Wireless Power Could Revolutionize Highway Transportation, Stanford Researchers Say ("Stanford researchers have designed a new technology that could lead to wireless charging of electric vehicles while they cruise down the highway.")
Stanford University News

What are transportation community leaders around the nation tweeting about today? Check out the Metro Library Twitter Daily, our online digest in newspaper format updated every day.

We invite you to visit Metro's The Source, your window to what's happening with agency news, funding and policy issues, and how to get the most out of transit and Los Angeles.

2/07/2012

Red Line Canopies, Bike Lane Paint, Metrolink, Culver City TOD, Congestion Pricing, Freeways, Subways & More

12 Freeways To Watch ('Cause They Might Be Gone Soon)
StreetsBlog DC

12th National Light Rail Conference: Sustaining The Metropolis -- LRT & Streetcars For Super Cities (November 11-13, 2012 : Salt Lake City)
APTA and Transportation Research Board

Beverly Hills Experts Cast Doubt On Metro Report
StreetsBlog LA

Bill Would Prohibit Highway Money For CA Rail Plan
San Francisco Chronicle

California's High Speed Rail Mistake
Huffington Post

A Closer Look At Congestion Pricing On The Bay Bridge
Berkeley Transportation Letter

Company To Help Implement Rental Program For New Electric Bicycles
KTVU
A Bay Area Program In Electric Bike Sharing
New York Times

Congress About To Clear 5 Of 10 Hurdles To Enacting A Transportation Bill
Transportation Issues Daily

Congress Is Toying With The Future Of Mass Transit
The Atlantic: Cities

Culver City Council Signs Off On Projects Ahead Of RDA Shutdown
Culver City Patch

Culver City Creates New Expo-Adjacent Development In 5 Days
Curbed LA

Fare Hack: Exploiting A Clipper Card Flaw Is Easy ("Not that we think you would, but with a visit to Radio Shack you could hack into that Clipper card in your wallet, allowing you to load it with free rides or create and sell copies for profit — and funnel money away from the Bay Area's crash-strapped public-transit agencies.")
SF Weekly

GOP-Backed Transporation Bill Slashes Funding For Cycling, Pedestrian Facilities
Public Radio International

Jerry's Fast Train: A Big Idea That Could Crash
Calbuzz

Laws That Shaped L.A.: How The California Environmental Quality Act Allows Anyone To Thwart Development
KCET

Levels Of Service And Travel Projections: The Wrong Tools For Planning Our Streets?
Project For Public Spaces

Local And State Partnerships With Taxicab Companies (56p. PDF)
National Cooperative Highway Research Program

Los Angeles Subway Station Portals Getting New Modern Canopies
Brigham Yen

Metro Red Line Subway Stations Getting Fancy New Hats
Curbed LA

Mind The Green Paint! City Crews To Test New Materials For Downtown Bike Lanes
Blog Downtown

Norwalk Will Enforce Parking Regulations At Metrolink Lot
Los Angeles Wave

Now We're Getting Political ("Does the forthcoming political brawl offer enough attention to a long-neglected infrastructure bill to make up for the twists of logic that surely will accompany the fight? When the finger-pointing dies down, will the surface transportation measure have made any progress?")
National Journal Transportation Experts Blog

Push For Metrolink Station Nearing End Of Line
Redlands Daily Facts

Rangel: House GOP Has No Idea Where Transit Funding Would Come From
StreetsBlog DC

Regional Governing Board Criticized For Failing To Release Early Version Of Audit
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Republican Energy Bill Would Allow Oil Drilling Off Ventura County Coast
Ventura County Star

San Gabriel Dig Site Offers New Insight Into California History
Pasadena Star-News

Schumer Amendment: Make Transit Tax Benefit Equal To Parking Benefit
StreetsBlog DC

Should It Take Decades To Build A Subway?
("It's too easy to slow down urban mass transit improvements. Here's how to fix the system...while it’s not fair to compare American projects to China’s — where protections for workers and the environment are flimsy, and tight construction schedules can sacrifice workmanship — there are nonetheless several factors that conspire to keep American mass-transit projects in a state of perpetual limbo. Here are seven culprits, listed roughly in order of guilt.")
Salon

Socrates Visits The U.S. Federal Transit Administration
Human Transit

State Of Good Repair Needed To Keep Transit Systems Moving
U.S. DOT Fast Lane Blog

T4 Coalition Announces Opposition To House Energy And Transportation Bill
Transportation For America

Times Victory: Trio Of Bills Take Aim At "Buy Here Pay Here" Car Dealerships
StreetsBlog LA

Watching Transportation: What's On The Other Social Media?
Talking Transportation

What If South Park Had A Big Park Across From Staples Center?
Curbed LA

What Is Car Culture Doing To Our Children?
New York Times

Why Planners Need To Take Agenda 21 Criticism More Seriously
The Atlantic: Cities

What are transportation community leaders around the nation tweeting about today? Check out the Metro Library Twitter Daily, our online digest in newspaper format updated every day.

We invite you to visit Metro's The Source, your window to what's happening with agency news, funding and policy issues, and how to get the most out of transit and Los Angeles.

