State Pension Reform and Federal Transit Grants, Expo Supreme Court Decision, Sales Tax Growth, Toll Roads, Pedestrians, and more...

L.A. Transportation Headlines Metro Transportation Research Library: Aggregating transit and transportation news via Twitter & select RSS feeds, curated on weekdays. Published by Metro Library 06 August 2013 Read paper → Education Environment Business Society Health #transit #business Pension reform holds up $2.2 billion in federal transit grants to Metro - SGVTribune.com Shared by pasadenastarnews.com www­.sgvtribune.com - The federal government is withholding more than $2.2 billion in grants from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority due to complaints filed by labor unions over the state Publi... Freeze in transportation funds could lead to layoffs, longer waits - DailyBulletin.com Shared by Metro Library www­.dailybulletin.com - Omnitrans, which serves about 50,000 riders daily, said it would be losing about $30 million in operation and maintenance funding from the Federal Transportation Authority, because of a labor dispu... California Legislative Analyst's Office Report: Why Have Sales Taxes Grown Slower Than the Economy? Shared by Metro Library goldrushcam­.com - The sales and use tax is the state’s second largest revenue source as well as a major funding source for cities, counties, and some special districts. Broadly speaking, the amount of sales taxes ge... State Supreme Court Rejects Halt On Expo Line Rail From Culver City To Santa Monica « CBS Los Angeles Shared by CBS Los Angeles losangeles­.cbslocal.com - LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A bid by Westside homeowners’ groups to halt construction of the second phase of the Expo Line light rail from Culver City to Santa Monica has been rejected by the state S... California Supreme Court rules in favor of Expo Light Rail project, The Lookout News Shared by Metro Library www­.surfsantamonica.com - Because the EIR did study the project's impacts up to 2030 and found no adverse effects, “(t)hat detailed analysis demonstrates the lack of grounds to suppose the same analysis performed against ex... California high court lets Expo Line to Santa Monica move forward - latimes.com Shared by latimes.com www­.latimes.com - The state high court's fractured decision was a loss for a group of homeowners associations that had argued the project's environmental impact report failed to comply with state law. The Exposition... Women Scarce in the Top Posts of Los Angeles - NYTimes.com Shared by WTS Los Angeles www­.nytimes.com - But this city, a bastion of progressive politics, has a curious distinction these days. Only one woman holds elective office in the entire government of Los Angeles, a member of the 15-person City ... California governor orders inquiry, averts strike of San Francisco Bay Area transit - The Washington Post Shared by Metro Library www­.washingtonpost.com - Brown named a board of investigators for a seven-day inquiry into the contract dispute that had labor unions poised to walk off the job at midnight Sunday. But as of Monday afternoon, union leaders... State Government Employment Hits 8-Year Low Shared by Metro Library www­.governing.com - Slow, steady cuts to state government payrolls have continued to pile up in recent months, with no signs of employment trending up. Preliminary Labor Department estimates released Friday pegged tot... Report: Transit Ticketing via Smartphone Will Triple in Next 5 Years | Autopia Shared by Xerox Transportation www­.wired.com - A new report shows the smartphone is poised to replace the ticket as the preferred method of paying for public transit. To which we say, “duh.” Analysts at Juniper Research, a UK-based consulting f... Credit Rating Agencies Uneasy About Toll Roads as Americans Drive Less Shared by la.streetsblog.org dc­.streetsblog.org - Toll roads aren’t the cash cows they used to be. The assumption that the roads will “pay for themselves” is no longer a reliable one, and credit rating agencies are taking notice. In Orange County,... DOT unveils $2M pedestrian safety campaign - The Hill's Video Shared by Alan Thompson thehill­.com - The Department of Transportation (DOT) is creating a $2 million campaign to raise awareness about the safety of people who walk on streets in urban and rural areas. Transportation Secretary Anthony... AASHTO Journal - August 2, 2013 - Senators Introduce Bill to Cut Red Tape, Better Assist States in Permitting Process for Infrastructure Projects Shared by Metro Library