Today's Headlines - more at Metro

9/17/2010

Metro's New Fare Models?, Metrolink's New Railcars, L.A. Stimulus Jobs: $2M Each, Blue Line Walk & Transit Score, World's Most Luxurious Trains & More

Another Frantic Period Of Transit-Related Meetings Is Upon Us (El Monte Transit Center, Westside Subway Project, Downtown Regional Connector, California High-Speed Rail)
StreetsBlog LA

Assessment Of The Commercial Benefits Of Positive Train Control
(93p. PDF)
Association Of American Railroads

Bill Proposes Raising Train Crash Liability Cap ("Rep. Elton Gallegly said his bill is intended to help victims of a Metrolink commuter train crash that killed 25 people and injured more than 100 two years ago.")
Ventura County Star

Brown Pledges "Green" Jobs, But Costs Loom ("Among other things, Brown pledges to make "robust investment" in roads, highways, ports, airports and public transportation; accelerate construction of high-speed rail in California; and prioritize fixing the levees of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to shore up the reliability of the state's water supply.")
Contra Costa Times

Congress To Examine Trickle Down Of Rail Rates (Congress to examine ripple effect of railroad industry profits and price hikes on customers)
Associated Press

Despite Dwindling Tax Revenues, Top 100 Fleets Soldier On ("With dwindling sales tax revenues causing significant budget shortfalls, most of the 78 percent of respondents who said they are experiencing budgeting issues have implemented some form of service cuts, fare increases or both. Many others have also been forced to lay off employees, freeze hiring and salary increases, and delay implementing new services or purchasing new equipment.")
Metro Magazine

Discover Downtown's Secret Stairs On Saturday
Blog Downtown

Do L.A. City Councilmembers Really Care About Pedestrian Safety?
LAist

Don't Let Transportation Get Lost In The Political Shuffle; Send A Letter To Your Local Paper
Transportation for America

El Monte Bus Station's Last Days
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Extension To The MOCA In Los Angeles (What if we turned MOCA into a quintet of skyscrapers?)
Evolo

Eye Of The Beholder: For Today's Students, The Idea Of Urban Beauty Proves Both Elusive And Downright Confusing ("I had planned to use the idea of beauty as a lens through which to view a famously unbeautiful city. Part of my curriculum involved dispatching students to handpicked locations across Los Angeles to seek out that elusive quality.")
Metropolis

Giving Traffic Lights A Mind Of Their Own Can Reduce Congestion: Decentralized Networks Capitalize On Traffic Chaos
Popular Science

Invisible Cyclists Of Los Angeles ("You won’t see invisible cyclists at Los Angeles City Council meetings demanding bike lanes. You might not see them in the street either, as these cyclists tend to ride alone, often intermingled with pedestrians on the sidewalk, and without lights or reflective clothing. These cyclists are also often Latino immigrants, and nearly 20,000 of them in the L.A. metropolitan area use a bicycle as their main means of transportation to work...This particular group has different needs than other cyclists, yet their interests receive little attention.")
Planners Network: The Organization Of Progressive Planning

Japan Offers Loan To Build CA HSR Project
California High Speed Rail Blog

L.A. Westside Subway Extension Debate
LA Weekly

Managing Increasing Ridership Demand (32p. PDF)
FTA Transit Cooperative Research Program

Metro Taking A Look at New Fare Models ("Finally, Metro’s fascination with installing fare gates at rail stations, despite near universal ridicule for the project, is starting to make sense.")
StreetsBlog LA

New Map Shows Completed And Planned Bicycle Projects In L.A.
LAist

New Pricing Rules Weighed For Freight Railroads
Wall Street Journal

Portland: A Global Model Of Transit-Oriented Development
(video)
Fast Company via YouTube

Push For Control: Ontario Report Slams Operation
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

The Rise Of Apps Culture (46p. PDF : While the report didn’t single out transit-related applications, travel- and navigation-related apps generally score well among users)
Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project
Overview

Second Lawsuit Filed Against Expo Line, But This Time It's Against The Bikeway
StreetsBlog LA

Six Senate Races That Pit Climate Heroes Against Global Warming Deniers
Think Progress

Three Transit Villains Exit The Stage In 2010 Primaries
StreetsBlog

Tight Budgets Might Slow Metrolink's Purchase Of Safer Passenger Cars: The Agency's Chief Executive Wants To Buy More Hyundai Rotem Cars That Feature Energy-Absorbing Crush Zones Now Required By The U.S. But The Agencies Funding Metrolink Might Lack The Necessary Funds
Los Angeles Times

Time Is Money In Bay Area HOT Lanes
Transportation Nation

Transit Network Maps: Draw, And Market, Your Own!
Human Transit

Transportation Porn: All Aboard The World's Most Luxurious Trains (photo essay)
AltTransport

