Crenshaw Line, Gold Line, Universal City Station, 710 Gap, 2012 Predictions, LA's Lost Tunnels, Freeway Pollution & More

January 5: This Date In Los Angeles Transportation History
Metro Transportation Library Primary Resources Blog

2012: Another Big Year For Motorized Transit In L.A. (Initial list of several local transit-related events on tap for the year)
StreetsBlog LA

2012 Is The Year America Must Get Serious About Its Infrastructure
Forbes

After Three Decades, Tax Credit For Ethanol Expires
New York Times

At The Start Of 2012: Downtown's Continuing Rollercoaster Ride (More transit, Union Station and more)
KCET

Can California Afford To Build High-Speed Rail? (audio)
KCRW Which Way L.A.?

Congressional Inaction On Extending Commuter Benefits Leads Public Transit Riders To See Taxes Increase More Than $550 In 2012
APTA Press Release

Crenshaw Light Rail Line Wins Final Approval From Feds
Daily Breeze

The Current Dispute Over High Speed Rail Job Numbers
Fox & Hounds

Did $98.5 Billion High-Speed Rail Project Just Hit A Wall In California? ("An independent review panel says the plan for a high-speed rail corridor linking northern and southern California poses 'an immense financial risk' to the state and should not move forward.")
Christian Science Monitor

Gold Line Files Objection To Court Ruling
Pasadena Star-News

GOP Candidates' Transportation Infrastructure Talk Praises Tolls But Ignores Jobs
Huffington Post

Groups Want Pollution Monitoring Near California Freeways
Los Angeles Daily News

Ideas For Downtown LA: Redesign 888 International Tower Plaza Into A Pedestrian-Friendly Open Space
Brigham Yen

Is It Time For Metro Rail To Get A Face Lift?
StreetsBlog LA

LADOT: Finally Getting Serious About Safe Routes To School?
StreetsBlog LA

LA, Long Beach Ports End Dirty Truck Fees
Journal Of Commerce

Lost Tunnels Of Downtown L.A. ("Other tunnels in downtown Los Angeles, including L.A.'s first subway, were landmarks for decades but are no longer open for exploration or exploitation." Includes several vintage photos from Metro Transportation Library and other local collections)
LA as Subject via KCET

Making Streets Safer With On-Street Bike Parking (video)
StreetFilms

Microwave Radar Gun Helps Time Traffic Lights For Bicyclists
Government Technology

NBC's Big MetroStudios Project Killed, Smaller Facility Planned ("Known as MetroStudios@Lankershim, the project would have been built in two phases above the Metro Red Line station on Lankershim Boulevard across from Universal Studios. NBC Universal would have been its anchor tenant.")
Los Angeles Business Journal

One Anti-Rail Congress Is No Reason To Delay California HSR
StreetsBlog Network

Opinion: Bus Drivers And Subway Workers Are The Real Environmentalists
New York Daily News

Opinion: Why California Needs High-Speed Rail
San Francisco Chronicle

Paramount Boulevard Bridge Won't Be Complete For Six To Eight Months
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Performance Measures For Public Transit Mobility Management (202p. PDF)
Texas Transportation Institute

Pol Proposes Measure R Extension, Legal Fast Track For Rail ("Today, [California Assemblyman Mike] Feuer introduced legislation in Sacramento for a pseudo-Measure R sequel that would allow voters to extend the length of the tax increase, which currently lasts until 2039. The new deadline has yet to be determined. The move "would enable Metro to bond against future Measure R proceeds and build those transit projects much sooner than originally contemplated, without relying on federal or state funding.")
Curbed LA
Feuer Legislation Would Expedite L.A. County Transit Projects, Creating Construction Jobs And Reducing Congestion
Mike Feuer, California Assembly 42nd District, Press Release

Public Transit To LAX Kinda, Sorta Closer To Reality: Crenshaw Light Rail Project Gets Federal OK
LAist

The Rail Story Of Transforming Los Angeles (January 20 : Panel discussion : "Can stations be designed to integrate into the growing Metro system, cognizant of scarce public dollars, while also being emblematic of the communities where they are located? What do communities around the new stations want to become and what can planners, developers, and community activists do to ensure these outcomes? What can Los Angeles learn from other cities?")
Westside Urban Forum

Report Of Minnesota's Mileage-Based User Fee Policy Task Force (24p. PDF)
Minnesota State DOT

