Today's Headlines - more at Metro

9/27/2008

Transportation Headlines for Saturday September 27, 2008

Automatic Train Control (A bibliography in progress)
Dorothy Peyton Gray Transportation Library and Archive

Area leaders urge signing of bill to help ease cargo congestion
Pasadena Star News

Ballot Measure R would fund widespread transportation improvements in Los Angeles
Force Change

Brownfield, Meet Greenfield - City Plans Industrial Park for Eco-Friendly Technology Companies On Former Polluted Site
LA Downtown News

Coburn Blocking Train Safety / Amtrak Funding Bill
Senatus

Confidential to SEPTA: It’s Time to Partner with Google Transit Already
The Illadelph

Crowded farewell: Family, MTA co-workers mourn at woman's funeral
Ventura County Star

FRA and Railroads Take Action to Strengthen Bridge Safety Policy, “Essential Elements” Focus on Structural Integrity and Transparency
7thSplace

Freight brakeman in deadly LA train collision sues
Associated Press

Google Says Its New Program May Boost Transit Ridership
New York Sun

Half-a-Penny for Your Transit?
Planetizen

Hitch in getting cleaner trucks at So. Cal ports - Federal agency says pollution plan might violate Shipping Act
MSNBC

How do you wrap a 40 foot bus anyways?
EyeLevel

I-405 Los Angeles Project Funding
Bel Air Association

In Mexico City, bicycles rule the Sunday streets
Los Angeles Times

Inland Metrolink official grilled in U.S. Senate briefing - TESTIMONY: Ron Roberts, a Temecula City councilman, is chairman of the board for the commuter rail system
Press Enterprise

Landscaping the city's gateways - Simi looks to enhance areas around freeway on-ramps
Simi Valley Acorn

Like a dream come true: Solving L.A. traffic and transit problems for $25 a year each
RonKayeLA

Los Angeles Metrolink trains to be equipped with ATS technology
China View

Metro Mole reads the papers (and other things) so you don't have to – A Sad Day for Los Angeles (Metrolink and more)
Metro Mole

Metrolink accident should serve as a lesson to the federal government
CNW Canada

Metrolink adds second engineer to some trains - Relief engineers will ride shotgun on some routes, in a move intended as an interim safety measure
Los Angeles Times

Metrolink Board OKs Safety Review Panel - Board Will Review Existing Safety Protocols
KNBC 4 TV

Metrolink to revive '50s safety technology, wait for new
Daily Bulletin

New rail measures approved - Metrolink also criticizes federal regulators for not seeking updated technology sooner
Burbank Leader

OCTA Train Safety
San Clemente Times

Please don't park your bike like this
The Bus Bench

Ports bill a must (by George Deukmejian & Gray Davis re: SB 974)
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Port workers union seeks Schwarzenegger veto of cargo container fee bill
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which represents 15,000 workers, says adding another levy might encourage retailers to avoid California ports
Los Angeles Times

Role of P3s in Building Transportation Improvement Projects
ForConstructionPros

Rail Legislation Could See Vote
TrafficWorld

Senator Holds Up Bill on Train Safety Device
Wall Street Journal

Shuttle is welcomed - students who commute by city bus may soon sigh with relief when plans are implemented to provide a shuttle service for LBCC
Long Beach City College Viking

Time To Buckle Up - officials would do students and the public a favor by making seatbelts on public transportation a law
LA Valley Star

Transit Sales Tax Officially on Ballot
LAist

Victory at the Rose Bowl: Car Free Event a Hit with Community
StreetsBlogLA

Where They Stand: Obama and McCain on Transportation
StreetsBlog

9/25/2008

Transportation Headlines for Thursday September 25, 2008

411 4 Drivers: Governor Signs Texting Ban
KNBC 4 TV

Bay Area Transit agencies reel from budget cuts
San Francisco Chronicle

Budget is dishonest, irresponsible, says League of Women Voters
Capitol Weekly

Chicago Transit uses GPS technology advertising
Chocolate City

Curbed Poll: MagLev or High Speed Rail
Curbed LA

Developers have high hopes for vertical mall in L.A. (Near Purple Line Station)
Los Angeles Times

