Today's Headlines - more at Metro

7/13/2012

Subways, Bike/Ped, High-Speed Rail, Fuel Cells & More



July 13: This Date In Los Angeles Transportation History (A major accident 99 years ago today garners a federal investigation and changes the nature of local streetcars)
Metro Transportation Library Primary Resources Blog

The 10 Best Songs About The Subway
The Atlantic: Cities

America And High-Speed Rail: The Progress So Far (Update on status of projects around the U.S.)
Next American City

The Awful Truth About The Transpo Bill's Bike/Ped Loophole

StreetsBlog DC

A Bicycle Mod That Lets You Ride The Streetcar Rails
The Atlantic Cities

California Bullet Train Gets Its Own Riding The Rails Folk Song
Curbed LA

California's High-Speed Rail System: What It Is And Why You Should Care
io9

Desperately Seeking Shade: How South L.A. Bus Riders Weather The Elements
StreetsBlog LA

Former California High-Speed Rail Authority Head Says Latest Plan "Not What I Fought For"
Sacramento Bee

FTA Fuel Cell Bus Program: Research Accomplishments Through 2011 (87p. PDF)
FTA Research Report

"Higher-Speed" Trains To Precede True High-Speed Rail In U.S.
Philly.com

Implementation And Outcomes Of Fare-Free Transit Systems (105p. PDF)
Transit Cooperative Research Program

Incident Management And Access For Managed Lanes (webinar : July 17 : Part of the "Overcoming The Challenges Of Congestion Pricing Webinar Series")
National Highway Institute

LA County Struggling To Fix Transit Line Flaw
Sacramento Bee

LADOT's FY11-12: A Banner Year For Bikeways
StreetsBlog LA

New York MTA Announces Smartphone-Based Ticketing Trails Aboard Metro-North Railroad ("While the grand experiment is currently closed to the public, it's said that railroad workers will use their Android, BlackBerry and iPhone handsets to purchase rail tickets, which may then be validated directly from their smartphone. During the trial, the new system will be compared to the current purchasing scheme that combines both ticket machines and on-board purchases.")
Endgadget

Once Again: Trains Should Go Where The People Are
California High Speed Rail Blog

Peeking Behind The Curtain Of Big Oil-Funded Agenda 21 Conspiracy Mongers
StreetsBlog DC

Report: Long Beach, Los Angeles Jobs Are Near Transit, But Connections Are Slow
Silicon Valley Mercury News

Robbed Of The Thrill Of The Road ("Once, driving was a pleasure. But spending a large portion of the day on the 405 Freeway is too much of a good thing.")
Los Angeles Times

Santa Monica Changes Parking Rates At Beach And Shopping Areas ("The aim is to ease the burden on congested downtown lots and structures by encouraging long-term parkers to use spaces in the Civic Center and main library garages.")
Los Angeles Times

UCLA Study Of Japan's Bullet Train Raises Questions About California Project ("A UCLA analysis of Japan's Shinkansen bullet train and its impact on the growth of cities along its route calls into question claims by state officials that California's high-speed rail project will create up to 400,000 jobs.")
Los Angeles Times

What Amtrak High-Speed Rail Trains Will Look Like In 2040
Transportation Nation

What Should Become Of Route 66?
The Atlantic: Cities


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

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

7/12/2012

Expo II, Bullet Train, BRT Standards, CicLAvia, Transit & L.A. Jobs, Parking & More


The 6 Firms Competing To Design The New Sixth Street Bridge
Curbed LA

405 Ramp Closures Force Drivers Onto Westside Surface Streets
NBC Los Angeles

Anaheim Moves Ahead With Bike Nation, 8 Locations Selected
StreetsBlog LA

Are State And Local Mass Transit Projects Really Job Creators?
LA Observed

Big News: Obama's California Bullet Train Is Still On Track
TIME

Brookings: Inadequate Transit And Sprawl Cut Off Workers From Jobs
StreetsBlog DC

