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| April 1, 2007 - April 7, 2007 »
 Yes, they are talking about a $4 a gallon summer in California. It's already there at a few downtown San Francisco gas stations (Southern California prices are a bit lower than those in the Bay Area). But experts said the summer could be worse than the spring unless something quickly changes (Consumer Affairs says the hostage situation in Iran is one factor in rising prices). And many see a ripple effect:
"Almost three-quarters of every community in California is served exclusively by truck. So higher prices of fuel in some trucking sectors will have an effect on the price of goods in California," said Matt Schrap, regulatory specialist for the California Trucking Association.
 The 22 Freeway eastbound was closed all morning at Beach Boulevard (more work, we assume, for "The New 22". ) It's pretty rare to close an entire freeway -- especially during the day. Caltrans had lots of electronic signs warning of the closure. But still, the BB observed hundreds -- if not thousands -- of motorists who either didn't see or ignored the closure signs and kept driving. They paid a price: The detour off Beach was pure gridlock. Which raises a question: Why did they keep going when there were plenty of freeway and surface street alternatives? One recent study found that full freeway closures work if there are viable alternatives to get around. But you see it over and over: People driving right into a well-identified bottleneck.
Why do people knowingly drive into gridlock? What should be done? Hit the comment button and speak out!
 The epic quest of a West Hills neighborhood to get a pipe leak and large pothole repaired has some questioning the mayor's vow to repairing 300,000 potholes in the city. Turns out, the DN says, that there is a big backlog:
Street Services Director Bill Robertson estimated there is a 90-day backlog on street repairs. "We don't have the ability to hire any more workers, but we shift people around to deal with the most serious problems," he said. Robertson's bureau has an annual budget of $23 million and spends about $3 million of that on pothole repairs. Robertson said claims for pothole damage are summarized with other liability payouts, which total about $6.7 million a year.
Do you think the city is serious about filling potholes? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out!
 Back in the day, Santa Monica resisted installing red light cameras. But drivers are just getting so bad that even here those civil liberties concerns are fading away. The City Council voted this week to study bringing the cameras to Santa Monica, according to the Argonaut:
"Based upon my personal observation, I'm very concerned about the number of drivers in Santa Monica who are running red lights," [Councilman Bob] Holbrook said. "It has almost reached the point where, personally speaking, I won't even enter the intersection if I'm the first car in line at a green light until I've looked both ways to make sure there's not somebody coming through, because often there is." .... He added that he had also spoken with Pasadena Police Chief Bernard Melekian, and that Pasadena has "installed three or four of these [cameras] in their city, and they've markedly reduced red light running and made safer intersections."
Should Santa Monica joined the crowd and install red-light cameras? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out
 Gas prices keep closing in on record territory. But it could be worse. In San Francisco, officials say they have actually hit the gas price record, with one station in downtown S.F. charging $4.18 a gallon for premium. Some speculate the capture by Iran of British soliders is making prices spike more. We are doing better in Southern California -- but not much:
The average price of a gallon of regular self-serve gasoline rose 5.9 cents in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area this week, the eighth consecutive weekly increase, moving within 20 cents of the record high, the Auto Club said today. Tight supplies combined with concerns about stability in the Middle East pushed the average price to $3.205 today, 41 cents more than last month and 47 cents more than a year ago, according to the latest survey of the region’s gas stations by the Automobile Club of Southern California. (from CNS)
What should we be doing about these prices? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out!
 Looks like one of Southern California' railroad powerhouses is making efforts to be more green:
Union Pacific Railroad will spend $300 million over the next several years to reduce pollution and improve efficiency at its container facility at the Port of Los Angeles, the company announced today. At the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility, located five miles north of the San Pedro Bay Port complex, Union Pacific officials plan to replace 10 diesel-powered gantry cranes with 39 electric-powered, rail-mounted cantilever gantry cranes. Those new cranes will allow the company to remove 71 of its 73 diesel- powered truck tractors. The remaining two trucks will be replaced with vehicles that run on alternative fuels. (from CNS)
What do you think? Hit the COMMENT button and share your opinion!
