Subway Wraps, Orange Line Light Rail?, Park 101, World's Worst Commutes, Weight Loss Via Transit & More

Cities With The World's Worst Commutes (Los Angeles? Worst in the nation, with 43% saying they believe traffic has gotten worse in the last three years, but doesn't fare too poorly when compared internationally. Moscow? Don't ask.)
Huffington Post
IBM Global Commuter Pain Study Reveals Traffic Crisis In Key International Cities

High Speed Rail Supporters State Their Case At Union Station And Beyond
StreetsBlog LA

HUD Chief Preaches Livable Communities At Conference On Cities
StreetsBlog Network

Irvine Co. Gives 20,000 Acres Of Open Space To Orange County (The parcel is five times the size of Griffith Park and doubles O.C. parklands overnight)
Los Angeles Times

Judge Throws Out Challenge To Metrolink Cameras That Monitor Engineers
Los Angeles Times

L.A. Council Approves Truck-Driving Academy Atop Old Lopez Canyon Landfill
Los Angeles Times

L.A. Planning Director Goldberg Announces Retirement
California Planning & Development Report

L.A. School District Purchase CNG Buses
Fleet Owner

Meet Alhambra Gateway, San Gabriel Valley's Arc De Triomphe
Curbed LA

MTA To Raise Fares 6%: A One-Way Ticket Will Rise To $1.50 And A Daily Pass Will Increase To $6. Fares Will Remain The Same For Students, The Disabled, Medicare Recipients And People 62 Or Over
Los Angeles Times

Next Steps... (StreetsBlog LA to cease publication July 23)
StreetsBlog LA

Now, Anyone Can Monitor Reliability
Human Transit

Officials To Mull Rail Station In Valley: California's Planned 800-Mile High-Speed Rail System Will Include One Station In The Valley Along The Statewide Route
Glendale News Press

Park 101 Pseudo-Update: Latest Rendering Reveal
Curbed LA

Riders Who Take Mass Transit Regularly May Lose Weight
National Public Radio
The Effect Of Light Rail Transit On Body Mass Index And Physical Activity (8p. PDF)
American Journal Of Preventive Medicine

SoCal Seeks High Line West: Port City Of Wilmington [Is] Completing Its Own Elevated Park, A Buffer Between Loading Docks And Domiciles
Architect's Newspaper

Subway Wraps: Innovative Transit Revenue Streams (Not Sandwiches)...
Metro Transportation Library Primary Resources Blog

Terrafugia Transition "Flying Car" Gets Go-Ahead From US Air Authorities (light aircraft can convert into a road-legal automobile and will go into production after being given a special weight exemption by the FAA)
Telegraph (London)

What About Upgrading The Orange Line To Light Rail?
Ride The Pink Line

Wonktime: The Great Los Angeles Parking Debate
LA Weekly

Venice Rapid, Lessons For CicLAvia, Yellow Lights, Metrolink Cuts, Eliminating Parking & More

Airport Connector Back On Track: After Feds Pull $70 Million, BART Makes Local Stops For Funds
Bay Citizen

Barcelona's Metro Continues Its Expansion At A Relatively Cheap Price
Transport Politic

Could The Gulf Disaster Be A Good Excuse To Beef Up The Region's Infrastructure?
Infrastructurist

D.C. Tests New Parking Technology To Help Drivers Find Space, Pay More Easily
Washington Post

A High-Speed Zip Across Europe By Train
Los Angeles Times

Is The Problem Auto-Dependency Or Suburbia?
Seattle Transit Blog

Lessons From Mexico City: Ciclovia
StreetsBlog LA

Metrolink Schedule Changes Confuse Commuters: Reduction Of Routes Leaves Some Riders Scrambling
Ventura County Star

Opinion: Where To Ride Those Bikes? Denver's Public Bike-Sharing Program Is A Great Success, But It Highlights The Need For a More Complete Network Of Bike Lanes
Denver Post

Proposal For Digital License Plates Faces A Major Hurdle: Gov. Schwarzenegger
Los Angeles Times

Some Good News for Bus Riders, Rapid Buses Come To Venice Blvd.
StreetsBlog LA

Tech Saves The World: New Software Makes Existing Trains Go Faster
Infrastructurist

There's No Such Thing As Free Parking: How Eliminating Parking Spaces Could Make Cities More Nimble And Efficient
Slate