Romney Wins Iowa, Loses The Rail-Passenger Vote
StreetsBlog DC

South Pasadena Council To Discuss Metro's SR-710 Extension Environmental Study Tonight
Pasadena Star-News

Success Factors In The Reduction Of Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Incidents (4p. PDF)
Federal Railroad Administration Research Results

Sword-Inspired Chinese Train Hits 311 MPH In Testing
GizMag

Trains And Buses Leap Ahead This Year
Riverside Press-Enterprise

Urban Information Networks, Part 1: The Invisible Rendered Visible ("An example of how information enables the inhabitants to most effectively use the immediately available capacity of the total, multi-modal transportation system comes from our work with CalTrans.")
Building A Smarter Planet
Part 2: Information For Resource Management
Part 3: Open Data 2.0

Your Customers Are Mobile, Are You?
Talking Transportation

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

Union Station, Expo Line, OC Toll Road, CAHSR Threatened, LA-Coachella Valley Train & More

January 4: This Date In Los Transportation History
Metro Transportation Library Primary Resources Blog

Bay Area Tries To Rein In Greenhouse Gases With Growth/Transportation Plans
Silicon Valley Mercury News

Big Blue Bus Gets New COO
Santa Monica Daily Press

California High-Speed Rail Funding Could Be In Jeopardy
Los Angeles Times

County's Transportation Priority Loses Out On Federal Funds
Ventura County Star

Cycle Like The Danes To Cut Carbon Emissions, Says Study (A warning that it would be a mistake to invest heavily in technological solutions like electric cars)
Guardian (U.K.)
Cycle More Often 2 Cool Down The Planet!: Quantifying CO2 Savings Of Cycling (16p. PDF)
European Cyclists' Federation

A Daily Passenger Train Between LA And The Coachella Valley?
Southern California Public Radio

Districts To Pick Up School Bus Tab: Glendale And Burbank Won't Cut Transportation Services Despite Loss Of State Money
Burbank Leader

Editorial: Excuses And Hot Air Dogging Expo Line: New Problem Real, But Why Is It Coming Up Now?
Los Angeles Daily News

Experts: Don't Build $99 Billion California Bullet Train
Silicon Valley Mercury News

Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Announces Proposed Enhancements To Passenger Train Emergency Systems
U.S. DOT Press Release

In Iowa, GOP Candidates Ignore Transportation And Urban Issues
StreetsBlog DC

Local Transit's Future Depends On The Feds ("It doesn't come up in the debates, it's not a line in the stump speeches, but transportation advocates in the nation's largest city believe the 2012 election will decide the future of mass transit in the United States.")
City Limits

Mini Carmageddon East? 210 Freeway Closures Overnight For Gold Line Construction
LAist

The Nature Of Context-Sensitive Solutions, Stakeholder Involvement And Critical Issues In The Urban Context (97p. PDF)
Mineta Transportation Institute

New Transportation TV Program Launches To Highlight Innovation
AASHTO Press Release

O.C. Road Agency Brings Toll Project Back From The Dead
StreetsBlog LA

The Problem With Naming Transit Stations ("A fear of commercialism is the least of many reasons why cities should cease recycling this tired idea.")
The Atlantic: Cities

Public Policy By Extension ("What will happen if there are more extensions of the aviation and surface transportation authorizations? Are there benefits, even small ones, to putting off the tough decisions until lawmakers are in a better mood? Would it make sense to punt and extend both authorizations until 2013? Or should Congress force the discussion by enacting shorter-term stopgaps? Will there be genuine political consequences (like members' seats at risk) if Congress fails to complete the transportation measures?")
National Journal Transportation Experts Blog

Putting The Brakes On: Constance Harris Is Retiring After 35 Years As A Long Beach Transit Bus Driver
Long Beach Press-Telegram

The Real Reason Why Bicycles Are The Key To Better Cities ("The most vital element for the future of our cities is that the bicycle is an instrument of experiential understanding.")
Secret Republic

Record Fuel Exports Don't Mean The U.S. Is Not Addicted To Foreign Oil
StreetsBlog DC

Rethinking Transit: How Cities Are Repairing Disconnects Between Downtowns And Historic Neighborhoods ("As Los Angeles embarks on building the largest, most comprehensive transit system in the country, reconsidering factors such as density and integration into the surrounding neighborhoods will determine how Union Station becomes a new heart and center for the city.")
Urban Land Institute