Bullet Train Bombshell: CAHSR Spurned Cost-Cutting Offer From The French
StreetsBlog Network

Bullet Train Vote Demonstrates California Legislature Working Well ("The Senate's approval of high-speed rail funding may or may not be wise policy. But it illustrates what the political process looks like when it's done right.")
Los Angeles Times


Clearing Up Toll-Lane Confusion (Or Trying To)
Los Angeles Daily News


An Experiment Worth Watching: All-Door Bus Boarding In San Francisco
The Atlantic: Cities


Expo Line Details Shared At Community Meeting ("Exposition Authority briefs public on plans and upcoming construction on the second phase of construction from Culver City into Santa Monica. Second community meeting is July 18 in Santa Monica.")
Culver City Patch

Field Evaluation Of A Restricted Crossing U-Turn Intersection (52p. PDF)
Federal Highway Administration

Flaw At L.A. Light Rail Junction Poses Derailment Risk, Experts Say ("Metro blamed abnormal wear for the need to keep rewelding a spot on the track where the Expo and Blue lines meet. But state regulators disagree, saying part of the weld broke. Re-welding is planned.")
Los Angeles Times


Freeway "Cap" Could Reunite Downtown With The Ocean
Ventura County Star


From A To B: Bike Shop Owners See Big Returns From Capital Bikeshare
WAMU

José Huizar Plans For A New "Cohesive" Downtown LA District ("As more residents pour into Downtown, infrastructure for everyday life such as more schools, parks and access to transportation will be key parts of development, the councilman said.")
Blog Downtown

L.A. Removes Its Training Wheels (video: " CicLAvia is more than a one day event, it shows car commuters firsthand the advantages of other forms of transportation; whether by bus, subway or bike. Over 10 miles of streets are opened to bicyclists and pedestrians, giving each of them a glimpse of how easy it can be to navigate the City without a car. Partly funded by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, this event is meant to promote alternative forms of transportation. With the 4th CicLAvia a resounding success, it is clear that the city of Los Angeles has removed its training wheels and Angelenos are beginning to see LA in a whole new light.")
Mayor's Office Of The City Of Los Angeles via YouTube

A Look At LA's Transit System That Will Remind You Of Ours ("That sounds a lot like what’s happening here in the Dallas area: More rail, less bus service, fewer riders overall.")
Dallas Morning News

Mass Transit And Job Creation In LA ("KPCC's business analyst Mark Lacter says construction of mass transit creates local jobs in LA, but the numbers aren't very impressive.")
KPCC Southern California Public Radio

Mayor Villaraigosa: "We're The City Most Addicted To The Single Passenger Automobile" (audio)
KCRW Which Way L.A.?

New Operators Takes Over Van Nuys FlyAway Service
San Fernando Valley Business Journal

New Tool Visualizes American BRT
Next American City
U.S. Bus Rapid Transit: 10 High-Quality Features And The Value Chain Of Firms That Provide Them (77p. PDF)
Duke University Center On Globalization, Governance & Competitiveness

Opinion: Internet Sales Tax Could Help Solve State's Transportation Mess ("Working from the retailers’ widely accepted $335 million estimate, we project that approximately $54 million would automatically go to transportation because, by law, a penny of the sales tax is pledged to the MBTA...There are no magical, painless ways to pay for much-needed transportation investments. But taxing Internet sales is fair, reasonable, and brings our tax system into line with modern business practices.")
Boston Globe

Plan Calls For Wider Wilshire, Narrower Sidewalks ("A plan to widen Wilshire Boulevard for rapid transit bus-only lanes has some concerned over narrower sidewalks and the prospect of increased pedestrian traffic with the coming of the Westside Subway Extension.")
Brentwood Patch