 So many rail projects, so little money. That the conclusion of a CityBeat  examination of the competition for federal and state money for projects. Everyone, it seems, is resentful that the other region is getting more attention. Here's the BB scorecard:
--San Gabriel Valley: Got the shaft on freeway funding. Now pushing for Gold Line extension to Ontario Airport (and 710 tunnel).
--Westside: Did well with 405 widening money, and Expo Line finally moving forward. But longer odds for $5 billion Wilshire subway and Expo extension to the Pacific.
--Valley: MTA loves the frugal Orange Line -- and the busway might be extended to Chatsworth. But opposition locally for 101 widening.
--Southside: Big priority is finally extending the Green Line to LAX -- and perhaps light rail down Crenshaw Boulevard.
Where do you stand? Which region deserve the most? It the COMMENT button and speak out!
  
The Times' Chris Lee take an art tour around MTA facilities, and seems to like what he sees. Chris notes that all the striking installations come from a funding formula the MTA set up: Since 1989, the Metropolitan Transit Authority has earmarked one-half of 1% of all rail construction costs toward the creation of original, site-specific artwork. So now, from Pasadena to the South Bay, Watts to North Hollywood, the MTA displays a trove of museum-worthy modern art pieces and installations at its Metro Rail stops.
More about the MTA art and some free tours. What is your favorite (BB thinks the suicide man is cool).
But it does raise a question: Would it be better for the MTA to have plainer stations and put the money into better service? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out!
 How did the first day of the Dodgers' new parking rules (and higher rates) go? The Times' Chris Foster reports there was some grumbling in the parking lot:
On a night when attendance was barely half of capacity — the announced crowd was 29,841 — there was more concern and confusion than chaos on the first night of "controlled zone parking," which is being implemented this season, along with a $5 price increase, to $15 per car. The Dodgers said that 15% of the $100,000-per-game increase in revenue is being used to pay for 100 more attendants, decked out in bright, lime-green shirts, who direct people where to park. "I didn't see any difference, just more people out there in green shirts and $5 more to park," said Juan Escobar, who lives in Los Angeles. "That was the plan? I could do that."
What do you think about the Dodgers' new parking plan? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out!
There is a new book called "The Road More Traveled" that offers advice to policymakers on how to fix traffic congestion. Sacramento Executive developed a "Top Ten" action plan from the book, three of which seems to L.A. street relavance: 5. Freeway Ramp Metering. By controlling the flow of traffic entering highways, California has been able to increase freeway speeds by 22 to 89 percent in some cases.
6. One-Way Streets. One-way streets are able to carry 50 percent more traffic and reduce traffic accidents by 10 to 50 percent. Yet, many transportation planners haven’t taken advantage of this often-simple option.
7. Incident Management. For each minute that traffic is blocked by an accident, five minutes of congestion are added to a commute. In most urban areas, much more can be done to rapidly and effectively manage accidents.
Freeway metering is an interesting issue. They seems to increase free flow of freeways, but it can take a long time getting there on metered onramps. Some meters cause traffic to back onto surface streets during rush hour, according to a Caltrans report.
What do you think of ramp meters? Hit the comment button below.
Heads up on some construction work on the often-desperate 101-405 junction: The westbound Ventura (101) Freeway will be closed between Van Nuys Boulevard and the San Diego (405) Freeway on Sunday between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m., according to Caltrans. The westbound on-ramp at Van Nuys Boulevard and the Sepulveda Boulevard off-ramp will also be closed, said Deborah Harris of Caltrans. The closures are for landscape, bridge, electrical, striping and other maintenance work.
 In the heart of San Francisco, urban planners have the rare opportunity to create a streetscape from scratch thanks to the destruction of a portion of the Central Freeway. Officials have created "Octavia Boulevard," which the Chronicle says has become a street lab of sorts:
Octavia Boulevard is a laboratory, a former elevated freeway path recast as a five-block landscaped roadway that's becoming the centerpiece of the Hayes Valley neighborhood. Twelve empty lots once covered by freeway will be redeveloped and money from the land sales will fund neighborhood street improvements. The boulevard opened in 2005, but only last winter were the first four parcels offered to development teams. The winning teams selected last month are now negotiating purchase of their sites from the city.
