Today's Headlines - more at Metro

9/20/2008

Transportation Headlines for Saturday September 20, 2008

A look at the agency called Metrolink
Bottleneck Blog

Archiving Angeles (AA): P.E. Strike
MetBlogsLA

Blaming the Conductor Distracts Us from Seriously Discussing Rail Safety
CityWatchLA

Blaming individual misses the big picture
Daily News

Blue Line's safety record
Bottleneck Blog

California Legislature passes budget to governor - Weary state senators and Assembly members OK the spending plan with no debate. After checking thousands of spending items, Schwarzenegger plans to sign the budget early next week
Los Angeles Times

City to probe transit rider's gender ID complaint (SEPTA)
Philadelphia Inquirer

Could State Budget Cuts Derail Late Night Train Service?
StreetsBlogLA

Dan Walters: Revised state budget is still a sham
Sacramento Bee

Editorial - Seventh Street Comeback
LA Downtown News

Gov. Palin opposed shipping mitigation plan
San Francisco Chronicle

Hearings to be held on RTA's proposed fare increases
Press Enterprise

'Hop-on' Tour Gives New View of Downtown
LA Downtown News

Legit reason Re "No say on subway?" (Your Opinions, Sept. 16) (scroll down page)
Daily News

Light rail train hits bus in LA; 14 injured
Associated Press

Metro train, bus collide in downtown L.A.
Los Angeles Times

Metrolink board establishes post-accident assistance funds, reimburses Ventura line passengers
Progressive Railroading

Metrolink contractor lobbied for delays in meal breaks - The firm's workers include engineers for the rail line and public transit bus drivers. The rule change was unsuccessful and the company disputes whether it would've applied to engineers
Los Angeles Times

Metrolink runs on shoestring budget in complex environment - Many services are contracted out and more than half its track is shared with freight trains. Even some board members say they lack expertise on some of the problems the system faces
Los Angeles Times

Metrolink's dismal safety record - More people have died on its trains in the last 10 years than on any other line of similar size in the U.S.
Los Angeles Times

Monorail Mulls Financing for Airport Extension
GlobeSt.com

NTSB team sorting out what happened in Metrolink crash
Los Angeles Times

Rail Safety and the Human Error Excuse
Los Angeles Times

Remembering the victims of the Chatsworth train crash
Los Angeles Times

Safety Last: How can transit on the cheap cost so much and achieve so little?
RonKayeLA

San Diego I-15 Commuters may find an easier drive
Temecula Valley News

Suit targets commuter train engineer's employer
Daily News

Transit takes near billion-dollar budget hit
San Francisco Chronicle

9/19/2008

Friday September 19, 2008

Big Blue Bus will showcase visions of future transit at AltCar Expo September 26th
The Argonaut

Busy Weekend for Street Closures
BlogDowntown

Brookings: Feds Should Stop Giving Transit Projects the Run-Around
StreetsBlog

Calif. Passes Ban On Train Operators' Cell Phone Use
NPR

Calif regulators ban cell use by train operators
San Francisco Chronicle

Congestion Pricing Coming to LA
LAist

Damages limit at issue in deadly train crash
Pasadena Star News

Landmark three-year study under way to determine LAX portion of local air emissions and pollution
The Argonaut

LAPD officer killed in Metrolink crash is honored at funeral
Los Angeles Times

Leaders reach budget deal
Capitol Weekly

Letters to the editor - Rail safety can be improved
Los Angeles Times

Local Officials Support Railroad Safety Measures
Los Angeles Independent

Metro Reveals Their Priorities for HOT Lanes Funding
StreetsBlogLA

Metrolink crash leads to ban on cellphone use by train crews - State regulators had been looking into such a restriction in the weeks prior to the Chatsworth collision, after two California train accidents in which cellphone use may have been a factor
Los Angeles Times

National PARK(ing) Day features free outdoor film 'Open Season'
The Argonaut

New container fee could spike costs of foreign imports, exports
Capitol Weekly

No More Cell Phones
WTOP News DC

Opponents launch assault on high-speed rail bond
Bottleneck Blog

Park[ing] Day bike tours and parties!
Green LA Girl

Parking Spot prices - New systems will make finding parking spaces easier and help to reduce congestion
The Economist