2/06/2012

Birth Of L.A. Transit, House Transpo Bill, SGV & HSR, Environmental Review, Park 101 & More

February 4: This Date In Los Angeles Transportation History (The very first horse-drawn rail cars mark the birth of L.A. transit)
Metro Transportation Library Primary Resources Blog

$248 Million Restored For Home-To-School Transportation
USC Annenberg Neon Tommy

Assembly Approves Scaled-Back Bikeway Standards Bill
Cal Bike Report

At A Planned Train Trench, An Archaeological Treasure Trove ("A Spanish silver coin dating from 1816 is among the artifacts a 30-member team of archaeologists has unearthed next to railroad tracks in front of the San Gabriel Mission.")
Los Angeles Times

Behold The 1st Street Bike Lanes! Now Where Was The Outreach?
StreetsBlog LA

Bike-Share Coming To SF And Silicon Valley This July
StreetsBlog SF

Board Of Ed Still Likely To Oppose Mike Feuer Transit Bill
Beverly Hills Patch

California Transportation Foundation Awards
(Nominations due March 1 for May 23 awards)
California Transportation Foundation

CBO Reports Highway Trust Fund Headed For Bankruptcy In 2014
The Hill

Commentary: Assemblyman Mike Feuer Responds To BHUSD ("My bill would not affect the ability of the Beverly Hills Unified School District to challenge one of the routes that the L.A. County Metro Board will consider for the Westside Subway Extension. In fact, it would only apply to projects for which, unlike the subway, a draft environmental impact report has yet to circulate. In addition, even were the bill to change in ways I haven’t yet contemplated, legislation enacted this session doesn’t take effect until at least next January—well after any legal challenge to the subway route most likely would be filed.")
Beverly Hills Patch

Editorial: High-Speed Reality -- Evidence Grows That Bullet Train Will Be A Misfire
Los Angeles Daily News

Exclusive Look Inside The MTA-MasterCard PayPass Pilot: 17,000 NYC Customers In Six Months
Fast Company

Express Bus Service Linking Torrance And Long Beach To Start In May
Daily Breeze

High-Speed Rail...Or Fail? ("A bullet train official tries to answer tough questions about soaring costs and judging the risks of new technology. Can it be built faster, better and cheaper?")
Los Angeles Times

High-Speed Rail's Coming Battle: Powerful Land Owners
Orange County Register

Is This Duck Delaying Your Highway? (Investigates widely echoed Republican claims that environmental rules are a major reason why it takes so long to build highways and bridges, and finds scant evidence to back up the claims. A major piece of the GOP transportation bill released this week would streamline environmental review procedures to speed up approval and construction of highway projects. However, only 4% of federal highway projects require an Environmental Impact Statement from federal agencies in the first place)
Washington Post

LA Convention Center To Become "LACOEX," Expansion Reaches Toward Football Stadium
Blog Downtown

Less Parking Required In New Atwater Pedestrian District
Curbed LA

Meet LACOEX, LA's Proposed New Elevated Convention Center
Curbed LA

More Cell Phones On NYC Subway
Transportation Nation

Not Everyone Opposes High-Speed Rail
Orange County Register

On The Road: Will Heavy Truckloads Ruin Roads?
Riverside Press-Enterprise

The Oz Of Los Angeles Traffic Lights
The Atlantic: Cities

Park 101 Panel (February 16 : Panel discussion regarding cap park for the 101 freeway)
Caltrans District 7
Park 101 District Website

Pomona Hopes To Close Some Streets To Cars For A Biking, Jogging And Walking Event
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Raise Fares Or Cut Service Or...? More "New Normal" Considerations For Transit Agencies
Progressive Railroading

A Rational Approach To Rail: New Priorities -- Start In Urban Areas, Build On What's In Place -- Could Propel The Bullet Train
Los Angeles Times

Ready To Fight? The House GOP Bill Leaves Little Choice
StreetsBlog Network

SCAG Adopts High-Speed Rail Agreement
Pasadena Star-News

SCAG And San Gabriel Valley Embrace HSR Alignment
California High Speed Rail Blog

Shocker: Bev Hills Study Says Subway Under BHHS Is Unsafe
Curbed LA

Speaker Boehner Faces Tough Test On $260 Billion Transportation Bill
The Hill

Supervisor Speaks Up On Studio Plan (Burbank officials "argued that the report used inaccurate assumptions, including one that projected roughly 20% of the new residents would use public transportation instead of driving their own vehicles.")
Burbank Leader

Synthesis Of Information Related To Transit Problems (10p. PDF)
Transit Cooperative Research Problem

Time To Fight ("Actions by members of the U.S. House over the past week suggest that Republican opposition to the funding of alternative transportation has developed into an all-out ideological battle.")
The Transport Politic

Today In History: How The Treaty Of Guadalupe-Hidalgo Defined Our Neighborhood Boundaries
KCET

Transit-Oriented Preservation
Shelterforce

Upland Plans Gracious, But Denser, Downtown
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Urbanflow: A City's Information, Visualized In Real Time
("Combining a map, tourist information, and data about the city’s services, a new system is making Helsinki truly transparent.")
Fast Company Exist

Who Still Likes The House Transpo Bill? Big Oil, Big Truck, And Big Box Retail
StreetsBlog DC

What are transportation community leaders around the nation tweeting about today? Check out the Metro Library Twitter Daily, our online digest in newspaper format updated every day.

We invite you to visit Metro's The Source, your window to what's happening with agency news, funding and policy issues, and how to get the most out of transit and Los Angeles.