Traffic Study Sees Shades Of Gray In Yellow Lights
Washington Post

Where Have All The Freeway Sweepers Gone?
ABC-7

Why Is Transit In Such A Fiscal Hole?
Transportation Nation

Citizen Advisory Committees, Region-Based Gas Taxes, Tunnel Drilling, Intermodal Security & More

10 Principles For Livable Transportation
Sustainable Cities Collective

Anti-Terror Cams On Track For Subway Hubs
New York Post

Burned Before, Railroads Take Risks
Wall Street Journal

California Lawmakers Consider License Plates That Flash Ads
Los Angeles Times

Can Dutch Cycling Lessons Carry Over To Modern Los Angeles?
Flying Pigeon LA

Congress Cuts High Speed Rail Funding, California Calls For It To Be Restored
LAist

Divide And Conquer: Should States Impose Region-Based Gas Taxes?
Infrastructurist

Do Apps For Democracy And Other Contests Create Sustainable Applications?
Government Technology

Drilling A Highway 99 Tunnel Thrills Industry Pros
Seattle Times

Effective Use Of Citizen Advisory Committees For Transit Planning And Operations (76p. PDF)
U.S. Transit Cooperative Research Program

Emergency Management Training And Exercises For Transportation Agency Operations (50p. PDF)
Mineta Transportation Institute

First Phase Of Gold Line Extension [Began] On Saturday: Real Estate Developers, Politicians And Residents Hope That The 11.3 Mile Extension, Scheduled To Be Completed In Four Years, Will Bring New Development To The San Gabriel Valley
Los Angeles Times

From Buses To BRT: Case Studies Of Incremental BRT Projects in North America (110p. PDF)
Mineta Transportation Institute

Ground-Borne Noise And Vibration In Buildings Caused By Rail Transit (208p. PDF)
U.S. Transportation Cooperative Research Program

Improving Passenger Safety On Buses (p. 9 of PDF : development and testing of new system for aisle-side containment in the wheelchair station on buses)
Ignition: News From TRB's IDEA Programs

Infographic Of The Day: Walking And Biking Are Rising Explosively
Fast Company

L.A. Metro Transit Agency Awards Clean Energy New CNG Station Upgrade, Operation & Maintenance Contract To Help Support America's Largest Clean-Air Bus Fleet
MarketWatch

Measure R Projects Underway: Ground Is Broken For Foothill Extension
StreetsBlog LA

Metro Fares To Go Up July 1st: Protest Group vows To Fight Metro Fare Hike
San Fernando Valley Sun

The Misery Starts As NY Transit Cuts Go Into Effect
Mobilizing The Region

Op-Ed: Mass-Transit Initiative A Chance To Unlock L.A.'s Freeways
Los Angeles Business Journal

Public Rejects Variety Of Options For Fixing State Budgets
Pew Research Center For The People & The Press

Seeing The Street As A New Cyclist
StreetsBlog Network

States Look For New Ways to Promote Route 66 Attractions
USA Today

Transportation Security: Additional Actions Could Strengthen The Security Of Intermodal Transportation Facilities (30p. PDF)
U.S. Government Accountability Office

Truckers Say Safety Program Needs Work
Journal Of Commerce

What's The Best Way To Create Jobs? Spend More On Roads And Bridges (We Think)
Infrastructurist

Yearlong Effort Will Add Vans To Transit Options
New York Times

Gold Line Foothill Extension Launches, Amtrak Operates Metrolink, Vision California, HSR Leadership & More

Access For All: Transit Cuts Hit U.S. Cities' Less Fortunate
The City Fix

App Development Rush Strikes California State Government
Government Technology

Battle Lines Drawn Over AB32 As Oil Companies Qualify Battle Measure
StreetsBlog SF

Cut Suburban Sprawl, Save Energy, Study Urges (Vision California, the state's first planning document in over 30 years, calls for compact development in established cities: "bringing commuters closer to their jobs can help Californians drive 3.7 trillion fewer miles and save 140 billion gallons of gasoline by 2050.")
San Francisco Chronicle

Editorial: Private Jobs On Public Roads
Orange County Register

Expo Line's Path To Service By Next Summer Still Not Clear
USC Annenberg Neon Tommy