Persuading people to behave on the train
Bottleneck Blog

Ports, Truckers File Arguments
Traffic World

Rail Fans in Deadly Light - Subculture Includes Boy Who Texted Engineer in Crash
Wall Street Journal

Rubbing out rudeness on public transit - Transit authorities around the nation ramp up efforts to improve manners
MSNBC

Schwarzenegger, top legislators reach a budget deal - Under the accord, the governor would sign the budget into law and legislators would meet more of the conditions he has demanded
Los Angeles Times

State of South L.A. (.pdf)
UCLA School of Public Affairs

Teen rail enthusiasts grieve for Metrolink engineer on the Internet. A group of youths -- some believed to have been text messaging the engineer on the day of the crash -- have shied away from the media. But their pain is visible in online videos and message boards
Los Angeles Times

Text messaging and e-mailing while driving should be banned
Daily News

Train fans fear LA crash will derail their hobby
Associated Press

United to halt service at Palmdale airport - The airline was losing 'significant money.' The move is a setback for L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's plan to revive a regional airport system to reduce load at LAX
Los Angeles Times

United to quit Palmdale
Daily News

Vigil tonight to remember train collision victims
Daily News

Westside Urban Forum: more talk about mass transit Friday
Bottleneck Blog

9/18/2008

Transportation Headlines for Thursday September 18, 2008

All aboard the Magnetic Bus
San Leandro Times

American Planning Association, California Chapter, 2008 State Conference - A Hollywood Debut - Lights ... Planning ... Action! September Conference at Renaissance Hollywood Hotel
Sun Herald

California’s Senators Want Better Signals for Rail Safety
StreetsBlogLA

catch last call and take the red line home, maybe
angelenic

City Council Approves Late-Night Subway Motion
LAist

Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs Begin Government Placements
LA Voice

Council Passes Red Line Motion, Metro Board Next Step
BlogDowntown

Deadly crash raises safety doubts about SoCal rail
Associated Press

Editorial: It's time for better train safety systems - Metrolink Crash Shows Need For Automatic Brakes At Red Lights
Sacramento Bee

Federal Railroad Administration: no policy on cell phone use at present
Bottleneck Blog

Four 911 calls about Metrolink crash released - The sample of hundreds of calls the Fire Department received offer a glimpse into the chaos and horror of the collision
Los Angeles Times

Funeral for Fallen LAPD Officer in Train Crash
LAist

Google adds Street View, walking directions to mobile devices - Improvements to Google Maps include greater accuracy with cell tower geolocation
ComputerWorld

High-speed rail campaign begins
Bottleneck Blog

Honesty in the L.A. Metrolink crash - The rail agency's spokeswoman quickly -- too quickly, in her bosses' eyes -- admitted liability in last week's deadly accident. Now she's out of work
Los Angeles Times


LAPD unveils new tipster tool: anonymous text message Chief William J. Bratton says he hopes the new technology will generate more crime tips from the publics
Los Angeles Times
Send Crime Tip Text Messages to: CRIMESLAPD

Los Angeles to Become a Greentech Hub - The city will turn a swath of land in downtown into a complex for greentech manufacturing and incubator
GreenTech Media

Metrolink board meets to discuss fallout from crash
Bottleneck Blog

Metrolink: Cost not a factor
San Bernardino Sun

Northbound Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight service resumes after Metrolink crash
Los Angeles Times

Overriding Schwarzenegger's promised budget veto won't be simple
Sacramento Bee

Parking, Where Art Thou?
LA Valley College/Valley Star

Politicos Support Transit Tax (Measure D)
Santa Barbara Daily Sound

Probe looks at whether Metrolink engineer's split shift played part in deadly crash - Robert Sanchez began work Friday before dawn, took a midday break and was supposed to have finished at 9 p.m. Experts say such schedules can lead to fatigue, and thereby threaten safety
Los Angeles Times

Proposal Extends Metro Red Line To 3 A.M.
KNBC 4 TV

Riverside agency to look at selling ads on buses
Press Enterprise

Sacramento's budget brawl assures mutual destruction - The inability of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Legislature to reach a deal on the 80-days overdue budget is helping no one
Los Angeles Times

Schwarzenegger's Budget Veto Drama - Dems threaten an override, Arnold says back: I'll veto hundreds of your new laws
LA Weekly