Rediscovering Downtown L.A.'s Lost Neighborhood Of Bunker Hill
("While the physicality of Bunker Hill has been erased, the city's architectural memories survive in libraries, official archives, and private collections. That record continues to inform scholarship about urban redevelopment and, through web-based historical research projects like On Bunker Hill, a public understanding of what the city lost when redevelopment claimed the hilltop community.")
LA as Subject via KCET

Senior SF Muni Rider Hit With $100 Fine For 5 Cent Shortage ("He has since appealed the case and lost – costing him another $25.")
CBS San Francisco

What Can LA Do To Get Angelenos Riding The Bus?
Curbed LA

Why An Urban Downtown And Lots Of Free Parking Spots Are Mutually Exclusive
Las Vegas Weekly

Will California Really Get High Speed Rail? (audio)
KCRW Which Way L.A.?


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

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

7/11/2012

Transit & Labor, Road Diets, SGV Transit, CAHSR, Bike/Ped & More


July 11: This Date In Los Angeles Transportation History (The Metro Red Line reaches the Vermont corridor)
Metro Transportation Library Primary Resources Blog

Bill Allows Parking At Broken Meters
Culver City Patch

Commuters Could Dodge Heavy Houston Traffic With HOT Lanes
KUHF

Gardena Man's Rescue Of Fellow Bus Rider's Bike Changes His Life
Los Angeles Times

Glendale City Council To Consider "Road Diet" Plan
Glendale News-Press

Infographic: The Science Of Traffic Jams
Transportation Issues Daily

Interesting Look At Drawing Discretionary Bus Riders
Riverside Press-Enterprise

Jerry's High Speed Rail: Another California Grand Sham
CityWatch

Most Urban Jobs Are Near Transit, But Most Workers Aren't (Los Angeles ranks #42 among U.S. metropolitan areas)
Wall Street Journal
Where The Jobs Are: Employer Access To Labor By Transit (Full report)
Brookings
Los Angeles - Long Beach - Santa Ana, CA Metro Area (While 96.5% of urban jobs are near transit, only 25.4% of the labor force can reach those jobs in 90 minutes via public transit)
Brookings
Employer Access To Labor By Transit: Profiles (Review statistics for all 100 top urban areas)
Brookings

Opinion: Is California's High-Speed Train On Track Or Off The Rails?
Los Angeles Times

San Gabriel Valley Transit 2012: Big Fixes, Strong Measures, And Work To Be Done (16-page special advertising supplement contains discussion of the Measure R extension, Gold Line extension, Alameda Corridor East, interview with Metro Board Chair Antonovich and more )
Civic Publications

Sixth Street Bridge Design Meeting
Los Angeles Downtown News

Study Finds Los Angeles Most Congested City In North America
Market Watch
TomTom Congestion Index

Survey Says: How Thomas Jefferson Made L.A.
KCET

The Atlantic Wonders If Transit Is Failing White People (Response to yesterday's post on The Atlantic: Cities which prominently featured Los Angeles transit)
Human Transit

Top Three Ways Information Is Making Transportation More Efficient
Think Progress

Walking And Bicycling In The United States: The Who, What, Where, And Why (4p. PDF)
TR News

Welcome To The Rampture: Coping With The Wilshire/405 Closures
UCLA Newsroom

We're Still Living In The SAFETEA-LU Era For Three More Months
StreetsBlog DC

What High Speed Rail Funding Means For Southern California In The Next Decade
StreetsBlog LA

Which US States Invest The Most In Bicycle And Pedestrian Projects
Clean Technica


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

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

7/10/2012

Expo Line Public Art, Beverly Hills Subway, Expo Line II, CAHSR, CicLAvia, TAP & More


Advancing High-Speed Rail Policy In The United States (88p. PDF)
Mineta Transportation Institute

Amtrak Unveils $151B Plan For Northeast High Speed Rail By 2040
Talking Points Memo

Bus Operator Awareness Research And Development Training Program (20p. PDF)
Mineta Transportation Institute