Review Urges Delay In Borrowing Billions For Bullet Train ("State-mandated panel concludes that the high-speed rail program 'is not financially feasible.' Gov. Jerry Brown's office signals that he isn't likely to be swayed by the findings.")
Los Angeles Times

Romney: I'd Stop Funding Amtrak
Transportation Nation

Santa Clarita Transit Bus Routes To Change Jan. 9
Santa Clarita Valley Signal

Use Of Buses Increases At Local Colleges
San Bernardino Sun

Webinar: Public Transportation Systems As Foundation For Economic Growth (free : January 12)
Rutgers University National Transit Institute

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

Gold Line Ruling, Expo Opening, Orange Line Extension, 2012 Starts, BH vs. Metro, This Date In History, CRAs, Hwy Commission Anniversary & More

January 3: This Date In Los Angeles Transportation History
Metro Transportation Library & Archive begins 2012 with the launch of a new feature today, celebrating the anniversaries of both notable events and little-known milestones in our transit and transportation history dating back to the 1870s. We are building out dates for the entire year with links to photos, videos, documents and more, as well as a searchable calendar on our Primary Resources blog.

100 Years Ago Today: The California State Highway Commission, Caltrans Predecessor, Is Launched
Metro Transportation Library Primary Resources Blog

2011's Biggest Transportation Failures
The Atlantic: Cities

BART Airport Connector Rising But Still Stirring Debate
Oakland Tribune

BART Planners Begin Work On New Vision For Future ("54 years and 4 million people later, it's BART's turn to think big. Planners are working on a new vision for the future - one that could include express trains, all-night service, new stations along existing lines, trains traveling different routes and extensions.")
San Francisco Chronicle

Between The Lines ("That prized garage space or curbside spot you’ve been yearning for may be costing you—and the city—in ways you never realized. A journey into the world of parking, where meter maids are under siege, everybody’s on the take, and the tickets keep on coming." Includes an interview with and profile of Donald Shoup and has caught the attention of a Decatur, Georgia web news outlet)
Los Angeles Magazine

BHUSD's $15/K Month Lobbyist Fights Fed Funding For Subway
Curbed LA
Board Of Ed Extends Contract Of D.C. Lobbyists: The School District Is Spending $15,000 A Month To Persuade Federal Officials To Oppose Metro's Proposal To Tunnel Under BHHS
Beverly Hills Patch

Bleak New Year For Los Angeles River Parklands Unless Developer Walks Away From Sale
Natural Resources Defense Council Switchboard Blog

The Bold Urban Future Starts Now: Cities Are Broke? Unimaginative? Hardly. From Coast To Coast, These 2012 Projects Will Be Transformative
Salon

Buena Park Eyes Beach Boulevard Takeover
Orange County Register

Burbank Officials Eye Nearly $1M For Bikeway ("A 12-foot wide path for cyclists and pedestrians that would stretch from the Lake-Alameda Greenway to the Metrolink station downtown.")
Glendale News-Press

Busway Extension From Canoga Park To Chatsworth Ahead Of Schedule ("Construction is expected to be completed by June, about two months earlier than originally expected.")
Los Angeles Daily News

California Cities Seek Restoration Of Some Redevelopment Spending ("Some say that if the state Legislature doesn't act soon, there will be lawsuits, layoffs and more economic stagnation. An aide to Gov. Jerry Brown calls the rhetoric 'exaggerated and often untrue.'")
Los Angeles Times

Caltrans Wants To Shed Responsibilities For Highway 39 ("After announcing three months ago it was dropping plans to reopen the long-closed upper portion of Highway 39, Caltrans is now pursuing plans to legally abandon the highway used by millions to access the Angeles National Forest.")
Pasadena Star-News

Candidates Steer Clear Of Transportation Before Iowa
Politico

Clock Is Ticking On Taylor Yard Purchase Option For Potential Riverfront State Park Site
Curbed LA

Congress Adjourns Without Passing Transit Benefit Extension
Passenger Transport

Content Marketing: We Are The Media
Talking Transportation

A Developer's Option Could Take The Rio Out Of Rio De Los Angeles State Park
LA Creek Freak

Double Dose Of Bad News For The Gold Line Extension
Curbed LA

Driving Has Lost Its Cool For Young Americans
Grist

Editorial: Away With The CRAs
Los Angeles Daily News

Editorial: How We Go To Work Each Day ("Ensuring that in the future many of their residents will be able to live and work in the same town should absolutely be a priority for our dozens of city halls in eastern L.A. County.")
Pasadena Star-News