SoCal Company Sells Personal Aircraft That Lands On Water, Land
KNBC 4 TV

State budget could cut MTA funding
Bottleneck Blog

State warms to greenhouse gas emissions plan - The Air Resources Board touts economic benefits in its analysis, but business groups say companies would be forced to flee
Los Angeles Times

Technology to prevent collisions not readily available, train officials say
Daily News
See yesterday’s article: LIRR says its anti-crash systems work - Newsday

Train's engineer received, sent text messages on duty, records show
Los Angeles Times

U.S. Makers of Electric Cars Push for Consumer Tax Credits
Wall Street Journal

Villaraigosa replaces 2 on Metrolink board - The MTA's Richard Katz will be a voting member; a deputy mayor will be an alternate. Also, the NTSB is seeking eyewitness accounts from the conductor and brakeman
Los Angeles Times

Will California Ever Settle On A Budget?
NPR

Yes, You Need a License to Ride a Bike in Los Angeles
StreetsBlogLA

9/17/2008

Transportation Headlines for Wednesday September 17, 2008

2008 California Piglet Book to Expose Bullet Train Costs
MarketWatch

Antonovich calls for Rail Safety and Infrastructure Reform
West Ranch Beacon

Archives Live! The 3rd Annual L.A. Archives Bazaar
The third annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar will be held on Saturday, October 25, 2008 at the USC-Davidson Conference Center

Bicycle Industry Finds the Valley is a Perfect Location
SoCalBikeForums/San Fernando Valley Business Journal

California mulls world's greenest train - Proposed high-speed rail network could go zero carbon
Business Green

California seeks train operator cell phone ban
Associated Press

Congestion Relief through Road User Pricing
Reason/Out of Control

Dan Walters: Schwarzenegger finally finds some backbone
Sacramento Bee

Engineer in wreck: Warm to some, recluse to others
Associated Press

Error sends Purple Line train to Red Line station - Mistake blamed on operator at main facility causes 25-minute delay and leaves passengers especially anxious after last week's Metrolink crash
Los Angeles Times

Evaluation of Transit Applications of Advanced Parking Management Systems
Transportation Research Board

Feinstein introduces bill on train safety measures
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Firm to raise maglev funds
Press Telegram

Former Metrolink Spokeswoman Denise Tyrrell: Martyr or Victim?
RedCounty

Governor Says He Will Veto Budget
KNBC 4 TV

Independent Research, Government Data Show Increasing Congestion on I-5 Costs $174 Million Annually - Completing the 241 Toll Road Will Reduce Daily Delays, Stress and Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Save Time and Gas
MarketWatch

Is L.A. Willing To Pay For Safe Trains?
Planetizen

LA-LB determined to keep cargo flowing smoothly
Journal of Commerce

L.A. Metrolink crash puts focus on dangers of texting - As officials investigate whether the engineer sent messages, California's governor weighs a ban for drivers
CS Monitor

LAX workers seek better pay and benefits
Los Angeles Times

Let’s Walk Western Avenue October 18
MetBlogsLA

Liability cap could be tested in deadly Metrolink crash - Attorneys say claims in the Chatsworth collision could exceed a federal limit of $200 million for single rail accident
Los Angeles Times

LIRR says its anti-crash systems work
Newsday

Long Beach-area air quality map shows elevated cancer risk
Press Telegram

MagLev Gets Serious
Curbed LA

Metrolink 111 engineer led solitary life marred by tragedy
Los Angeles Times

Metrolink balked at safety upgrade's cost
Los Angeles Times

Metrolink spokeswoman formed a human link
Los Angeles Times

Measure R: parked in the station for now
Bottleneck Blog

Metrolink's Ventura County Line Reopens
LAist

Multimodal Level of Service Analysis for Urban Streets
Multimodal Level of Service Analysis for Urban Streets: Users Guide
Transportation Research Board

New Technology Could Have Averted Los Angeles Train Crash - Implementing Control Technology Should Be Mandatory, Some Experts Say
ABC News

NTSB: Engineer didn't hit brakes before crash
Associated Press

Officials: Pricey technology could save lives
San Francisco Chronicle

Paying for Roads - Congress takes a necessary step to shore up the Highway Trust Fund, but there's more to be done
Washington Post