CA Senate Approves Funds For High-Speed Rail, Commuter Rail Upgrades

StreetsBlog SF

Challenges Remain For Calif. High-Speed Rail Plan
Sacramento Bee

CicLAvia Makes Way For The Space Shuttle
NBC Los Angeles

Construction Underway For Phase II Of The Expo Line ("With Phase I of the Expo Line from downtown to Culver City now complete, construction of the second phase of the Expo Line got underway at the beginning of July.")
Culver City Patch

A Different Future With California High-Speed Rail ("We live in a democracy where our elected officials, not engineers, make final decisions about projects such as this. Does an imperfect project deserve to be abandoned? I think not. It should be criticized and improved, but its weak points should not be achilles heels.")
The Transport Politic

Editorial: Slow-Speed Rail -- Bullet Train Still On Track But Faces Political Obstacles As More Lawmakers Turn Cold
Los Angeles Daily News

Experiments In Enhancing The Experience Of Public Art Along The Expo Line
StreetsBlog LA

Few People Attend Measure R Forum ("The push to inform voters about a proposed November ballot initiative to extend a half-percent sales tax for transportation projects is under way, though a forum Monday in Burbank drew only a sparse audience.")
Los Angeles Daily News

Fifth CicLAvia Event To Roll Through South L.A.
USC Annenberg Intersections South LA

GOOD Ideas For Cities: Making Transit Social
GOOD

A Guide For Implementing Bus On Shoulder (BOS) Systems (129p. PDF)
Transit Cooperative Research Program

Here's The October CicLAvia Map With Big New Route Changes
Curbed LA

How We Talk About Funding For Transit
Next American City

Inside Beverly Hills: Subway Update (recorded June 15 : video)
Beverly Hills Television via Vimeo

Inside Beverly Hills: Subway Update (recorded June 21 : video : "Featuring a roundtable discussion to encourage continued interest and dialogue on matters vital to our community. Hosted by Rudy Cole with Jody Litvak, David Mieger and Paul Taylor.")
Beverly Hills Television via Vimeo

The Hill

National Journal Transportation Experts Blog

LAist

Motor Avenue Bridge On Its Way Down For Expo Line Extension ("The old Motor Avenue bridge, which once carried streetcars to the Westside via one track, is being demolished to make way for a new two-track bridge that can carry light rail cars for the Expo Line extension to Santa Monica.")
Curbed LA

AASHTO Press Release

Governing

Mineta Transportation Institute

The Atlantic: Cities

The Hill

Santa Monica Bike Share Program Zooms Ahead
Santa Monica Lookout

Say "Hi" To California High-Speed Rail...For Better Or Worse
CityWatch

States Already Licking Their Chops Over Newly "Flexible" Bike/Ped Funds
StreetsBlog DC

The TAPture!
Militant Angeleno

"Thank God" For High-Speed Rail Funding, Gov. Jerry Brown Says
Los Angeles Times


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

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

7/09/2012

Burbank Transpo Center, Expo II, Regional Connector, High Speed Rail, CicLAvia, Metrolink & More


California Senate Vote Keeps  Bullet Train Alive ("In a victory for Brown, the Legislature approves funds to begin the system in the Central Valley.")
Los Angeles Times

Changes At CicLAvia: New Routes, New Dates (New date: October 7. "But an even bigger change than the date is the route. The core of the CicLAvia route remains intact on 7th and Spring Street in Downtown Los Angeles, but all of the route’s “arms” have changed. Gone are the “starting points” at Hollenbeck Park in East L.A. and the Heliotrope/Melrose “Bike District” in East Hollywood. Instead, the western most point of CicLAvia V is at MacArthur Park in Mid-Town and the eastern most point is Soto Station on the Gold Line.")
StreetsBlog LA

StreetsBlog LA

DIY Speed Bumps: Traffic Control For Neighborhoods (Profiles the efforts of several Southern Californians who have taken traffic-calming into their own hands with creative and innovative solutions: Signs, murals, screaming, lobbying, parklets, and trees)
Los Angeles Times