www­.aashtojournal.org - U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Rob Portman (R-OH) this week introduced a bipartisan measure that would streamline the federal permitting process for many infrastructure projects in an ef... Volvo Unveils Portable Solar Charging Station That Fits In The Trunk Of Your Car - Forbes Shared by GreenParkingCouncil www­.forbes.com - Volvo, Sweden’s largest car manufacturer, is planning to unveil a foldable solar charging station that can be broken down and stored in the truck of a car. The so-called “Pure-Tension Pavilion” was... Why Downtown Growth Hinges on Water - Los Angeles Downtown News - For Everything Downtown L.A.!: News Shared by Metro Library www­.ladowntownnews.com - DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - Today, the Downtown area bounded by the freeways and the Los Angeles River supports about 450,000 workers and residents. If every last square foot of property was built to th... Seriously, Get on the Bus! New Analysis Shows Fiscal, Environmental Benefits of Buses | Deron Lovaas's Blog Shared by Scott Bogren switchboard­.nrdc.org - As I’ve written (here, here and here, for starters) it’s high time buses received more attention and investment in this country. Everyone loves to talk about other modes – especially bikes and trai... 2013 Conferences » Transit GIS Clearinghouse Shared by TxA&M Trans Inst transitgis­.org - Jointly organized by the National Center for Transit Research (NCTR), Transportation Research Board (TRB) and Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA). Cosponsored by the Federal ... Critical Path | ENR: Engineering News Record Shared by Metro Library enr­.construction.com - subscribe contact us advertise industry jobs events FAQ SUBSCRIBE TODAY & receive immediate web access Infrastructure Transportation Environment Power & Industrial Water & Dams Bldgs Building Types... Report warns of steep traffic decline at Ontario airport - latimes.com Shared by WTS Los Angeles www­.latimes.com - Touted by Forbes magazine several years ago as one of the best alternative metropolitan airports in the nation, Ontario lost almost 40% of its 7.2 million annual passengers from 2007 to 2012. A fur... California High Speed Rail Blog » When Will HSR Groundbreaking Begin? “Soon.” Shared by Cal High Speed Rail www­.cahsrblog.com - California High Speed Rail Authority board chairman Dan Richard has told a Fresno TV station that the long-anticipated groundbreaking for the first part of the high speed rail project will begin “s... Rising sea levels will seal fate of 316 U.S. cities, study warns Shared by US EPA Smart Growth www­.thestar.com - Rising sea levels will seal fate of 316 U.S. cities, study warns A rise in sea levels has sealed the fate of at least 316 U.S. cities, but if global warming keeps up its current rate through 2100, ... In Vancouver, Traffic Decreases as Population Rises Shared by Metro Library dc­.streetsblog.org - Can we all just pause for a moment and give Vancouver a standing ovation? The perennial contender for the title of world’s most livable city has accomplished what Houston or Atlanta never even drea... AASHTO Journal - August 2, 2013 - New House Caucus Focuses on Public Private Partnerships and their Role in Transportation Infrastructure Shared by Metro Library www­.aashtojournal.org - Congressional representatives this week announced the creation of a new House caucus that will focus on building and maintaining the nation's transportation infrastructure through the increase of p... ONT poised to lose more annual passengers - DailyBulletin.com Shared by dailybulletin.com www­.dailybulletin.com - Decline in passenger activity this year has already lead to $60 million in annual economic impact as well as 1,100 jobs lost to the region. Without intervention, ONT is likely to continue to strugg... Biking can help support mass transit Shared by UAB UTC www­.al.com - "In Birmingham, there are no pedestrians, just people who can't drive." A University of Alabama transportation engineering professor shared this quip from a man at a local traffic meeting with his ... Metro bus operator awarded for efforts to establish Peru Village Shared by thesource.metro.net thesource­.metro.net - Carlos Medina, a Chatsworth bus operator for Metro, has been awarded for ”Excellence in Leadership in the Peruvian Community” by the Peruvian American National Council and the U.S. Congress for est... Breaking: In Split Decision, California Supreme Court Gives Expo the O.K. Shared by la.streetsblog.org la­.streetsblog.org - It’s