Rail safety's human error excuse - It's too simplistic to blame accidents on human error alone. Design, management and oversight need to be improved
Los Angeles Times

SAN FRANCISCO - Muni set to test TransLink fare card
San Francisco Chronicle

Schwarzenegger to veto California budget package
Daily News

Schwarzenegger vows to veto state budget - Legislators say they will quickly override Schwarzenegger's action. He'd respond by killing many bills
Los Angeles Times

Sick transit - Public transit and oil dependence
GristMill

Train-Safety Technology Could Take Years to Deploy Nationwide
Wall Street Journal

Transit Signal Priority Research Tools
Transportation Research Board

Why Denise Tyrrell did the right thing
MetroRiderLA

Will Metro L.A. Pay The Piper On Metrolink?
California Planning and Development Report

9/16/2008

Transportation Headlines for Tuesday September 16, 2008

Amtrak's Struggle To Catch Up To Demand
Planetizen

Amtrak’s Wild Ride Could Get Bumpier
BNet

Burbank cabbies pumped about hybrid taxis
Los Angeles Times

California Crash May Test $200 Million Cap on Damages
Bloomberg

Cold Copy: A lot to say about Metrolink disasters - How The Times responded to L.A.-area commuter-train disasters of the not-too-distant past
Los Angeles Times

Crash points out need to improve rail safety
Daily News

Debate over safety equipment follows rail disaster
San Diego Union Tribune

Despite governor's threat, state lawmakers pass budget - Schwarzenegger says he may not sign the proposal unless it further restricts future spending
Los Angeles Times

Editorial: California Needs to Support Transit for Smart Growth Plans to Work
SmartGrowthOnline

Editorial: Make the rails safer - Systems exist that may have prevented the Metrolink disaster. Install them and share the cost
Los Angeles Times

Experts: Metrolink crash could lead to millions - possibly billions - in suits
Daily News

Federal Railroad Administration chief: New technology would have prevented crash
Bottleneck Blog

Feds: Technology could have prevented train crash
Huffington Post

Head-on train collision less likely in Bay Area, officials say - DOUBLE TRACKS ARE SAFER FOR COMMUTERS
Mercury News

High Desert Corridor JPA to Select Firm Next Month
BestSyndication

Highway linking Antelope Valley to Victorville moving forward
Inside SoCal

Latest on the Chatsworth Train Crash
LAist

Metrolink spokeswoman resigns amid criticism over blaming engineer for crash
Los Angeles Times

Metrolink Spokesperson Quits, Agency Under Fire
StreetsblogLA

Metrolink Tragedy Underscores Our Transportation Nightmare
RedFin

NTSB: Train crash could have been prevented
USA Today

park-and-pay kiosks replacing old downtown meters
angelenic

Pay Stations Coming to Flower Street
BlogDowntown

Rail safety issue gains spotlight in wake of fatal Metrolink crash
Daily News

State: cellphone use by engineers should be banned
Bottleneck Blog

Subway goes wrong way this morning
Bottleneck Blog

Train crash triggers call for computer controls - Emerging technology compensates for human error
North County Times/Californian

Transit GM blood alcohol level twice legal limit - was driving company vehicle when pulled over
Desert Sun

Transit LA: Measure R for Better Transport?
LA Cityzine

Transit Use Continues to Climb as Programs Remain ''Woefully Underfunded''
SmartGrowthOnline

union station hosting hullabaloo 2008 music event
angelenic

Vast Controls to Curb Rail Crashes May Be Years Off
New York Times

Warning signals were working, officials say
Los Angeles Times

Why the Gasoline Engine Isn't Going Away Any Time Soon
Wall Street Journal

9/15/2008

Transportation Headlines for Monday September 15, 2008

After deadly Metrolink crash, L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa tries to reassures train commuters
Los Angeles Times

Bike shop gives power to the pedal
Daily Breeze

Buses to help commuters
Daily News

California is too tough to run, analysts say
Sacramento Bee

California lawmakers reach compromise on budget - The proposed state spending plan involves no new taxes. Votes on the plan are scheduled for Monday
Los Angeles Times

California train crash engineer employed by French company
AFP

City needs to get employee cars off the street
Daily News

Crash Highlights Risk on the Rails
Wall Street Journal

Denise Tyrrell resigns Metrolink, defends her statements about crash
Bottleneck Blog

