Results tagged “greenline”

Thanks to a U2 concert at the Rose Bowl this Sunday evening, train service will be extended into the wee hours of Monday morning. 100,000 people are expected to descend upon the stadium and officials with the Rose Bowl and Live Nation--both which paid for the extended service--are encouraging fans to take public transit.

A series of public meetings about the Crenshaw Corridor (you know, a train from Wilshire Blvd. to LAX) have ended, but there still plenty of planning (and dreaming) to be had for public transit in the Los Angeles region. From bicycling to bus lanes to subways, here's a wrap-up of meetings that remain this month.

Metro is sure putting on a good number of community meetings in October. From the Wilshire Bus Lanes project to the Crenshaw Line to LAX and now another one is set for a plan to overhaul the pedestrian experience at the second busiest rail station in the system (Metro/7th in downtown being the busiest) where the Blue and Green lines converge.

On July 1st, our taxes in LA County increased a half penny on the dollar to fund a mix of transportation projects, whether they be rail, highway or something else, thanks to Measure R, which was voted in by the public last November. This Thursday morning, Metro will hold a Measure R committee meeting (.pdf) to discuss aspects of that and part of that discussion will be the possibility of moving up the timelines of three projects.

As talks to extend the Green Line closer to LAX continue, the city will still have to figure out how to get people to each terminal from the new station. Councilman Bill Rosendahl last week proposed that a study be conducted about the feasibility of extending the train line directly into the Central Terminus area so a people mover can deliver travelers to their terminals, according to his motion:

Although not approved by Metro's Board, that staff report with timelines of projects has created quite some talk around town.

Metro (not Metrolink) will be offering 24-hour service on all its rail lines (that's Red, Purple, Blue, Green and Gold) tonight in celebration of New Year's Eve. They'll be running every 20 minutes from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. and you don't have to pay for a fare between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. (and that includes buses, too). Then, Thursday morning to facilitate the large crowds for the Tournament of the Roses and the game, Gold Line trains will run every 7 to 8 minutes between 5 a.m. and 2 p.m., every 10 minutes between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. and again every 7 to 8 minutes between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. Enjoy your night!

"It depends on how you look at it," Steve Hymon at the Bottleneck Blog said. In October, Metro's ridership increased when you compare it to October's 2007 ridership. However, on a month-to-month basis, ridership in general--except for the subway--is dipping as gas prices continue to fall.

Catenary wires that came down for unknown reasons on Tuesday afternoon will cause delays on the Metro Green Line this morning. Due to a single track operation, trains will operate every fifteen to twenty minutes as crews repair the overhead wires near the Imperial Station where railway intersects the Blue Line. "Crowded conditions will exist until repairs are completed," warned Metro.

Today, the Mayor and the four councilmembers who represent the South LA region will be presenting a 96-page common agenda called the South Los Angeles Initiatives (.pdf). They are "intended to facilitate the eventual completion of targeted economic development projects in the area," a brief press release states. "The strategic plan defines, sets targets for, and measures the progress of projects in 10 initiative areas. These areas include business development; jobs and workforce development; increasing housing; improving retail opportunities; and improving neighborhoods and quality of life."

As the gas prices fell last month, so did ridership on public transit. Metro documents show that people are riding less on a daily basis, but numbers are still a lot higher than usual when compared to 12 months ago or even earlier this year.

State Senator Jenny Oropeza represents coastal areas, including LAX, and also sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee that's currently deciding the fate of AB 2321 which will allow a measure asking the people to vote on a sales tax increase that would go towards transportation, mostly public transit projects like the "Subway to the Sea" and a Green Line extension to LAX.

Getting to LAX is not usually a pleasant experience, between the traffic, the crowds, and the anticipated ordeal that is checking in and being screened. Add to that the fact that getting to the city's major airport by public transit is more challenging than perhaps it should be, and it's no wonder that despite fewer flights taking off, more people are turning to affordable ways to get themselves to LAX.

Yesterday, all the buzz was about the Orange Line's record ridership last month. Today, Metro released the June 2008 numbers for all their rail lines, which had an increase in daily ridership, up 12.8 percent. Around 309,000 people rode the rails, most of them, 153,928, on the subway system. Steve Hymon at the LA Times broke down the numbers nicely:

The idea is already in Metro's long range plan, but it's not a priority. The Valley Industry and Commerce Assn. says it's only 3-miles and if connected to Burbank Airport and the Burbank Metrolink station (therefore, downtown Burbank), ridership would surely increase. Road Sage Steve Hymon questions what if the Green Line went all the way to the Norwalk Metrolink station (we'll add in, "how about LAX?").

In response to a comment in yesterday's piece, Train to LAX Getting Closer, Metro Doesn't Want It, Kymberliegh Richards writes a good history of what happened and why. Richards runs a website called the San Fernando Valley Transit Insider as well as a Metro San Fernando Valley Governance Council member and a board of directors member at the Southern California Transit Advocates.