Two L.A. Agencies Get $111 Million In Stimulus Funds But Have Created Only 55 Jobs: Controller Wendy Greuel, Who Audited The Public Works And Transportation Departments, Says The City Needs To Move More Quickly To Spend The Federal Money. The City's Budget Director Disputes Figures

Los Angeles Times

USC Bans Bicycles On Campus Paths Considered Bike Lanes
LAist

Use Of Contractors Is Generally Enhancing Transit Project Oversight, And FTA Is Taking Actions To Address Some Stakeholder Concerns (42p. PDF)
U.S. Government Accountability Office Report To Congressional Committees

Walk Score And Transit Score For Blue Line
MetroRider LA

A Week Of Biking Joyously (On a fact-finding mission to the Netherlands, a delegation of California public officials marvel at the promise of bicycles for 21st century transportation)
Planetizen

Whose Commute Is Worse? Yours Or Your Neighbors? (Mapping commutes by zip code yields interesting results)
Fast Company

Would A National Infrastructure Bank Help?
The Atlantic

9/16/2010

Bike lanes, Infrastructure Bank, High Speed Rail, Fares, Silver Line, Clean Air and more

ALT 8 Top Transportation Showdowns Of 2010
Alt Transport

Bay Area Gets First HOT Lane
Planetizen

Bike Lanes for Santa Monica Boulevard? A local coalition of cyclists wants designated lanes in Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills Patch

BLUEPRINT AMERICA - Hard times then, hard times now as another stimulus is in the works
PBS

China Says Can Offer `Complete Package' for California High-Speed Trains
Bloomberg

Despite Expenses, Athens Enjoys Transit Legacy of 2004 Olympics
Planetizen

Don’t let transportation get lost in the political shuffle; send a letter to your local paper
Transportation for America

EPA’s Clean Air Act Celebrates 40 Years And Cleaner Air
Alt Transport

Following the Flow of the People with Crosswalks
The City Fix

High-Speed Update: Wooing Asia, NorCal Resistance
Curbed LA

Is the National Infrastructure Bank a Slam-Dunk Win?
The Infrastructurist

Lack of Congressional Infrastructure Focus Frustrates Transportation Officials
Capitol News Connection

LA County Sidewalk Riding: Finale (part 7)
LADOT BikeBlog

LA-Long Beach August Imports Surge 23.9 Percent
Journal of Commerce

L.A./Ontario International Push for control - Ontario report slams operation
Daily Bulletin

Local agencies can't limit train emissions, court rules - U.S. 9th Circuit panel says Southern California air quality board can't impose restrictions that could interfere with interstate commerce
Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles' proposed cap freeway parks
Examiner

Making Los Angeles more bike friendly
Public Radio International

Metro Taking a Look at New Fare Models
LA Streetsblog

NCTD gambles on lower fares
San Diego Union Tribune

New Silver Line Bus Station for Downtown's Union Station
Curbed LA

New Temporary El Monte Bus Terminal Begin Operations
Mid Valley News

New Website for Transit Oriented Development (TOD) News - TODNews.com Launches Transit Oriented Development and Smart Growth Focused News Website
PR Web RSS feeds and email options at www.TODnews.com

NoHo Express marks first anniversary
Santa Clarita Signal

Ontario seeks to take control of airport - Officials say the Los Angeles agency that runs the facility has driven away carriers with increases in costs and failure to maintain the airport. L.A. says the facility was especially hard-hit by the recession
Los Angeles Times

Poll: What type of mobile device do you use?
TheSource.metro.net

Railroads vs. federal regulation
Business Journal

Rail-yard pollution: Federal court rules against air quality board
Los Angeles Times

Report: Calif. economy will keep lagging
ABC News

San Fernando Bike Path Offers New Roads for Oxy Cyclists
Occidental Weekly

Shedding Light on the Creeping Costs of Sprawl
Planetizen

Site maps the commutes of Southern Californians
Los Angeles Times
Good:
Find out who commutes where

This Train Seat Will Make Your Head Spin
Wired

UCLA economists say growth will be hard to notice
Press Enterprise

USA Today on infrastructure spending: what do Americans want?
Transportation for America

Why a Streetcar Is Something to Be Desired - Rule 1 for sustainable communities: Restore the streetcar city
The Tyee

Wide, wide world of transit: Metro and Beijing Transport team up to battle traffic congestion
TheSource.metro.net

9/15/2010

Growing Port Traffic, Managing Increasing Ridership Demand, President's Transportation Plan, Wednesday Metro Meetings and more.

