Today's Headlines - more at Metro

10/25/2011

I-405 & Westside Delays, Van Nuys Blvd, Pasadena TOD, LADOT, Rail-Volution, Smog-Eating Concrete & More

2.7 Million Transit Riders May Lose Tax Parity With Car Commuters
Natural Resources Defense Council Switchboard Blog

At Rail~Volution 2011, Calls For Livable Communities And Transit Options
U.S. DOT Fast Lane Blog

Concrete That "Eats" Smog? MoDOT Testing It Out In West County ("It just acts as a sponge,” Jonas said. “It takes those pollutants, holds them in there, and when the sun comes out the UV rays from the sun activate the cement and it breaks it down into harmless products.")
CBS St. Louis

Dig Baby, Dig ("Put simply, maintenance is a local issue. Building new -- expansion -- is something we fund out of Washington D.C. through any number of programs or appropriations. But the catch is always that the drudgery of maintenance falls lower on the government food chain.")
Strong Towns

Does The New iPhone's "Siri" Make Texting While Driving Legit?
Stateline

Existing Intelligent Transportation Technologies Could Eliminate Almost All Traffic Accidents
Trucking Info

Expo Line Picks Up Speed: Up To Four Trains On The Tracks At Once
University Park Family

Failing Sidewalks Show Where The "Common Good" Ends
KCET

Federal Transportation Funding Mandates: The Coming Capitol Hill Battle
Washington Post

GOP Pitches Transportation Bill As Jobs Program
Associated Press

How Long Does It Take LADOT To Install A Sharrow?
L.A. Eco-Village Blog

Idea Of The Day: Unite Metro And Bus Commuters In A Social Network ("Design a social network or social media vehicle to bring together these riders who sit alongside one another day after day. Why remain strangers if there's no need?...D.C. Metro Connection is a newly launched social network that allows you to join to create an environment for all DMV professionals and metro users to network, rant and advertise amongst each other...Another purpose of the website is to create a forum where DMV metro riders can voice their opinions about changes and improvements they would like to see in the DMV metro system.")
TBD On Foot

If It's Not One Thing ("City staff can report to the council that neighbors, staff, and the Expo authority all agree on a design for the [Expo Line maintenance facility] project, thus proving that at least sometimes, rational thinking and communication can solve problems.")
Santa Monica Lookout

ITS And Locational Privacy: Suggestions For Peaceful Coexistence (link to full-text PDF)
University Of Minnesota Center For Transportation Studies Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute

Metro Warns Of Months Of Westside Travel Delays ("Drivers should expect delays along Sepulveda Boulevard in Westwood starting today and continuing for three months while crews do utility work under the street, according to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.")
Daily Breeze

[N.Y.] MTA Weighs Unusual Steps To Curb Trash ("The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is considering getting rid of trash cans altogether on some platforms.")
Wall Street Journal

The Never-Ending Project On The 405 ("Carmageddon" -- when the 405 was closed for a weekend through the Sepulveda Pass -- turned into a breeze, because Metro warned motorists for weeks in advance. But Metro waited until Friday to publicly announce lane reductions that started today, so commuters and residents had no opportunity to plan alternative routes or allow more time to get to their destinations. We hear from Metro and some angry drivers.")
KCRW Which Way, L.A.?

New Bike Facilities Sprouting In Downtown Santa Monica: The Good, The Not So Good, & The Ugly
Gary Rides Bikes

OMG: San Fernando Valley Wants Some Transit, Density
Curbed LA

Pasadena TOD Projects Set The Stage For Denser, More Walkable Development
Urban Land

Transportation And Food Access Idea 1: Transit And Good Food
StreetsBlog LA

Transportation's Future A Rocky Road
Politico

Viadoom: Replacement Of Aging Seattle Viaduct Gets Underway ("In Los Angeles, the I-405 closure in July was called "Carmageddon." Now, Seattle's long-feared downtown freeway fiasco is underway, and it's known as "Viadoom.")
Los Angeles Times

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