Editorial: The Recession Squeeze On Buses And Trains ("Of the 18.4 cents per gallon federal gas tax, only 2.86 cents goes to public transit and almost all of the rest is reserved for highways. Although Congress has increased transit support in recent years, it is still too stingy to maintain stable services in many areas.")
New York Times

Editorial: TSA Spreading Its Wings Beyond Airports
Orange County Register

Elimination Of Redevelopment Imperils Ongoing Projects, Stops Future Developments In Their Tracks
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Expo Line Opening Delayed While Bugs Are Worked Out
Park La Brea News / Beverly Press

Firm To Start Designs For Metrolink Parking Structure
Orange County Register

Flashmob Performs Lil Wayne's "How To Love" On L.A.'s Subway
KCET

For High-Speed Rail, Support In The Past From G.O.P. Presidential Hopefuls
New York Times

Gold Line Confident Ruling Will Be Overturned ("A Superior Court Judge ruled Wednesday that the environmental study of a site in Monrovia violated the law, potentially forcing the Gold Line to repeat the environmental review process and delaying the Foothill Extension indefinitely.")
Altadena Patch

High Court's Ruling To Kill Redevelopment Surprises Santa Monica
Brentwood Patch

The Hollywood Community Plan Update: A Fiasco In The Making
CityWatch

How To Pay For America's Infrastructure
The Atlantic: Cities

If Not A Groundbreaking Year, Then A Year For Groundbreakings
Los Angeles Downtown News

Important Reminders For Rose Bowl Travelers (A Wisconsin media outlet advises readers on navigating Los Angeles, warning those attending they must rent a car to attend the Rose Bowl because "the public transportation is not reliable and not convenient. It's not located near any of the tourist hot spots.")
TMJ4

In Madrid's Heart, Park Blooms Where A Freeway Once Blighted (An ambitious 6-mile long freeway cap park is proving wildly successful in several ways)
New York Times

Judge: Gold Line Construction Authority Violated Environmental Laws
Pasadena Star-News

LA's Big Year In Transportation, Planning, And Parks
Curbed LA

Learning From Expo's Early Problems ("Planners say money and deadline troubles in the first phase have wised them up for the second. And train-timing issues that have prompted delays in the first part of the route shouldn't affect the last, from Culver City to Santa Monica.")
Culver City Patch

Local Funding For Public Transportation Operations: Producing Inequitable Results?
The Transport Politic

Los Angeles And Long Beach Ports See Market Share Trickle Away ("The twin port complex expects to end 2011 having moved 200,000 fewer cargo containers than last year as East Coast docks gain business.")
Los Angeles Times

Nearly $10 Million Approved For Expo Line Betterments
Santa Monica Mirror

New York's Lost Subways (Complete With Map And Dusty Pics)
Transportation Nation

Night Life, Night Train Finally Connect In L.A.: The Red Line Subway Linking Downtown And Hollywood, With Its Thriving Club Scene, Draws Hipsters Who Yearn To Be Cosmopolitan And Are Drawn To The Renegade. Fans Of Classical Music Ride The Line To Concerts Too
Los Angeles Times

NYU Students Create "MetroChange" To Deal With Your Leftover MetroCard Money ("The physical card would be taken for recycling, and the money on it would go to charity." Includes video)
Gothamist

Opening And Construction Starts Planned For 2012 ("At least 33 metropolitan areas in the U.S. — and five in Canada — are planning to invest in new BRT, streetcar, light rail, metro rail, or commuter rail projects in 2012.")
The Transport Politic

Opinion: The Future Of Hollywood ("The mayor and other city officials have big plans, for jobs, transit and housing. Residents worry about being left out of the process.")
Los Angeles Times

Overturning Of Prop. 13 Sought In Lawsuit
San Francisco Chronicle

Plan To Use Amtrak As Fallback For High-Speed Rail Criticized ("Federal rules require another use for the track if the high-speed project unravels. But Amtrak officials have concerns about changing their popular Central Valley route.")
Los Angeles Times

Reading L.A.: The Once And Future Plaza, Nature In The City
Los Angeles Times

Redevelopment Will Be Back -- But At What Price?
California Planning & Development Report

Reid Wants To Move FAA, Highway Bills In 2012
Politico

Road Construction Continues Into 2012 And Beyond
Riverside Press-Enterprise

San Gabriel River Bike Trail Closed Until Late January Near Whittier Narrows
Pasadena Star-News