What do you think of Octavia Boulevard? Hit the COMMENT button and share your thoughts!
 Turmoil seems to be roiling the CHP, according to AP. The head of the CHP is under fire for a variety of problems including suicide rates, questionable contracts and alleged misconduct by his command staff:
Two state lawmakers on Thursday said the commissioner of the California Highway Patrol should resign after a series of problems they said illustrates a lack of leadership. The legislators, a Republican and a Democratic, criticized Commissioner Mike Brown over several problems that have plagued the CHP during his tenure. Those include a spike in suicides among officers, faulty state contracts and questionable use of state-owned equipment.
Check out the rest of the report below. What do you think? Hit comment button and speak out!
Continue reading "CHP under fire" »
 We'll have to see how residents react to details of the proposal to convert Olympic and Pico boulevards into one-way streets. But The Times Jean Guccione reports, "As the plan moves forward, officials will have to balance the potential inconveniences from rerouting two of L.A.'s busiest streets (see photo) with the potential for traffic relief."
Critics: Merchants on the boulevards worry that the reconfiguration will confuse and drive away customers. Some residents worry about cut-through traffic on their streets as commuters change directions between Olympic and Pico. There is also the (at times lengthy) distance between the two boulevards. And has Beverly Hills (which has a bit of the route) spoken up?
Backers: There is evidence that one-way streets speed up traffic (mainly by allowing better signal synchronization). Westside traffic is so bad that some residents argue that any improvements -- even ones that re-route major boulevards -- is welcomed. And it's cheap (estimates say a few million dollars) without taking money away from rail projects.
  Officials began meeting this week on plans for the High Desert Corridor, which would connect the fast-growing Antelope Valley with the fast-growing high desert communities of San Bernardino County. Many officials want it to be a freeway, but there is talk, according to the AV Press, to have private developers build it as a toll road:
The concept of letting a private company build the High Desert Corridor as a toll road - proposed by Lancaster Republicans State Sen. George Runner and his wife, Assemblywoman Sharon Runner - doesn't sit well with Ledford. "A toll road is, in reality, a tax," [Palmdale Mayor Jim] Ledford said. "The JPA is coming from two counties without much definition. Somebody's in charge, and I think it might be the public-private partnerships - the private side - that's got the information." Sen. Runner said the idea of using public-private partnerships or tolls to build the corridor is an important issue and "one of the reasons the JPA is going to be so important."
President Bush would likely approve.
 The Fountain Valley man's vision of person pod transit has captured the imagination of some Bottleneck Blog posters. Flashback to 1972. Then, The Times wrote about an ambitious plan for a 468-miles monorail pod system using individualize cars. The so-called "Personalized Transportation System" was supposed to be the Aerospace industry's answer to solving L.A.'s traffic woes. The monorails would run in loops, with plenty of park-and-ride stations. Passengers would enter "buglike" cars carrying 4-6 people each (supposedly, this would be more enticing to riders than larger muti-passenger cars). These pods would then go 60-70 mph. Our stories back then talked about a system running from the South Bay to downtown L.A. Another route was supposed run from West L.A. to downtown. As the freeway building boom came to an end, this was seen as an alternative.
What do you think? Could personal POD mass transit work today? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out!
 Does Southern California traffic congestion threaten the region's trade and logisitics economy? Not according to the head of SCAG:
Inland Southern California's logistics industry will not be ruined by freeway and rail gridlock, a leading regional urban planner said earlier this week. "There's too much money in it," said Mark Pisano, executive director of the Southern California Association of Governments Executive Director Mark Pisano said.
The PE, however, does say that shippers are struggling with the traffic. The paper sites one company's problems. "A 120-mile roundtrip in less urbanized parts of the company's operating area costs the customer about $210. The company charges $300 to make a trip involving the same mileage, from Fontana to the Los Angeles port area because of congestion... Trucks stuck in traffic use more fuel, he said, and the company has to pay its drivers more."