FAA to help airlines install crash-avoidance equipment - Skywest Airlines, US Airways and Southwest Airlines will get $600,000 to help pay for systems that show pilots their precise location at airports. The technology may help prevent runway incursions
Los Angeles Times

Google, NYC transform public transit info online
ZDNET

Google's Transit Helps New Yorkers Find Their Way
CIO Today

High-Speed Rail: L.A. and Orange Counties Face Possible Uniting - Orangeline Board of Directors Votes Unanimously
Santa Clarita Valley Non-Profit News Center

H.R. 2095, THE RAIL SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2008 (summary)
H.R. 2095, THE RAIL SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2008 (full text)
U.S. House of Representatives

Introducing Measure R – Traffic Relief for LA
Trains are Awesome

Is Los Angeles Ready for Bike Sharing?
StreetsBlogLA

Late Night Train Service on Metro’s Agenda After All
StreetsBlogLA

Latest on Late-Night Subway Riding
LAist

Legislation calls for roads to be accessible for all (AB 1358-Leno and HR 5951-Matsui)
Daily News

Los Angeles city, county officials lobby for new train safety measures - The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board will consider improvements sought in the wake of the deadly Metrolink crash in Chatsworth
Los Angeles Times

Mayor to Introduce a Slew of Metrolink Motions
LAist

MTA motion calls for Metrolink safety improvements
Bottleneck Blog

NARP calls for deployment of PTC systems
Metro Magazine

New Bike Lane On Glenoaks!
TropicoStation

NYC transit added to Google’s map service
TechNews

Out Of The Enclave: Latinos Adapt, And Adapt To, The American City
Planetizen

Prop. 10: Fueling a cleaner California - The Times should support programs that would put cleaner-burning fuel in the cars and trucks on our roads
Los Angeles Times

Pumping Hydrogen
New York Times

Riding the Rails at 217 MPH
Wired

Schwarzenegger outlaws text-messaging while driving
Los Angeles Times

U.S. House Votes to Boost Rail Safety After Los Angeles Crash
Bloomberg

Vintage rail cars on display - The past rolls into San Pedro
Daily Breeze

9/24/2008

Transportation Headlines for Wednesday September 24, 2008

60 Worst Intersections in Los Angeles (Mapped with Google)
Nacholoversanonymous

An Online Tool Meant to Simplify the Transit System
New York Times

Arnold Schwarzenegger signs $145-billion California budget
Los Angeles Times

Chrysler charges into electric car race
Los Angeles Times

Congressional negotiators reach compromise on rail safety measure
Los Angeles Times

Crime statistics for Metro rail lines
Bottleneck Blog

Equipping Inland rails with anti-crash sensors will be costly
Press Enterprise

Google Maps adds New York City Transit
USA Today

Google Helps Users Navigate New York Public Transit System - The nation's largest transit system could be a bit easier to navigate with Google's new tools, including translation into 23 languages
Information Week

Google Transit Expands to New York
New York Times

Google Transit Mapping Comes to New York
StreetsBlog

Google Says Its New Program May Boost Transit Ridership
New York Sun

High Gas Prices: The Tipping Point?
Long Beach Post

Hop-on hop-off buses to cruise downtown
Daily News

House and Senate agree on rail safety bill
Boxer's opening statement
Federal Railroad Administration's testimony
Bottleneck Blog

House and Senate Reach Deal on Rail Safety Bill
LAist

I-215 widening project moving forward with new lanes, drains and ramps
Press Enterprise

LADOT Offers Less than Exciting Plan for Working with Neighborhood Councils
CityWatchLA

L.A. drops in "sustainability" rankings
LA Land

LA to be Clean Technology Capital?
LAist

Metrolink considers adding 2nd engineer for safety
San Francisco Chronicle

OCTA backs new train technology - Officials say an automatic stopping mechanism could have prevented the Chatsworth collision
Orange County Register