Technical Problems Delay Expo Line's Debut: Metro Says Issues With Circuitry And Ventilation Must Be Fixed Before It Can Finish Testing The Expo Line And Training Operators
Los Angeles Times

Transit Commuter Tax Benefit Will Be Slashed Almost In Half January 1
Huffington Post

Transportation LA: Wishing Well For 2012 (Part 1) and (Part 2)
CityWatch

Transportation: The Four Irrefutable Lessons Of 2011
CityWatch

United States Highway Projects Get Little Oversight
News-Press

An Urbanist's 2012 Calendar
The Atlantic: Cities

What's Ahead For Transportation In 2012? ("The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials offers this look at the top 10 issues that will be talked, written, or tweeted about and legislated in the year ahead.")
PR Newswire

Wilshire Subway: This Train Keeps Coming Back To The Station
CityWatch

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

Metro Free On Christmas Eve & New Years Eve, Gold Line Monrovia, LA & LB Ports, Year In Review & More

We are taking a holiday break next week and will return January 3, 2012. We wish all our readers and supporters Happy Holidays and the best of everything in the coming New Year!

Snow Globe Los Angeles from All Cut Up Films on Vimeo.

$6 Billion Needed For Southern California's $40 Billion Need ("The region would need to spend $40 billion over the next 25 years to create the sort of walkable and bikeable communities it says it wants. That’s nearly eight times as much as SCAG is recommending.")
The Atlantic: Cities

2011 DOT Year In Review: FTA Connects Americans With Transit Investments
U.S. DOT Fast Lane Blog

Another Test In Providing A Transportation Network To Serve All Segments Of Society (Incorporating Greyhound service into multimodal transit stations)
Transportation Issues Daily

The Case For Business Investment In Public Transportation
Infrastructure USA

City Officials Reopen First Street Bridge
Rafu Shimpo

The Delusion And Deception In Megaproject Cost Estimates
The Atlantic: Cities

Editorial: U.S. Senate Bill Clouds Effort To Clean Up Trucks At Long Beach And L.A. Ports
Los Angeles Daily News

Free Bus And Rail Service Offered On Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve ("The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is offering free bus and rail service on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. The free rides are available between 9 p.m. Saturday and 2 a.m. Sunday, then again Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. Officials said the free service is a move to prevent drunk driving and promote a safe holiday season.")
Los Angeles Times
Officials Promote Free Rides On Christmas Eve And New Years Eve
The Source

Gold Line Board Moves To Condemn Monrovia Land ("The Gold Line Construction Authority will pursue eminent domain action to take Monrovia's land in case a court ruling effectively voids a $56 million deal it reached with the city.")
Monrovia Patch

A Look Inside The "Spectacular" $1.4B Fulton Street Transit Center (23 photos accompany story about Manhattan's new subway hub opening in 2014)
DNA Info

Los Angeles, Then And Now (1894-2011)
The Atlantic: Cities

NYC Transit Offers Email Alerts For Elevator And Escalator Status
Transit Wire

Opinion: Bay Area Airport Connector Should Be Cautionary Tale For LA Metro
California Progress Report

Opinion: Constellation Station On Track With The Facts
Beverly Hills Patch
Westwood-Century City Patch Version

SF Bay Transit Panel Squabbles Over HQ Membership
San Francisco Chronicle

Tanker Fire: $2 Million In Federal Aid Will Help Fix 60 Freeway
Los Angeles Times

Transit As A Stepping Stone To Prosperity
Regional Plan Association

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

LA-Palm Springs Rail?, Glendale, HSR, Vegas Monorail, Millennials & Cars, 2011 "Best Of" Lists & More

2011 Streetsies: It Was The Worst Of Times
StreetsBlog LA

BBB Reduces Service During Holidays
Santa Monica Daily Press

The Best Metro Data Releases Of 2011
The Atlantic: Cities

Best Of 2011: Designing High-Speed Rail's Future
Next American City

Building Your Professional Network In 140 Characters Or Less: How Social Media Tools Can Enhance Professional Networking (Annual TRB meeting session spotlight)
Young Professionals In Transportation

California High-Speed Rail: To 2012 And Beyond!
California Progress Report

Caltrans To Study Cost Of Palm Springs Area Train Service: State To Research Creating Or Expanding Local Passenger Rail Line ("A $400,000 study will be launched in January to explore the potential ridership and inevitable costs of creating a new passenger rail system between the Coachella Valley and Los Angeles.")
Desert Sun

City Renews Rail High-Speed Rail Ties: Council Approves Membership Dues To High-Speed Orange Line Plan ("The authority began in 2003 to explore the possibility of a high-speed rail line between Orange and Los Angeles counties that was expected to cost more than $19 billion.")
Glendale News Press

GSA Will Put Federal Agencies Near Metro Stations
Better! Cities & Towns

How Monorail's Fate Might Have Been Different
Vegas Inc.