Fares On Metro, Metrolink To Go Up
Southern California Public Radio

From Los Angeles To The Inland Empire: A History Of RTD Line #496
More Than Red Cars

Gold Line Foothill Extension From Pasadena To Azusa Launches
Pasadena Star-News

L.A. City Planning Reorganization Is "Game Changing"
Planning Report

Lawmaker Calls For Leadership Changes In High-Speed Rail Authority (State Sen. Alan Lowenthal, Chairman of the Transportation Committee, says high-speed rail directors should not also serve on local transportation boards. The ban would prevent a conflict of interest, he says)
Los Angeles Times

Metrolink Board Approves Rate Hike; Amtrak Takes Over Operation Of Trains
Los Angeles Times

More From "Future Of The City": Smart Grid's Early Mistakes
Infrastructurist

MTA Breaks Ceremonial Ground In Arcadia For Foothill Extension
Arcadia Weekly

Opinion: Time To Get Moving On High-Speed Rail
Politico

Priority Seating For Conversations
I (Heart) Public Space

RTD Picks Team To Be Partner For DIA FasTracks Line (Public-Private partnership ready to build rail to Denver airport)
Denver Post

Scientists Harness High Speed Train Technology To Test Food
National Public Radio

Taking Bus Transit To The Max In Salt Lake City ("Salt Lake City’s MAX Bus Rapid Transit was presented a Smart Solution Spotlight award by ITS America today for pioneering a new model for bus transit that replicates the speed and efficiency of rail and makes use of the latest in transportation technology and infrastructure improvements.")
ITS America

What To Look For In Transportation-Housing Projects?
National Journal Transportation Blog

Why High Speed Rail Should Remain At High Speed
California High Speed Rail Blog

Gold Line Groundbreaking Tomorrow, Renaming Pasadena Freeway, CicLAvia Route, Beverly Hills Tunneling & More

Arcadia Relocates Proposed Gold Line Station (to a more visible spot downtown)
Pasadena Star-News

Busway Linkage Obsession Puzzler
StreetsBlog LA

The Commuter Diaries: Riding And Walking On Wilshire Under The 405 Just Got A Little Safer
UCLA Be A Green Commuter!

CPUC Rules: An At-Grade Station Is Just Fine for Expo At Farmdale
StreetsBlog LA

Don't Tunnel Under Our Beverly Hills Homes: Homeowners Association
Beverly Hills Courier

The Future Comes Down To Where We Live v. Where We Work ("The costs of commuting to work in the U.S. have gone up 1000% in the past few decades...Cars eat up to 70% of family budgets in parts of California.")
Infrastructurist

Getting LA Off Oil
Huffington Post
How Can Los Angeles Get Off Oil?
Huffington Post

A Glimpse Of A Car-Friendly Urban Future, Courtesy Of -- No Surprise -- A Car Company
Scientific American

Gold Line Foothill Extension To Break Ground Saturday
LAist
Groundbreaking Ceremony Invitation (PDF : "Food, entertainment, and activities for the entire family")
I Will Ride

Graffiti Costing LA Millions
Los Angeles Daily News

Help CicLAvia Turn Los Angeles Streets Into A Temporary Park
GOOD
Planned CicLAvia Route For September 12, 2010

Improvising And Improving LA's Transit (June 26 : Sustainability Stage of the West Coast's largest design event)
Dwell On Design

Ingenious Flipper Bridge Melds Left-Side Drivers With Right-Side Drivers (Preventing crashes between drivers between Hong Kong and China)
Fast Company

L.A. Businesses Oppose Closing At-Rail Crossing
Glendale News Press

Open Data Standards For City Agencies
Urban Omnibus

Opinion: Time To Alter Map On High-Speed Rail?
Ventura County Star

Our View: Onboard With Transit Options
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Pasadena Freeway Getting A New Look And A Name: L.A.'s Oldest Freeway Will Be Renamed The Arroyo Seco Parkway As Caltrans Adds New Lighting, Improves The Center Divider And Adds Decorative Low Walls To The Shoulders
Los Angeles Times

Sustainability In Transportation: A New International Exhibit And Metro Library's Up-To-The-Minute Resources
Metro Transportation Library Primary Resources Blog

Test Will Give Buses The Green Light In Riverside
Riverside Press-Enterprise

Transportation For America Proposal Creates More Jobs Than Current Transportation Law, Economic Policy Institute Finds
Transportation For America