Prop 1a as Economic Stimulus
California High Speed Rail Blog

Random checks of trains, bags made in Oxnard - Searches were not result of a threat
Ventura County Star

Red Line Hours Extension on Thursday Metro Board Agenda
BlogDowntown

Regionalization of air traffic suffers big blow
Daily News

Roadway tune has chance for new venue
Daily News

Seven Better Uses For $700 Billion
Forbes

UCLA economists issue gloomy California forecast - The state's housing sector will rebound next year, but its broader economy will struggle for months after that, the UCLA Anderson Forecast says
Los Angeles Times

Video of the Day: A Day in the Life of a Metrolink Engineer
LAist

9/23/2008

Transportation Headlines for Tuesday September 23, 2008

60 Worst Intersections in LA
LAist

Amtrak deploys video surveillance system
Government Computer News

Best-Performing U.S. Cities
Planetizen

COMMENTARY: The Port of Long Beach Hoists the Green Flag - An Environmental Turnover in One of the Dirtiest Industries. First in a Two-Part Series
Emagazine

Congress considers economic stimulus, energy-saving legislation that contains public transit component
Progressive Railroading

Congress hurries to pass rail-safety laws by Friday
Daily News

Congress hustling to pass rail reform after crash
Associated Press

Dan Walters: New ballot battle looms - likely in June
Sacramento Bee

Disability Epidemic Among a Railroad’s Retirees
New York Times

''Extreme Makeover'' of Public Transit Needed to Reduce Nation's Energy Consumption
SmartGrowthOnline

Federal officials struggle to maintain order at toll road hearing
Los Angeles Times

Flexible Formula to Fund Transportation
Washington Post

Foothill-South Toll Road Fails to Meet Criteria for Bush Administration Override - Elected Officials and Save San Onofre Coalition Voice Strong Opposition To Toll Road Through San Onofre State Beach
MarketWatch

Future of Hydrogen Is Now
Renewable Energy World

GAO: Nuke detection equipment (for ports) to cost $3.1 billion
Associated Press

High Gas Prices Pedal-Start Another Moped Revolution
Wired

How to get your bicycle license in LA and Santa Monica
Green LA Girl

L.A. trade group off to China
Daily News

'Lexus lanes' speed commutes - CNN's John Zarrella reports some cities now charge motorists for privilege of beating rush hour gridlock
CNN

Los Angeles tinkers with signal light timing
Bottleneck Blog

Los Angeles + Sustainability = Not There Yet
LAist

Metrolink hospital report
Los Angeles Times

Metrolink’s Problems Go Beyond an Engineer and His Cell Phone
StreetsBlogLA

NY Subway to Expand Experiment
New York Times

Oil price posts largest-ever one-day gain
Los Angeles Times

Oil spikes $25 a barrel to $130
Press Telegram

Overwhelming Evidence Presented for 241 Completion; Facts Trump Myths at Commerce Hearing - Speakers Cite U.S. Fish and Wildlife Report, Other Agencies and Experts; Sensitive Planning Protects Parks, Beaches, Habitats, Environment
MarketWatch

Plan to relieve traffic congestion in L.A.
KABC 7 TV

Planning an Ecofriendly Retirement
U.S. News & World Report

Public Transit Issues on the Ballot Across the Nation
APTA Passenger Transport

Railroads Balk at Crash Prevention Technology
NewsInferno

Safety Measures Existed, but not up to Metrolink's Standards
LAist

SANBAG may scale down freeway projects because of rising costs
Press Enterprise

San Onofre tollway hearing: somewhere between scrum and Iron Maiden concert
Bottleneck Blog

Schiff Co-Authors Legislation For Railway Collision Avoidance Systems - On the heels of the Metrolink colission, Schiff and others introduced legislation that would require all major U.S. railroads to install "positive train control"
Pasadena Now

