LAist: Bringing Back the NoHo Streetcar Idea

Wad

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 23:15:52 -0800

This was brought up several months ago, and the critics of this plan, including Kymberleigh Richards (Metro San Fernando Valley Governance Council member) and LA Map Nerd make some strong cases as to why this can't be built. Lindsay, the problem with the "so can we get a streetcar in NoHo, or what?" question is that when public funds are involved in a project, the questions become: 1. Do we have the money for this? 2. If we do, what would be the best way to spend this money? 3. How does something, a streetcar in this example, stack up against a comparable end using a different method? This is the process. It will not change. And for the interest of the greater good, including those who don't want a streetcar, the process shouldn't change. First off, a funding source has to be found. The funds not only have to figure out ways to pay for the project itself, but it has to pay for the studies to figure out whether and how the project should be built. It must then compete with every other need: streetcar versus roads versus police versus parks versus water versus everything else. Then, there's a formal process of the alternatives analysis that condenses the choices between different means to the same end. The streetcar then competes with a shuttle bus, increased local bus service and do nothing. (Do nothing is a choice as well, with its own costs and benefits.) If one were done for a streetcar, and LADOT has come close to mulling something similar so there's real data on this, the numbers would not look good. It would be too expensive and too specialized to expend capital on a simple "toy system" within NoHo. Worse, the LADOT study that is determining where DASH routes should run in the Valley, had very dim prospects for people even riding a DASH bus on such a small scope. LADOT wouldn't even run a DASH bus on the streetcar route, and LADOT is known for having some of the lowest performance thresholds of any transit agency in L.A. County.

worriedman

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:53:52 -0800

I live here on Cahuenga, amidst all my observations previously stated. If there's a blog about my neighborhood, and I have something to say, then you can expect to read it. After all, this is a 'comments' section. Take a breather Carrie. There's nothing out-of-line with my echoing some points that were raised in the blog article (I didn't bring up the "violent crime" part out of nowhere ya know... it was mentioned in the post). I have a stance on it. You're cursing at me as if I was ranting uninformed about your parents' cooking. What am I doing about crime? I lock my doors, and I call 311 everytime my garage gets tagged, and I smile a lot. Lindsay, ever since I read your "salt n pepa video" reference last year, I can't look at my neighborhood sidewalks without chuckling. Oh yeah, and what are you, fifty years old? :-)

Lindsay William-Ross

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:58:11 -0800

In light of my love of Salt n'Pepa (and active childhood participation in wildly inappropriate white-girl dancing along to my "Hot, Cool & Vicious" cassette in my walkman) and the only kind of "cred" I can assert (namely originality) I will proudly claim ownership of being the first to call our "jazzy" NoHo sidewalks Salt n'Pepa-ian: http://www.laist.com/2007/04/07/nohos_crosswalk_experiment_do_you_like_it.php And yes, worriedman, I remember very clearly the AutoZone incident a few weeks ago. Of course the guy robbing stores was netting an average of less than $20 per hold-up and was shot by an off-duty US Marshal who saw the knife he was brandishing. A tragic incident, yes, but not really of the calibre of some of the other incidents you mentioned. Crime happens. We can either face it and fight it, or run and hide. worriedman, what are you doing about it? So can we get a streetcar in NoHo, or what?

Carrie Meathrell

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:48:47 -0800

Ross, I can't wait. (I know all the lyrics. Shhh don't tell!)

Ross A. Lincoln

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:45:16 -0800

Oh, and Carrie, I hope I just didn't catch you hating on Salt 'N Pepa. Don't make me bust out Shoop tomorrow.

Ross A. Lincoln

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:44:30 -0800

Dude, I live in Highland Park. NoHO wishes it were that dangerous. We live in a city. There's violence in a city, especially during tough economic times. But NoHo isn't going to be the setting for the next version of Colors, I promise.

Carrie Meathrell

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:40:38 -0800

and by the way WHO THE FUCK CARE ABOUT THE FUCKING SIDEWALKS??? what sort of fucking dumbass point were you trying to make? Salt N' Pepa? What are you, fifty years old? Go hate on somebody's else's neighborhood, I don't want you in mine.