700MHz – Public Safety and Mass Transit
Mass Transit Magazine

2009 Urban Congestion Trends: How Operations Is Solving Congestion Problems
Federal Highways Administration

Despite Dwindling Tax Revenues, Top 100 Fleets Soldier On
METRO Magazine

Downtown Los Angeles Streetcar Project - Connecting Neighborhoods and Developing Communities
Urban Land Institute

Fifth and Flower Stop May Get Axed from Downtown Connector
LA Curbed

Google Transit - San Bernardino County Wins
Riding in Riverside

Internalizing positive transit externalities
Market Urbanism

Is the New Parking Meter Policy Fraud?
LAist

Japan readies loans for California high-speed train
Reuters

LA Open House at Metro Headquarters - Please join John A. PĂ©rez, Speaker of the Assembly, for an informational open house on high-speed rail in downtown Los Angeles Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Metro.net

L.A. port is hatching a revitalization - PortTechLA, a business incubator run by a group that includes the port and city, will nurture start-ups that make products that reduce pollution and shippers' dependence on fossil fuels
Los Angeles Times

L.A. Westside Subway Extension Debate
LA Weekly

Managing Increasing Ridership Demand
Transportation Research Board

Metrolink’s New CEM Trains - Metrolink is the nation’s first commuter rail system to adopt state-of-the-art crash energy management (CEM) features for cab and passenger cars
Mass Transit Magazine

Next Friday is Park(ing) Day. Here’s Our Park(ing) Day Plans
LA Streetsblog

New Metro Motion TV Show Discusses What A Difference 10 Years Can Make
Metro.net (30/10, Hollywood Redevelopment, robotic maintenance tech & more)
Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU26faQLcNQ
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjBxXwjL6oE
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB9Xh-MQUyI
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5O_yE2pbVo

No, We Want It! Politicians Argue for Gold Line in Their Neighborhood
LA Curbed

Oberstar pleased with Obama's transportation plan, but is enough time left to pass it?
Minn Post

Oil companies split on bid to suspend global-warming law - Three are bankrolling Proposition 23, but one opposes it and others are neutral or on the sidelines. A national industry group issues an appeal for money to back the initiative
Los Angeles Times

Ontario: L.A. should relinquish control of Ontario Airport
Daily Breeze

Port of Los Angeles sees increase in cargo traffic - The port moved 23% more containers filled with imported goods last month than in August 2009, and 8% more than in July
Los Angeles Times

President’s plan: Create jobs through infrastructure investments
Finance and Commerce

Rail Front Lines
Mass Transit Magazine

Report: Amtrak improperly removed its watchdog
Washington Post

Rocky Road to a Transport Plan
Journal of Commerce

San Bruno Explosion Evidence of Need for Massive Infrastructure Improvements
Firedog Lake

Shipper Groups Merge to Push Heavier Trucks
Journal of Commerce

Some people do walk in LA - Does Downtown fit into the growing American desire for better public transportation and walkways?
Los Angeles Downtown News

Sound Transit partners with Safeway on fare cards
METRO Magazine

States Struggle To Share Cost Of High-Speed Rail
NPR

Strike slows 215 Freeway jobs - Full project completion still expected in 2013
San Bernardino Sun

UCLA Bike-U-mentary gets ‘Diamond’ from Metro
Be a Green Commuter

Wednesday Metro Meetings: Planning Gold and Green Extensions
LA Streetsblog

What Could We Do With a Pedestrian Plaza on Broadway?
LA Curbed

9/14/2010

Obama's Infrastructure Plan, Keeping Jobs in LA, Gas Prices, Metro's Congestion Management Plan, and more

Assessing Obama's Infrastructure Plan
Nation Journal – Transportation

California eyes China's high-speed rail
Big Pond News

Center For Transit-Oriented Development Releases Updated MITOD.org - Mixed-Income TOD site boasts updated case studies, resources and news
Reconnecting America

Editorial: Yes on Proposition 22 - This will put a stop to state politicians' audacious thievery of local money
Press Telegram
Editorial: Prop. 22 defends the indefensible
Orange County Register

FTA Assuming Power Over Local Transit Agencies
Planetizen

Gas prices drop for 31st straight day
Daily Breeze

Going electric - Ecoliners hit streets - Foothill Transit introduces buses
Daily Bulletin

Guidebook for Recruiting, Developing, and Retaining Transit Managers for Fixed-Route Bus and Paratransit Systems
Transportation Research Board

How to keep jobs in L.A. (and in the U.S.) - Los Angeles is behind the curve in adopting a local preference ordinance, which would give local businesses an edge in landing city contracts. Washington should also act to keep jobs onshore
Los Angeles Times

Judge expected to approve $200M settlement from 2008 Chatsworth Metrolink crash
Daily News

Morris has high hopes for San Bernardino as major transit hub - Mayor takes a very wide view
San Bernardino Sun

New Google Map for all 2010 LADOT Bicycle Facilities
LADOT BikeBlog

Ontario expected to issue proposal to take control of its airport
Daily Breeze

On the Waterfront: Ports distributing grants to combat pollution
Press Telegram

Prop 23's threat to the California dream - For decades, the state has pioneered the way to a green future. Now that narrative is in jeopardy at the ballot box
Salon