SF Muni tests TransLink regional fare card
ABC News

State has a budget, but same old problems remain
Daily News

Villaraigosa: Metrolink was too interested in damage control
Bottleneck Blog

WMATA Metro GM says billions needed for transit agency
WTOP 103.5 FM

Your letters: Metrolink accident
Ventura County Star

9/22/2008

Transportation Headlines for Monday September 22, 2008

Blind man at the brake - A little automation could save lives
The Economist

Bonds may help get state economy moving - Gov. Schwarzenegger hopes transit and building project bond issues will create jobs
Los Angeles Times

Carless California
The Conversation with Daniel Weintraub/Sacramento Bee

Connecticut Commuter service says Metro-North trains safe
Newsday

Control system should be put in place - By Dianne Feinstein
Daily News

Debate over proposed San Onofre toll road to continue with appeal hearing
Los Angeles Times

Editorial - Who regulates rail workers' shifts? The federal agency responsible for railroads should have the power to regulate workers' schedules
Los Angeles Times

Historic train's passage through San Clemente is a real toot - Classic choo-choo train with its tell-tale whistle and puffs of steam hauls two dozen vintage passenger cars on a private excursion
Orange County Register

LA Traffic: 'Operation Bottleneck Relief' Takes It Up A Notch
KNBC 4 TV

Lowering Transit Fares and Raising Revenue
Planetizen

Metrolink train crash victims facing a difficult journey
Daily News

New Study Ranks State Road Systems
Associated Construction Publications

Rider Alert Proves Available Technology Would Easily Prevent Chatsworth Metrolink Accident in San Diego
NowPublic

Trailer bills hitched to new budget
Sacramento Bee

Years of practical use prove that rail controls work - For decades, automatic braking and other systems have limited the damage in crashes. But Metrolink officials say the technology hasn't been perfected for use in Southern California
Los Angeles Times

Your View: MTA measure has funds (scroll down page)
Pasadena Star News

WMATA SmarTrip Upgrades Pushed To 2010 - Audit Finds Contractor Failings
Washington Post

9/21/2008

Transportation Headlines for Sunday September 21, 2008

25 Metrolink crash victims linked forever by twist of fate - Grandparents, children, students, teachers: The only thing the victims had in common was Metrolink 111
Los Angeles Times

Alt-Car Expo: All you need to know about electric cars
Los Angeles Times/Up To Speed

Budget aside, the state's financial trauma is just getting started - The divisiveness of this year's budget process will almost certainly get worse as the economy slows and voters are asked to weigh in on a rash of measures from bickering lawmakers and interest groups
Los Angeles Times

Budget battles in future for California
Daily News

Early start, tragic ending for Metrolink engineer
Daily News

Edward Roybal is a big name around town - Many buildings in L.A. honor the influential Latino lawmaker, whose legacy reaches far beyond his political base
Los Angeles Times

Fund repairs to infrastructure - Re "Rocky on roads," editorial, Sept. 14
Los Angeles Times

Gallegly files legislation for train collision-prevention
Ventura County Star

LAX retools Bradley terminal plans
Los Angeles Times

Metro Bringing Tweaked Congestion Pricing Plan to Los Angeles
Tree Hugger

Metro considers implementing subway lines close to UCLA - Future of public transit in L.A. undecided; both proposed routes would include a Westwood stop
UCLA Daily Bruin

Metrolink chairman reflects on tragedy - Ron Roberts heads to D.C. this week to testify before Senate committee
North County Times/Californian

Metrolink 111 Letters: Sept. 21
Ventura County Star

Reconnecting transit plans in the South Bay (Harbor Subdivision Transit Corridor)
Daily Breeze

Reflections on the Metrolink tragedy
Daily News

Talk of rail's future follows deadly crash
Ventura County Star

Truth versus Truthiness on Prop. 1A
California High Speed Rail Blog

Valley train service would cost $1 billion
Desert Sun
See Related : Ron’s Log http://ronslog.typepad.com/ronslog/2008/09/rail-meeting.html

United Airlines to pull service from Palmdale in December
Press Enterprise