What? So, Metro is set to vote this week on a mixed-use residential/commercial development that will literally be feet from the Orange Line Sepulveda station in Van Nuys (you know, in that huge parking lot no one uses). "When they first came to me about it, it was supposed to be all residential," Councilman Tony Cardenas, who represents the area, is quoted saying in the Daily News. "Now they are talking about having commercial development."......

Photo by Pro-Zak via Flickr It's 11:45 a.m. and City Council is in session getting ready to vote on an item supporting Metro's proposed half-cent sales tax for transportation projects. Their vote would also tell Metro which projects are priorities for the city, including the possibility of a downtown streetcar and getting the Green Line to actually hit LAX. Councilman Jose Huizar spoke up to get some clarification on projects within the city. "Is......

The next step in moving on from the honor system to the gated system in LA's subways and some light rails was announced today. $16.1 million in transit security funding was awarded to Metro by the state towards implementation of the gating system. 379 fare gates will be installed within the next 18 to 24 months. "The gates are expected to reduce the need for civilian fare inspectors and sworn law enforcement will also be......

Think LA's relationship with underground rail transit began with the first tunnels blasted out to make way for the Red Line? Think again! LA's first subterranean transit system was a short stretch of tunneling dubbed the "Hollywood Subway," which moved its first passengers under the city in 1925 via electric interurban rail cars. Opening Day in Toluca Yard (end of the Hollywood Subway at 1st and Glendale); original source unkonwn, via California Trolleys The idea......

The Red Line escalators have a horrendous performance record, one that has the Mitsubishi Maintenance crews snickering as they work full-time maintaining equipment they acknowledge is poorly designed and completely unreliable. (The upside is lifetime employment for the maintenance crew. Go Metro!) This past week I traveled from the Hollywood/Western station (the escalator has been down since July 1) to the Civic Center Station (the long street level escalator was out of service) and......

An empty Metro station is a thing of the past | Photo by Simon Shek via Flickr 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......

What was originally expected for ridership on the Valley's "shortcut" busway when it started is now a weekend number as weekday average ridership last month soared to 26,596 daily bus trips, a 63% increase since the first days of the line. Now officials are looking to add more buses and are considering adding express lines. There's one problem, though: the high ridership has made it uncomfortable for at least one longtime rider. "I now take......

The huge "Buses Only" parking lot at the Universal City Transit Center is rarely at capacity, in fact it is usually completely empty. This prime real estate sat empty and proved irresistible to this Caltrans driver who parked the rig, left the engine running, stretched, walked, made some phone calls and conducted some busy work in the back of the truck. Perhaps the operator had been driving for a long time and needed a......

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?").......

LASD, both human and dog, are watching you this summer | Photo by Cody Fogh/LAist It's been about a month since the loyal LAist readers sounded off on the meaning of "Metroquette" and its various rules and recommendations. We heard opinions from those transplanted from more mass transit friendly cities, and also from long time Metro riders here in Los Angeles. With the unstoppable surge in fuel prices and summer here, we have seen......

The Metro now employs helpful Sheriff's Guides to assist disoriented or lost travelers. One of their first "rescues" this past weekend was this lost and disoriented CHP Officer who pulled off the very confusing LA Freeway system to seek the assistance of the Sheriff's Guides. (notice how he's sitting in an idling vehicle, facing against the flow of traffic)......

Photo by delera-photos via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr Today, City Council President Eric Garcetti announced two motions he is putting forward. If you know the biking community, you know these two proposals came from Garcetti listening to the community as the problems/solutions here are often heard within the cycling community. From a Garcetti press release: Garcetti introduced a resolution to urge the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) to repeal its ban on......

Passengers at the Union Station Metro Red/Purple Line Platform stood waiting at 10:00 p.m. Thursday night for an overdue train. A muffled and monotone voice made an announcement that was unintelligible with the exception of the word "Wilshire," which both train routes serve (there was also no update on the LCD screens). Asking other passengers about what it said, they had no idea. Upon asking a train operator about what the announcement said, he said......

Yesterday was a big day for the Metro Board of Directors with an overflow crowd turning up to address an agenda offering up both a tax increase and the Long Range Transportation Plan for discussion. Both Steve Hymon and Damien Newton have great blog entries on the inner workings of the Board including Steve's live blogging from Board Chambers detailing the Mayor's absence, tardiness and eventual arrival.......

Steve Hymon is reporting from the Metro Board meeting, the one that is pivotal for public transit's future in Los Angeles. It is also important for his "Subway to Sea" dream. "The big, big, big MTA meeting just entered its third hour, and Los Angeles Mayor and MTA board member Antonio Villaraigosa is still not here. Interesting." A call over to the Mayor's office and one representative told LAist "he sometimes goes late to that."......

Today is the regularly scheduled Metro Board meeting. But there's nothing regular about it. Two very important measures that could give long lasting positive changes to public transit are up for a vote: an increase of the county's sales tax to raise money for projects like the "Subway to the Sea" and the long range transportation plan which would give the region a vision to work towards. The sales tax increase, which has a lot......