 Roy Reynolds of Fountain Valley is a dreamer. He's developed a personal "pod mass-transit system" he'd like Orange County to adopt. He tells the Register, however, he's not getting many takers:
He wants Orange County to adopt what he calls Personal Rapid Transit, a system of small, light cars that transport people on an elevated rail system... The idea behind the system is that it's personal rapid transit … meaning you walk up to a station, you do a card swipe and tell it where you want to go.
A similar concept was discussed in L.A. during the 1960s and 1970s. In fact, The Times wrote several stories about a complex pod network that was supposed to link the South Bay to downtown Los Angeles.
What do you think of personal pods as a form of mass transit? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out!
The Times' Jean Guccione and David Pierson go deep on the proposed Pico/Olympic one-way route proposal, which backers see as a cheap (compared to a $5 billion subway) way to ease Westside traffic gridlock. Jean and David garner some new details of the proposal: Pico and Olympic are unusual candidates for one-way conversion. Most one-way streets are one block apart, making it easy for drivers to switch directions. By contrast, the distance between Pico and Olympic varies. Through large swaths of West L.A., Mid-City and Beverly Hills, the streets are only two or three blocks apart. But in Century City and neighborhoods south of Hancock Park, the gap widens to up to three-quarters of a mile. Yaroslavsky said his plan calls for making Olympic westbound and Pico eastbound. Two lanes of each street — one in each direction — could be dedicated to bus traffic.
Are you sold on Pico/Olympic one-way? Or is it just a band-aid on a severe wound? Hit the COMMENT button and join the debate!
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 We told you about how the MTA is thinking about bring in longer buses to move people more quickly on the Orange Line. But for a really long bus, go to Shanghai. The city just unveiled "the world's largest bus," with a capacity of 300 passengers (see photo):
It is 13 meters longer than an ordinary bus and is the world's largest bus, according to the manufacturer. It takes about 35 steps to walk from the front to the back. It has five doors, 40 seats and can carry 300 people. The top speed is around 80 kilometers per hour.
Would this bus work in L.A.? Hit the Comment button and speak out!
  Well, the Green Line never reached LAX. But Ontario officials are pushing for the Gold Line to end at Ontario International Airport , according to the Bulletin. Officials are now planning the Gold Line's eastern push from Pasadena through Arcadia, Monrovia and Azusa. But officials are still in the early planning stages -- and the project is probably a decade-plus off:
The idea of making the airport the final destination on the Gold Line light-rail service that runs from Los Angeles to Pasadena seems to be gaining favor, Mayor Paul Leon said Tuesday. Leon addressed the Gold Line possibility during an aviation summit at LA/Ontario International, where aviation experts and airport officials discussed the airport's future and impact on the region. The airport, which handles about 7 million passengers a year, is on its way to becoming the second-largest in Southern California, San Bernardino County Supervisor Gary Ovitt said.
What do you think of the Gold Line to Ontario International? Hit the comment button and speak out!
 The mayor is in Washington lobbying for more federal funding. But the Daily News editorial board isn't that impressed with the mayor's "pothole politics" or his push for a $5 billion Wilshire Boulevard subway. Rather, the editorial says cheaper solutions like the Orange Line extension (in the Valley -- interesting) makes sense. And raising MTA bus fares -- a bad idea:
But at the same time, these same MTA officials are looking into the possibility of doubling bus and subway fares by 2009 - a very, very bad idea. While soaring gas prices have put the agency into financial distress, the last thing L.A. needs is another reason not to use mass transit. There are enough of those already.
The Times' Duke Helfand, who is travelling with the mayor, reports that Sen. Dianne Feinstein said she supports increased funding for the Expo Line extension in the Westside and the Gold Line extension through the East L.A.
What do you think? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out!
 A looming water crisis in Orange County forced authorities to use dozen of freeway warning signs-usually reserved for child abductions and traffic jams-to urge residents to conserve.
The water shortage was caused by the scheduled maintenance of a treatment plant in Yorba Linda, which provides the county with half its water supply. Officials deemed the water crisis so critical that warnings were issued on 35 Caltrans signs along Orange County freeways beginning Tuesday. The message read, "Orange County Water Emergency Conserve Water."