L.A., O.C. Gas Prices Fall For 41st Consecutive Day
Los Angeles Daily News

LA Unified Files For Court Order To Stop Midyear Busing Funding Cuts
Southern California Public Radio

Most California High-Speed Rail Jobs Too Good To Be True
Silicon Valley Mercury News

New Study: Millennials Prefer Car "Access Over Ownership"
The City Fix
Milennials & Driving (survey results : "Millennials welcome the collaborative consumption movement and are motivated to participate in sharing programs like car sharing because of potential savings they could accumulate for major milestones such as retirement, housing, and college tuition.")
Zipcar via Slidshare

Photos: Holiday Celebrations Of SoCal's Past (Metro Transportation Library's collection of historic holiday photos features prominently)
LA as Subject via KCET

Repairing 60 Freeway Overpass Could Cost More Than $5 Million ("Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Lakewood) says the work could be paid for with federal funds if it is completed in six months. Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency at the busy freeway corridor.")
Los Angeles Times

San Clemente Celebrates Railroad Quiet Zone
Orange County Register

Senate's Changes To TIFIA Could Mean More Toll Roads, Less Transit
StreetsBlog DC

TIGER III Will Boost Freight Transportation But Not Transform It
StreetsBlog DC

Top Cities Stories Of 2011
Grist

Transportation Contracts Should Always Require Open Data
Greater Greater Washington

Truck Tolling: Understanding Industry Tradeoffs When Using Or Avoiding Toll Facilities (90p. PDF)
National Cooperative Freight Research Program / National Cooperative Highway Research Program

Why The World Needs To Start Car-Sharing (detailed infographic)
This Big City

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

1st Street Bridge, Archival Christmas Images, Hollywood Fwy Anniversary, GAO & High Speed Rail, TIGER III & More

60 Years Ago, Hollywood Freeway Opened Through Civic Center
Blog Downtown

2011 Streetsies: It Was The Best Of Times
StreetsBlog LA

77% Of Americans Oppose Raising The Gas Tax, Reason-Rupe Transportation Poll Finds
Sacramento Bee
Reason-Rupe Public Opinion Survey Winter 2011 Topline Results (13p. PDF)
Reason Foundation

AIA Los Angeles: Political Leadership Could Bolster Green Design
The Planning Report

Baldwin Park Plans To Construct Transit Center
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Barbara Boxer's Transportation Bill Would Drop Environmental Criteria In Much-Touted TIFIA Loan Program
Huffington Post

The Best City Reads Of 2011
The Atlantic: Cities

Beverly Hills School District To Conduct Earthquake Study; Hoping To Disprove Metro's Findings
LA Weekly

Biking And Walking Score Big In TIGER III
StreetsBlog DC

Calif. Governor Brown Declares State Of Emergency Following State Route 60 Accident
California Wire

Candy Cane Buses And Streetcars Of The Past (Vintage images of 1950s Los Angeles transit decked out for the holidays)
Metro Transportation Library via Flickr
Historic Santa Claus Images From Los Angeles' Transit Past (1950s-1980s)
Metro Transportation Library via Flickr
Christmas Transit Photos From The Archives: 1953 Hollywood Boulevard And More
Metro Transportation Library via Flickr

Check Out Hollywood Boulevard Decked Out For Christmas In The 1940s (video)
LAist

Despite Lower Gas Prices, Public Transit Riders Still Reap Big Savings
APTA Press Release

Engineering Talk: Explaining Transportation From The User's Perspective (First post in new blog focusing on communicating about the transportation industry)
Talking Transportation

A Fatal Bullet For The California Bullet Train (Seven important questions should now be asked about California high-speed rail)
CityWatch

First Street Bridge P Line Streetcar (The bridge just reopened after a 3-year closure -- here's how it looked with LAMTA streetcar service in 1963)
Metro Transportation Library via Flickr

Fixing Suburbs With Green Streets That Accomodate Everyone
Natural Resources Defense Council Switchboard Blog