President Announces Vision for New Transportation System
National League of Cities

Quick-Charge Electric Bus Rolls Into L.A. County
Wired

Rail Shippers Say Regulatory Bill Could Have Momentum
Journal of Commerce

Redlands to study having more downtown parking
San Bernardino Sun

State cancels plan for Arbor Vitae freeway interchange in Inglewood
Daily Breeze

There is Still No Way to Fund Sustainable Infrastructure in America
Huffington Post

To ease congestion, port traffic must spread out
Daily Breeze

Transportation for America Director Supports Obama’s Infrastructure Plan
The Infrastructurist

Tuesday Metro Meeting: Adoption of the 2010 Congestion Management Plan
Streetsblog

TTC and Ontario still at odds over fare system
The Transit Wire

Two years after Chatsworth crash, Metrolink tries to look forward
KPCC

Use Figueroa between Downtown and Exposition Park? Plans are Afoot to Improve the Street
LAist

Where Did the Transportation Stimulus Money Go?
TIME

With 10,000 to 15,000 Bicycles a Day on USC's Campus, Calls for a Beefier Bicycle Plan

LAist

9/13/2010

Gold Line Extension Routing, Little Tokyo Station, Hollywood Car Sharing, Future Of Regional Organizations, Las Vegas Rail Race & More

5 Things America's Strongest Cities Have In Common
The Atlantic
Daily Breeze

High Speed, High Stakes Dominate Vegas Rail Race (An extended look at the Desert XPress, Maglev, and Desert Lightning plans. "If there are two places facing an uncertain future for how people travel, they are Southern California and southern Nevada. Growth is increasingly making them more of one mega-region than two distinct locales. Travel between the two is also becoming a burden for transportation officials and the commuting public.")
Riverside Press-Enterprise

L.A.-Long Beach Stakeholders Working Group Chipping Away At Terminal Issues
Cunningham Report

Hollywood Unbound

Long Beach Transit Service Reductions Take A Toll
California State University, Long Beach Daily 49er

Meet The Spring Street Park
Blog Downtown

New York To Study Red Hook Streetcars, But What Are The City's Goals? (Historic streetcars for Brooklyn)
Transport Politic

StreetsBlog LA
No, We Want It! Politicians Argue For Gold line In Their Neighborhood (Making The Case For Washington Blvd. vs. SR-60 routing of next Gold Line extension)
Curbed LA
Riverside Press-Enterprise
Rail Car Issue Not Yet Settled: Company Says Millions Of Dollars Will Be Wasted If [Houston] Metro Deal Is Axed ("The company holding Metro rail car contracts valued at $330 million said on Sunday that millions of taxpayer dollars could be wasted and as many as 100 Houston jobs lost if the transit agency complies with a federal mandate to cancel the deal.")
Houston Chronicle
Rocky Road: Past Metro Mistakes Complicate The Effort To Build Houston's Light-Rail
Houston Chronicle

Regional Organizations, Past And Present: Will They Work In The Future?
(Colloquium, October 2, 2010 : "The Metropolitan Water District brought Southern California abundant and cheap water; the Los Angeles and Long Beach Ports gave the Los Angeles region the opportunity to be a global player; the Los Angeles World Airport brought the people of the world here; the Alameda Corridor gave us a world class goods rail link and, overnight, Metrolink gave us a regional passenger transit system. All of these regional systems have been hugely successful. Now the issues of water, goods movement, aviation, and regional transit face new and daunting challenges.")
Los Angeles Region Planning History Group In Cooperation With Huntington-USC Institute On California And The West

Scwharzenegger Checks Out China's High-Speed Rail
Associated Press
Schwarzenegger Says Asia Trip Will Help To Select High-Speed Rail Provider (“In each one of the countries that we go to, which is China, Japan and Korea, we are going to ride high speed rail and they all are going to be part of the bidding process in California,” Schwarzenegger said.)
Bloomberg

The Station Equation: Budget Could Nix Regional Connector Stop At Fifth And Flower
Los Angeles Downtown News

Subway Trains To Generate Power For The Grid: A Battery Will Capture Power From Braking Trains
MIT Technology Review

Southern California Public Radio
LAist

Waiting for PRT: How About Some Moonshot Mojo?
(personal rapid transit)
Citiwire

We Don't Know What We're Talking About (Planning is overrun by verbiage with vague definitions, to the detriment of the process)
National League Of Cities

What MacArthur Park's History Tells Us About CicLAvia
CicLAvia

What's In A Name?: Little Tokyo Subway Station ("Just one minor issue remains, as far as I'm concerned: All of the Draft EIR documents show the station as "Second and Central" instead of "Little Tokyo.")
Little Tokyo Unblogged