To connect the Metro Green Line light rail to LAX, simply put, it would take about two miles of track and some money. This week, the Senate Transportation Committee passed SB 1722 by Sen. Jenny Oropeza, a bill that would allow a separate construction authority the single-focused job of connecting rail to the airport. The bill will now make its way to the Senate floor.

Which side of the Gold Line tracks do you live on? Southsiders (below the 10) better be representing because Northsiders are fighting hard for their piece of the cake too.

One politician won't give up on his mission to get the Green Line moving directly to LAX. And Metro won't give up on saying "no" to that idea.

• 45-year-old murder suspect Hovik "John" Mankyan, who engaged police in a lengthy standoff on Good Friday in Palmdale, is reportedly "clinging to life" in the hospital. Mankyan, who is wanted for a 2004 North Hollywood homicide "ingested poison and severed arteries" prior to surrendering.
• Honors on Ice: The Anaheim Ducks will honor SWAT officer Randal Simmons, who died in the line of duty, with a moment of silence before tonight's matchup with the Kings. James Veenstra, the officer who survived the violent standoff, will throw out the first puck.
• Design, engineering, aesthetics...oh, and bulletproofing. Today's Times looks at the need for buildings in some parts of LA to be built "drive-by proof."
• So punk rock: 52-year-old Rocco Bannich (aka Rocco Roll of 70s band The Absentees) was sentenced 55-to-life yesterday for shooting at three Long Beach SWAT officers. The maximum sentence was imposed because of his "complete lack of remorse."
• Who's to blame: Cab companies? Car rental agencies? MTA officials? The Daily Breeze looks into the gap between the Green Line and LAX, and why over the past decade those trains haven't gotten any closer to the airport.
• Hey yooooouuuuuu guuuuyyyyysss! A rally was held today in Sacramento by environmentalists and activists demanding that "the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to be more aggressive about requiring automakers to produce a larger number of electric vehicles." Paging Ed Begley Jr...
• And to make a textbook case of the adage "from the sublime to the ridiculous," an Aliso Viejo woman is getting attention for being the first Mary Kay rep in the OC to earn herself a pink Cadillac Escalade for her makeup schilling skills. Now how much mascara does she have to sell to get a tank of gas for that thing?

And then there was a train...

As reported earlier this week, on New Year's Eve, there will be all night Metro rail service. As one commenter pointed out, the news was actually broken in a press release where it was buried with not much detail given:

“The Tournament of Roses parade and game is the biggest venue for Metro Gold Line service all year, with upwards of 60,000 train boardings on a single day,” said Pam O’Connor, Santa Monica City Council member and Metro Board Chair. “Metro is meeting that demand this year with quality, all-night train service and free rides from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. that day to ensure the public enjoys these wonderful New Year’s festivities.”

Earlier this month, Metro announced the usual free rides on Christmas and New Year's Eve special that they do every year. Tonight, we received a short and brief, but extremely exciting e-mail:

Imagine a day when the Purple Line "subway to the sea" and Expo Line to Culver City (and eventually to Santa Monica) are a reality. Two rail lines running parallel from Downtown to the ocean -- are we mad men or what? But what about traveling north-south? Enter the Crenshaw/Prairie Transit Corridor:The Crenshaw/Prairie Transit Corridor extends approximately 10 miles north from Wilshire Boulevard, south to El Segundo Boulevard, east to Arlington Avenue and west to...

In an unexpected change of heart and funding at Metro, this past week has shown us public transportation can get an edge in LA. After announcing the LAX Green Line extension and the promised completion of the Subway to the Sea by 2011, Metro will announce next Friday night the Red Line Owl Service. With only 15-minute headways throughout the night, drunkards can stumble to their car in North Hollywood rather than at the Hollywood/Highland...

December 17th seems to be a big day for the MTA (maybe everyone gets to go on vacation on the 18th?), but whatevs, LAist is never one to pooh-pooh progress, particularly regarding public transportation in this fair city. The MTA announced today that the Valley will get a new Rapid line on Reseda Blvd. between Northridge and Tarzana - welcome Line 741! The 364 won't be a Rapid per-se but will be a "limited...

"I don't care if Mark Foley had been asking boys to describe their penises because I have some sad news for you: Your kid is so larded out on Cheetos and Yoo-hoo, he can't even see his penis." - Bill Maher, today on Salon.com "You're wankers, but really important wankers. Even you, Robert Joseph at Earthlink, who has sent me consistent hatemail for two years straight. You, sir, have been impressive." - Jessica Coen...

"The Coalition works to develop a safe, integrated, cost effective and environmentally sound public transportation system for the greater Los Angeles Region."