official, Neighbors for Smart Rail is out of legal options. Earlier this morning, the California Supreme Court upheld rulings by every other court that has looked at the case and ruled that th... ANOTHER VIEW: OCTA Chair Says Talks Continue - Gazettes.com, Long Beach California: Another View Shared by Metro Library www­.gazettes.com - A July 26 editorial (“Fight Against OCTA Worth City’s Energy”) paints a completely distorted picture of the Orange County Transportation Authority’s and Caltrans’ efforts to improve one of the most... Transportation Secretary Foxx: States and Local Governments Need to Step Up Too - WNYC Shared by Metro Library www­.wnyc.org - Q: Are you prepared to ask Congress to reauthorize federal legislation to fund Metro’s rehabilitation, now in the third year of a ten-year, $3 billion program, when it expires in 2020? Sec. Foxx: N... Reports Show Disney's Heavy Hand in Streetcar Design - Voice of OC Shared by Metro Library www­.voiceofoc.org - Disneyland Resort officials have had direct input into the design of Anaheim's proposed streetcar system since its earliest stages and successfully pushed for changes that significantly increased t... California Bicycle Coalition » Governor’s Transportation Agency increases bike funding by 30% Shared by Metro Library www­.calbike.org - After months of negotiations with the Governor’s office, CalBike’s campaign for #betterbikeways is on the verge of celebrating a big victory for bike/ped funding. If the Legislature approves it nex... CityWatch Shared by Metro Library www­.citywatchla.com - ALPERN ON TRANSIT - Yes, we can build another generation of transportation projects, with both federal, state, county and even city support in our lifetimes, if only we can acknowledge and learn fr... In BART strike, it's transit workers vs. just plain workers - latimes.com Shared by latimes.com www­.latimes.com - But the temporary delay won't resolve an issue that goes deeper than benefits and wages: This high-stakes standoff has fed the perception that public sector employees are oblivious to other workers... Videos Shared by Metro Library Shared by OCTA Marketing More videos → Education Bay Area transit strike deja vu: Now bus drivers threaten walkout - latimes.com Shared by Breaking LA News Blog | California Construction Shared by ENR When Millennials rule, will trains roll? - San Francisco Chronicle Shared by Metro Library Editorial: City should embrace train repair facility - Editorials - The Sacramento Bee Shared by Metro Library Quick Statistical Analysis of Recent European Rail Accidents Shared by Metro Library More Education → Environment Can the hypothetical 'Hyperloop' make California high-speed rail history? | AirTalk Shared by 89.3 KPCC California Supreme Court rules in favor of Expo Line Construction Authority in lawsuit against project’s environmental study Shared by Metro Library Congress must increase transit funding and help get America to work - The Hill's Congress Blog Shared by Metro Library Progressive Railroading Daily News Shared by Metro Library First phase of gate latching complete Shared by thesource.metro.net Becker: The success of Utah Transit Authority Shared by Eno Trans More Environment → Photos Shared by flickr.com Shared by flickr.com Shared by flickr.com More photos → I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project | Sunset Bridge Demolition & Reconstruction Shared by LADOT Beyond counting cars: Transportation planners embrace big data Shared by Darrel W. Cole More → Business Los Angeles Airport Commission to weigh $240 million in construction support contracts - Press-Telegram Shared by Whittier Daily News Research Pays Off: Improving Railroad Track Maintenance Scheduling with Operations Research Techniques | Blurbs Shared by Metro Library Automobile sales back to pre-recession levels - Washington Business Journal Shared by Metro Library More Business → Society California Supreme Court Clears Way For Expo Light Rail To Steam Ahead Shared by Santa Monica Mirror Board Sets Hearing To Probe BART Labor Dispute : NPR Shared by Metro Library T.S.A. Expands Duties Beyond Airport Security - NYTimes.com Shared by Transportation y More Society → Health AASHTO Journal - August 2, 2013 - FHWA Proposes Changes to Tunnel Inspection Standards to Reflect MAP-21 Shared by Metro Library The Vector-Borne Disease Airport Importation Risk Tool | Blurbs Shared by Metro Library FRA-Homepage Shared by The FRA More Health → Education • Environment • • Business • Society • Health • #transit • #business Read paper →