Gas Takes Its Biggest Bite Out Of Family Budget In 30 Years
Chicago Tribune

Gold Line Construction Authority To Weight Eminent Domain For Monrovia Land
Pasadena Star-News

Health Benefits Of Ciclovia Events Outweigh Costs
StreetsBlog Networks

The Honor System In Public Transit (Lookst at enforcement of Metro Rail and Metrolink fares and ticketing)
Long Beach Post

How To Boost Biking And Walking Even Further In Your City
Shareable

Improving Value Of Travel Time Savings Estimation For More Effective Transportation Project Evaluation (91p. PDF)
University Of South Florida Center For Urban Transportation Research

Infographic Says Angelenos Could Buy 36 Christmas Trees With Money Wasted Annually In Traffic
LAist

L.A.'s Historic 1st Street Bridge Reopens After 3-Year Closure ("Los Angeles officials hail the restoration of a cultural link between the city's core and neighborhoods to the east. The bridge carries tracks of the Gold Line's Eastside extension.")
Los Angeles Times

Leveraging Transit To Remake Suburbia
ULI

Mapping Sustainable Communities Awards
Reconnecting America

McCarthy Requests Federal High-Speed Rail Audit ("Rep. Kevin McCarthy joined 11 other Republican members of the House this week in requesting a federal audit of California's high-speed rail project. Monday's letter asks the Government Accountability Office, Congress' investigative arm, to dig into the $98 billion project's "viability and questionable ridership and costs projections.")
Bakersfield Californian
House Republicans Want Inquiry Into California High-Speed Rail ("Because of the agency's carefully maintained reputation for neutrality and thoroughness, a GAO study could effectively shape both public and political attitudes toward the California project. One way or another, it's likely to become ammunition...Other Republican lawmakers signing the letter, from California, are Reps. Darrell Issa, John Campbell, Brian Bilbray, Duncan Hunter, Tom McClintock, Gary Miller, Buck McKeon and Devin Nunes.")
McClatchy via Miami Herald

Meet The Woman In Charge Of Not Blowing Up The 405 Freeway
Curbed LA
Meet The 405 Project's Utility Player
Zev Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles County Supervisor, Third District

New Year, New Ocean Park: SaMo Street Facelift Starts Soon
Curbed LA

Newt Gingrich: Rail Visionary, Lover Of Oil
Transportation Nation

Next-Level GPS Helps You Avoid Traffic Snarls
Globe And Mail (Canada)

OC Freeway Signs Now Tell You How Much Faster The Train Is
Curbed LA

Online City Of Los Angeles Bikeway Map Now Available
LADOT Bike Blog
Downloadable Maps

Perris Station Transit Center Wins CTF Transportation Award
Newswire Today

Recapturing Global Leadership In Bus Rapid Transit: A Survey Of Select U.S. Cities (80p. PDF)
Institute For Transportation & Development Policy

Regional Planning For A Sustainable America: How Creative Programs Are Promoting Prosperity And Saving The Environment
Metro Transportation Library Primary Resources Blog

Senate Bill Would Allow Other Ports To Mimic L.A.'s Clean Trucks Program
Daily Breeze

Southland Leaders Praise Reopening Of Iconic 1st Street Bridge
Southern California Public Radio

TIGER III: A Big And Agile Cat, With Legs
U.S. DOT Fast Lane Blog

TSA Officials Form Holiday Chorus At LAX (video : The agency tries to soften its image)
American Public Media Marketplace

Vintage Los Angeles Map Shows What To Do In The "Wonder City Of America"
LAist

What We Can Learn From City Busways ("The Orange Line, on the other hand, is considered one of the best BRT systems in the country...Since opening in late October of 2005, at a cost of $324 million, ridership has grown steadily; in the past few years it's risen from about 574,000 in November 2009 to 640,000 in November 2011.")
The Atlantic: Cities

Wilshire Grand Hotel Closes Doors Forever Just Shy Of 60th Birthday
Blog Downtown

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

Crenshaw Line, Westside Subway, Metro Civil Rights, CAHSR in Federal Spotlight, Mobility 21, TIGER III, Port of LA & More

1959 Film From ULI And National Association Of Homebuilders Warns Of Urban Sprawl (video)
ULI via YouTube

Another Optional Station "Approved" By The Metro Board For Crenshaw Line
StreetsBlog LA