Two New Studies On Density And Driving
World Changing

Expo Line At Dorsey, 710 Tunnel, Gold Line Art Tour, Tagging Injunction, Gas Prices & More

4 Calif. Rail Yards May Face Emissions Reductions
San Jose Mercury News

Deployment Of High-Tech Meters Underway
Blog Downtown

Expo Line Gets OK For Street-Level Crossing Next To Dorsey High: California Public Utilities Commission Hearing Officer Backs A Revised Plan For The Light-Rail Project That Includes Speed Restrictions For Trains And Motor Vehicle Gates - Critics See Risk To Students
Los Angeles Times

How Fast Can Trains Run Between Los Angeles And San Diego?
Rail Passenger Association Of California & Nevada

It's Official: Bike Lanes Open Down America's Main Street
U.S. DOT Fast Lane Blog

L.A. City Attorney Seeks Injunction Against "MTA" Tagging Crew
Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Parking Meter Signs: Get Out Your Slide Rule To Figure Them Out
Huffington Post

Minimizing Car Travel By Changing How We Think About Development
SmartPlanet

New Traffic Signal Aimed At Making Banning High Crossing Safer
Daily Breeze

Officials Mull Another Layer To 710 Tunnel Talk: Transportation Group Is Looking Into Community Advisory Committee
Glendale News Press

On Gas Prices
Riding In Riverside

Tour Of Art Along The Gold Line
Cheri Gaulke
Art Along The Gold Line Tour (Sunday, June 26 fundraiser)
Avenue 50 Studio

Trolley Buses: Could Seattle Save Them With Cheaper Power?
Seattle PI

The United States Of Transportation Inequity
Huffington Post

USDOT Forms Transit-Rail Safety Advisory Committee
Progressive Railroading

What A Bus Rider Wants
Planetizen

Why Gas Is Too Cheap
The City Fix

Lost Parkways Of L.A., Protecting Transit Money, Green Transit Facility, CleanTech Corridor & More

8 Ways Public Comment Has Changed The Planning Of the Westside Subway Extension
LAist

Bid To Ban Tolls For Carpools Dies In Assembly Committee
Los Angeles Times

The Bright Green Future Of L.A.'s CleanTech Corridor
Brand X Daily

Broadway Battle A Sign Of The Times: Effort To Force Property Owners To Improve Their Street-Front Spaces Creates A Divide
Los Angeles Downtown News

Data.Gov's Next Big Thing: Mashing Up Federal Stats With Maps
NextGov

Free Ride To Continue For UCR Students
Riverside Press-Enterprise

Ground Broken On Simi's Green Transit Facility
Ventura County Star

How Bikes Saved America's Roads: A Historical Perspective
Infrastructurist

Lost Parkways Of Los Angeles: The 1946 Proposed Interregional, Regional And Metropolitan Plan
Metro Transportation Library Primary Resources Blog

Measure That Would Protect Transit Money Qualifies For Ballot
LAist

Metro's Hollywood & Vine TOD: A Fortress Surrounded By A Moat Of Traffic And Malfunctioning Traffic Signals
StreetsBlog LA

Opinion: It's Time To Get On Board With Transit
Jewish Journal

Opinion: Mass Transit - Is It Good For The Jews?
Jewish Journal

Paris Metro's Cheaters Say Solidarity Is The Ticket: Scofflaws Who Jump The Turnstiles Or Enter Through The Exits Have Formed An Insurance Fund That Pays If They Get Caught
Los Angeles Times

Philadelphia May Accept Money To Privatize Station Naming; Pittsburgh Considers Similar Move
Transport Politic

Response To The Spill Must Include Smarter Land Use, Transportation
Natural Resources Defense Council Switchboard Blog

Student Has A Plan To Revitalize Oakland (The 20-year-old spent nine months producing a detailed and ingenious plan to revive Oakland's economy: build a 2.5-mile streetcar line that runs through the heart of the city)
San Francisco Chronicle

"Tax Holiday" Seen Helping Port Of Los Angeles, Officials Say
Transport Topics Online

Transit Fare Arrangements For Public Employees (93p. PDF)
U.S. Transit Cooperative Research Program

Why Digital License Plates Are A Great Idea
CNET