Editorial: Transportation Officials Must Do A Better Job Preparing For Metro ExpressLanes
Los Angeles Daily News

Expo Line: Tunnel Approved, Construction Starts, Hearings Planned ("Actual construction of the second phase of the Expo Line began this month, with the demolition of an old freight viaduct over Motor Avenue in Cheviot Hills, and the construction of parking lots along Colorado Boulevard in Santa Monica.")
Santa Monica Patch

Feds Give Important Green Light To Regional Connector
Los Angeles Downtown News

Future Of The Santa Fe Depot ("With the Metro Gold Line extension set to pass through Monrovia, people have been left to wonder just where the old depot will fit into the design.")
Monrovia Patch

StreetsBlog DC

Ground Officially Breaks On Massive Transit Center At Bob Hope Airport ("The complex is expected to be completed in 2014 and will bring bus, rail and car-rental services under one roof.")
Burbank Leader

High-Speed Rail Officials Rebuffed Proposal From French Railway ("The French railway recommended that the state build the rail line along the Interstate 5 corridor and partner with it or another foreign firm to hold down costs.")
Los Angeles Times

L.A., State Leaders Celebrate Passage Of Federal Transportation Bill
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Lawmakers Vote To Move Ahead With California Rail Link
New York Times

LBT Stops Service To Seal Beach: Maybe It Wasn't About Race, After All
Long Beach Post

A Look At The Omnibus New Flyer Xcelsior Model Buses
News From Omnibus

Los Angeles Transit Needs Taxpayers' Money To Rebuild
Governing

Metrolink Beefs Up Service In O.C.
Orange County Register

Mixed Bag For Region In Proposed Measure R Extension
San Gabriel Valley Business Journal

Nearly $14 Million To Fund Fontana Interchange Paves Way For Development
San Bernardino Sun

New Federal Bill Will Help City Build 12 Transportation Projects In 10 Years
LAist

Obama Signs Highway Bill
The Hill

Of Course People Will Ride California HSR
The Atlantic: Cities

Officials Rethink San Gabriel Valley Agency Operations ("In the wake of the arrest of its director on conflict-of-interest charges, the council of governments is reconsidering the way it does business.")
Los Angeles Times

Officials Still Planning Gold Line To Claremont, Despite MTA Stance ("Construction Authority researching ways to fund portion from Azusa to Claremont.")
Glendora Patch

Opinion: L.A. -- Transit's Promised Land? ("Which major U.S. city is at the cutting edge of forward-thinking transportation planning? Surprise: It's Los Angeles...Many Angelenos are surprised to learn that their city's reputation is at an all-time high among international transit scholars.")
Los Angeles Times

Our View: Monstrous Metro vs. Gold Line
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Proposed Metered Parking Zone Ordinance To Go Before Pomona Council
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

StreetsBlog LA

Say Goodbye To Street Parking
Santa Monica Daily Press

Target To Open Oct. 14 ("That will also be the day when Brookfield celebrates the opening of the renamed Figat7th shopping complex, which is in the midst of a $40 million renovation.")
Los Angeles Downtown News

Transportation Gives Lawmakers Bragging Rights
Politico

TRB Webinar: Transportation Asset Management: Highlights From Beyond Pavement And Bridges Track (July 18)
Transportation Research Board

Video, Text Of President Signing MAP-21
Transportation Issues Daily

Villaraigosa Goes To Washington (video : "President Barack Obama signed legislation that was hatched at LA City Hall. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa joined the president for the bill signing. America Fast Forward allows the federal government to loan funding for transit projects in LA County.")
NBC Los Angeles

What's Next For High Speed Rail: The Politics
California High Speed Rail Blog

Where I Am Reading: Union Station (The seating and station ambience makes it one of the best places to read in the city)
KCET

Why U.S. Transit Systems Are Still So Far Away From Converting To Driverless Trains
The Atlantic: Cities


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

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