Are We Over High Speed Rail In California?
Southern California Public Radio

Board Approves 3 Month Extension For Venable ("The BHUSD Board of Education continues to keep its arsenal full against the Metro Westside Subway Extension tunnel under Beverly High.")
Beverly Hills Courier

Both Sides Of Pomona Freeway Reopen
NBC Los Angeles

BRU To Metro: Let Public In On Civil Rights Remedies
StreetsBlog LA

Can Americans Make The Switch From Driving To Biking To Work?
Infrastructurist

The Case For Business Investment In Public Transportation (9p. PDF)
APTA

Congressional Transportation Committee Debates CA High Speed Rail
Planetizen

Even In Austere Era, Mitt Romney Promises To Fund Roads, Bridges, And Rail ("Mitt Romney says he doesn’t like borrowing, but he’d do it for infrastructure.")
Transportation Nation

A Fatal Bullet For The California Bullet Train?
CityWatch

Federal Transportation Bill Moves 2 Steps Forward And 1 Step Back In 2011
Transportation Issues Daily

GOP Lawmakers Critical Of Calif. Rail Proposal
Business Week

Griffith Park Turns 115, First Street Bridge Reopening
Curbed LA

Indy To Repurpose Stadium Seats At Bus Stops
Urbanophile

It's Politics: High-Speed Rail Battle Continues
Pasadena Star-News

LA County Unemployment Drops: November Marked The Lowest Jobless Rate In The Southland In Two Years
NBC Los Angeles

A Little Older, A Little Wider, First Street Viaduct Opens
Blog Downtown

Long Beach Transit Offers Free Transportation New Year's Eve
Everything Long Beach

A Measure Of Bicycling Impact On Your Community: Media Attention And Business Generation
Bikeable Communities ("The January 2012 issue of Sunset Magazine, Western America’s largest-circulation regional magazine (more than 1 million subscribers), highlighted Long Beach’s East Village and touted it as a “bike to” destination.”)
Southern California Weekend
Sunset

Mobility 21 Touts $37 Million Funding Award For So Cal Transportation: Riverside County Transportation Commission and Port Of Long Beach Receive Competitive Federal Funding
MarketWatch

Nancy Pelosi: California High-Speed Rail Is On Track
The State Column

The New California Dream: How Demographic And Economic Trends May Shape The Housing Market -- A Land Use Scenario For 2020 And 2035 (73p. PDF : "Housing and neighborhood preference surveys indicate that Californians consider transit options to be far more important in choosing a location in which to live than the rest of the nation: 71 percent in California, compared with 47 percent nationally.")
Urban Land Institute

New Federal "TIGER" Transportation Grants Direct Some Funding To Green Infrastructure Projects, But More Investment Is Needed
Natural Resources Defense Fund Switchboard Blog

New Mexico City Buses Cut Pollution, Generate Cash ("Mexico City's sleek new public bus system is attracting significant international funding in carbon credit sales.")
Reuters

NJ Senator Lautenberg Introduces Bill To Limit Bridge And Tunnel Tolls
StreetsBlog DC

NYC's Top 2011 Google Searches (The top 3 searches are all transit-related)
Huffington Post

Paint Coming Off Green Bike Lane Again
Los Angeles Downtown News

Port Of Los Angeles Gets $17 Million To Speed Trains
Long Beach Press-Telegram

Republican Leaders Seek To Apply Brakes To Bullet Train Project
Los Angeles Times

Santa Monica City Council Approves Development With No Parking ("Under a unique Development Agreement, the Santa Monica City Council voted Tuesday to require the developer of a [56-unit] Downtown housing project that provides no on-site parking to pay $125,000 for transit improvements"..."“We are agreeing to give priority to people without cars”)
Santa Monica Lookout

Transit Flexibility Bill Introduced By Senator Brown Is Badly Needed In Many Cities
Transportation For America

Two Month Drilling Study Begins On BHHS Campus: In An Effort To Stop Metro From Approving A Subway Route That Goes Under The High School, BHUSD Has Hired A Firm To Determine If Faults Under The Campus Are Active
Beverly Hills Patch

Westside Subway Extension Feud: Did Metro Rig A Century City Fault Study To Move The Purple Line?
LA Weekly

Whittier Officials Consider Hiring A Lobbyist To Fight For Light-Rail Line To The City
Whittier Daily News

Will Americans Be Stranded? Inadequate Or Poorly Maintained Transportation: A Looming Crisis
Renew America

Zurich, The World's Best Transit City
Planetizen

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