SuggestionBoxLA to Metro - No Idling on Layover! Rising fuel costs is impacting everybody, even mass transit customers, according to the Daily News. Transit Agencies use a variety of fuels ranging from diesel to CNG to electricity to Propane to gasoline. The situation is so dire that the State of California has a mechanism in place to set aside money from the State budget to send to transportation when fuel prices spike.......

Photo by Simon Shek via Flickr On Tuesday night at 5:23 p.m., a train heading towards the Valley got stuck between Hollywood and Universal City. For 80 minutes, one half of the tracks was out of service while Metro engineers tried to figure out what stopped the rush-hour train with around 400 passengers aboard. Metro officials called the situation "extremely rare," but reports from frequent riders say a 40-minute delay happened on Monday evening......

A crash involving a Metro bus and a car has resulted in 9 injuries, 7 of whom were transported to the hospital. It occurred shortly after 3:30 p.m. at the intersection of 5th St. and Vermont Ave. Earlier this morning a collision between a Blue Line train and a vehicle occurred at 219 W. Washington Blvd. near Grand Ave. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the driver turned in front of the train, but......

Metro's Universal City Asphalt Heat Island is a little cooler now, thanks to a malfunctioning irrigation system that has resulted in days and days (at least five by our count) of continuous water flow.......

Metro put a press release this morning stating that a commissioned study shows 73% of LA County voters would pass the half-cent sales tax increase if the election were held today. To pass, it would need a two-thirds vote. But first, to get the increase on the ballot in November, it must be passed by Metro's Board this week as well as the State Senate.......

Taken Friday night at the Universal City Red Line Station | Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist Finally. After being delightfully teased for months on end by Metro with their new LCD screens hanging in subway stations with blank "next train arrival" info, the moment has finally come. Late last week, Metro began to "phase in" the arrival info starting in the Valley and Hollywood. Metro says expect to see this operating system wide within the......

Metrolink's ridership got a shot of adrenaline yesterday as ridership jumped to an all time high of 50,232 passengers -- a 15.6% increase since Tuesday for the regional commuter train service. Metro Rail has jumped 6% since last month (especially the gold line) and freeway traffic has dipped 1.5% since last year ("91.7 million miles traveled in March to 91.4 million in May"), reports the LA Times. For the last week, average gas prices in......

Gold Line Photo by Fred Camino/MetroRiderLA and Metro Subway photo by Kwasi B. Next week, the Metro board will vote on two very important issues. One will put a half-cent sales tax increase, that would raise funds for public transit, on November's ballot. The other is the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), a document guiding public transit in Los Angeles County for years to come. Gold Line advocates, who wish to see the line......

Photo by Adan Garcia via Flickr As an assembly bill that would enable Metro to put a half-cent sales tax increase on November's ballot makes its way towards the state Senate this month, a report released from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) said that such an increase would only cost people $25 extra per year (if the sales tax rate goes up, it will go from 8.25% to 8.75%, "translating to......

Photo by Fred Camino via Flickr As gas prices rise, so does public transit ridership. It was announced today that the Orange Line had a small 1.3% increase in boardings from this time last year, but also that Metro staff has decided that the agency should extend the busway north towards Chatsworth. Legally, when looking for a solution to a transit corridor (in this case, Canoga Blvd.), Metro has to vet through all alternatives......

Funding is the hurdle for good public transportation projects in Los Angeles. A bill that is currently making its way through the state legislature would allow Metro to then vote on a proposal to increase LA County's sale tax. And all signs for Metro approving it seem to be a "go." Then, a third voting party would have to approve it: voters, who would see it on the November ballot. The business community is starting......

Today, the Office of Vital records told all California counties can start issuing same-sex marriage licenses the minute after the California Supreme Court's order goes into effect, which is June 16, 5:01 p.m. Previously, officials had told county clerks that they could begin officiating gay marriages on June 17. Originally, marriages would have been allowed on June 14, but a request to stay the ban by opponents pushed back the date while justices reviewed a......

Photo LaMenta3 via Flickr Now that same-sex marriages are legalized in California (they begin June 17), this weekend's 38th annual Los Angeles Lesbian, Gay, Bi, and Transgender Pride celebration will probably have more energy than ever before. From Friday through Sunday, events including the Dyke March, the two-day Christopher Street Festival (with headliners Joss Stone and Olivia Newton John) and the parade, West Hollywood will be abuzz with activity. And with festivals and parades......

Riding Metro's light rail trains with a bike is not fun, especially when there's a crowd. Space is limited and bikes, unless foldable, are clunky. In Portland, where the train cars are a different model, bringing a bike is a little easier, especially since you can store them vertically on a hook. Cody Fogh's post on "Metroquette" yesterday led one commenter to say "I feel like I need some bicycle 'Metroquette' tips." To that, we......