Carrie Meathrell

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:37:56 -0800

so basically you're telling me where I live is a violent shithole. thanks! thanks. I really appreciate that, since obviously every other neighborhood in Los Angeles is a haven of safety and lovingkindness. why don't you go to my parents' house and slap them in the face and insult their cooking while you're at it? yeah, they live in Simi Valley. please go do some research and get back to me on how THAT city is a violent shithole. ugh.

worriedman

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:27:50 -0800

OK, so they painted the crosswalks to look like a Salt N Pepa video... big deal. The area surrounding is riddled with gangs and violence. A man was shot in the face off Magnolia (between Cahuenga and Vineland) several months ago, behind Poquito Mas. He was walking his dog. He lived, but he's permanently disabled now. He worked with my mom, that sucked. A guy was killed at Autozone earlier this month (between Cahuenga and Vineland), dead on the floor near the air fresheners. He was robbing the place at 5:30pm. Remember? I sure do, the cops had the streets on lockdown for about 3 hours. Last November, around 11:30pm, I was getting fuel at Arco, across from NoBar when a car rounded the corner going North on Cahuenga shooting at a guy on foot. I nearly shat myself (between Cahuenga and Vineland). 5 months ago, just up off Magnolia Boulevard, a high school teacher was stabbed like 10 times. She forgot to lock her door. Thats not very artsy. Scary. Last month: An older guy was shot in the chest, right off Cleon (between Cahuenga and Vineland). About 1 year ago, I heard a gunshot from right outside my house. Oh it wasn't much... just the cops killing my neighbor. This dude might have well been stealing my wireless he was so close. Oh yeah, and he was about to stab his girlfriend. Go northwest a few blocks, and you'll be near Whitsett where that nurse got tortured early last year. Its prolly just me though. Those crosswalks are JAZZY right?!

Lindsay William-Ross

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:33:31 -0800

While I have noticed a lot of reported crime in the larger North Hollywood area, I agree with my fellow LAister (and neighbor!) Carrie: That's not the NoHo Arts/Magnolia Blvd I know. I will, however, agree, that the long distance between bus stops (and the overall precarious nature of said buses) and the Red Line stops in NoHo and Universal mean for some, like me, that although I live in a reasonable proximity to the Red Line station I will nine times out of ten opt to drive there because it isn't far, but it isn't close, either. A streetcar with the "open design" lizriz suggests would be a wonderful--and fitting--addition to the area, which is trying to embrace and honor its historical charm while at the same time moving forward and serving its residents. Excellent work, Nguyen Doan!

lizriz

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:15:18 -0800

Yeah, I walk around NoHo all the time, too. I'm surprised to read it described like this. I've never had a problem or even seen a problem. That said, if that streetcar made it up to Burbank, I might take the subway to work more often. It is the distance of my walk to the subway that discourages me. And I would take a streetcar, but I've never taken a bus - I imagine that a street car would have an open design, and that makes it appealing.

Carrie Meathrell

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:31:10 -0800

uh, worriedman...what???? that's the hot new "NoHo Arts District" area. I live there. I have no problem walking around there, at night or during the day. I never hear gunshots. I haven't been kidnapped. I don't see heroin addicts lining the street when I go to How's market. I'm looking at the LAPD crime maps right now and the only crimes they're reporting in the past week are thefts from vehicles and maybe an aggravated assault here and there. What the fuck. Whatever. Don't hang out at my house. You might get shot.

worriedman

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:04:30 -0800

19% increase in violent crimes? That seems low. Magnolia Blvd, between Cahuenga and Tujunga has become so fucking gnarly. I heard a bartender in Burbank refer to that stretch as 'heroin alley'. Stabbings, (frequent) gunshots at night, kidnappings, tagging on just about every flat surface... it wasn't like that at all 3 years ago. Streetcar or not, its a sketchy area to be on foot.

tristen

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:09:50 -0800

That's a fantastic idea! There's lots of places around that area that could use a street car. Beats having to drive around, look for parking, etc...