Extension to Claremont still battlefield of the Gold Line
San Bernardino Sun

Feds look into texting before deadly train crash - Engineer faulted in L.A. collision may have been using cell phone; 25 killed
MSNBC

Finding alternative-fuel cars tough for consumers
Press Enterprise

Gas stations facing emissions squeeze
Pasadena Star News

Investigators focus on whether signal was broken or missed
Los Angeles Times

Investigators seek clues from cell-phone records
Daily News

Is Schwarzenegger vulnerable enough to be ousted?
Contra Costa Times

LA Times Gets it Right on Infrastructure
Out of Control

L.A. Train Crash Inquiry Targets Engineer's Actions
NPR

Metrolink board: blaming engineer was premature
Bottleneck Blog

Metrolink dispatcher tried to warn engineer - Transit agency spokesman says the commuter train's movement tripped a control center alarm. By the time the dispatcher got through, the train had already crashed
Los Angeles Times

Metrolink's fatalities high compared to other commuter railroads
Bottleneck Blog

Metrolink's grim record of fatalities - Only N.J.'s far-busier commuter rail has had more deaths since '99
Los Angeles Times

Metrolink spokesperson quits over dispute
Daily Breeze

Metrolink takes full blame
Ventura County Star

NTSB Says Metrolink Crash Could Have Been Averted
CBS 2 TV

NTSB to seek cell phone records in LA train crash
Associated Press

Push-pull will stay
Daily News

Safer commuter trains
Press Telegram

Trail of the Mail - El Monte was stop on Butterfield route
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Transit users get a San Francisco treat -- a tax break. A city law requires businesses to add mass transit to an employee's benefits. Three options are available, but only one is feasible -- allowing workers to pay for their tickets on a pretax basis
Los Angeles Times

Ventura/Santa Barbara bike lane proposal
SoCal Bike Forums

9/14/2008

Metrolink Update

Metrolink Board of Directors to Hold Special Meeting Today
LAist

Transportation Headlines for Sunday September 14, 2008

America's broken infrastructure - U.S. highways and bridges are crumbling, and it will take billions of dollars to fix them. How do we raise the money?
Los Angeles Times

Battle goes on over fate of Gold Line extension
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Blood donations sought after Friday's train crash
Press Telegram

Cause Of Los Angeles Train Crash Debated
NPR

Control devices could have prevented Metrolink crash, experts say - The NTSB for decades has recommended collision-avoidance devices for corridors where passenger and freight trains use the same track. Railroads say the technology costs too much and isn't reliable
Los Angeles Times

Democrats back off on demand for new taxes to balance California budget - State Senate leader tells Schwarzenegger that he is trying to work out a deal with Republican lawmakers
Los Angeles Times

Donna Lynn Remata, 49, of Simi Valley - One of the first people pulled from the Metrolink train wreckage, the mother of two was the 'backbone' of her family
Los Angeles Times
(Editor’s Note: I will miss you Donna, always professional and friendly, nothing left your storeroom without the proper work order)

Expo features green technology
Daily Breeze

Federal inquiry could delay clean-trucks program at ports of L.A. and Long Beach - The Federal Maritime Commission releases a nine-page request for information that could push back the program's planned Oct. 1 start date
Los Angeles Times

Flashback to 1956: L.A.'s worst train disaster
Los Angeles Times

Hemet Unified School District looks to compressed natural gas to save money
Press Enterprise

Latinos now outnumber blacks 2 to 1 in South Los Angeles - A UCLA report finds sweeping demographic changes since the 1992 riots. But one constant remains: poverty
Los Angeles Times

Metrolink crash: How trains navigate the tracks
Bottleneck Blog

Metrolink Death Toll at 24 and Expected to Rise
LAist

Metrolink engineer blamed as train crash death toll rises to 25
Daily News

Metrolink officials say trains crashed after their engineer drove through red light
Los Angeles Times

MTA buses to bridge service between Metrolink stations - Starting Monday, they will provide transportation between Moorpark and Chatsworth
Los Angeles Times

Party time for I-15 lanes
San Diego Union Tribune

State rail agency: Engineer's error caused wreck
Whittier Daily News

Streetcars Pasadena desires
Pasadena Star News