-Jennifer Delson
 Suicide-by-train is not a new story in Southern California. But Placentia is dealing with two tragedies that occurred just hours apart:
Two women killed themselves in Placentia by throwing themselves in front of trains within hours and yards of each other, it was reported today. One woman was killed when she jumped in front of a Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train near Jefferson and Orangethorpe avenues about 5:15 p.m. yesterday, Placentia police Capt. Ward Smith told the Orange County Register. She has not been identified. The woman died just yards from where 33-year-old Tammi Marie Vick jumped in front of a westbound train near North Richfield Avenue about 1 a.m., Smith told the newspaper. (from CNS)
 How is the idea of making Pico and Olympic one-way playing on the Westside? We sent The Times' David Pierson out to find out. He talked to one resident who made some interesting points:
Jeffrey Sams gets so aggravated sitting in traffic on the Westside that his friends have come to expect regular phone calls from him to help him pass the time.
"I use Pico and Olympic a lot and it gets crazy, especially around Bundy and Westwood," Sams said on Wednesday walking along Pico Boulevard. "I try listening to news or talk radio to get my mind off it. But I usually get on my cell phone. I don’t know if making those streets one way will help, but I’m for anything that will help traffic down."
The 38-year-old actor said his mobility is constrained. "By 6 p.m., I always take Pico because Olympic is so jammed," Sams said. Already, he’s worried if more traffic will enter his residential street if the two major thoroughfares are made one-way. He said he and neighbors were already beginning a petition to have speed bumps installed on their street, Midvale Ave.
"There’s just too many cars," he said.
What do you think? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out!
 The drive between Long Beach and San Pedro just got a lot easier, says the PT. A major street improvement project on Ocean Boulevard removed traffic signals and fixed the street surface. It was completed this week:
The $65 million project raised the street nearly 20 feet and eliminated two stoplights allowing motorists to travel nonstop between Gerald Desmond Bridge [see photo] and Navy Way. "Commuters who drive between Long Beach and San Pedro will see a major traffic improvement," said Port Executive Director Richard Steinke. About 15 percent of all U.S. waterborne cargo containers move through the Ocean Boulevard and Terminal Island Freeway interchange on trucks, Long Beach Port officials say. They estimate the change will reduce traffic delays by 5,600 vehicle hours per day and fuel consumption by more than 9,300 gallons per day.
 As the MTA considers expanding the Orange Line into Chatsworth, officials are also looking at other ways to make service faster (they hope a Chatsworth station would draw riders from Ventura County and the Santa Clarita Valley). One idea, the DN says, is making the buses longer. Sounds strange, but seems to make sense:
To meet the demand, Metro plans to experiment this summer with 65-foot-long buses. Each could hold 14 more passengers than are held by one of the 60-foot-long buses now in use. The MTA could eventually use 80-foot-long buses, boosting the capacity to that of rail lines. Averaging 35 mph, the Orange Line makes the 14-mile trip in about 40 minutes. By comparison, the Red Line subway averages 32 mph, taking 29 minutes to travel between North Hollywood and Union Station. The subway makes up time, however, as it accelerates to 70 mph traveling under the Santa Monica Mountains between Universal City and Hollywood, said MTA spokesman Marc Littman.
What do you think of these longer Orange Line buses? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out!
 This item from CNS this morning needs no introduction:
Jason Jacobs of the Los Angeles Zoo says the helicopters covering the traffic backup on Crystal Springs Drive, where a tree is across the road, are scaring the animals. He asks the pilots to go higher or back off to reduce noise at the zoo.
  57-60 interchange in Diamond Bar has gotten so congested that traffic is spilling out into residential neighborhoods, according to city officials. This is prompting a new push among local cities to make improvements:
Diamond Bar has joined cities including Brea, Chino Hills and Pomona to establish the Four Corners Transportation Coalition, to get funding for much-needed infrastructure improvement. Fixing that freeway interchange tops the Coalition's list... Councilwoman Carol Herrera said traffic has gotten to the point where "residents can't get out their neighborhood."
More here on carpool lane project under way at the 57-60 (and delays).
 Some drivers --particularly older ones -- are complaining about the bluish, high-intensity headlamps that are popular on upscale new cars. The federal government is now conducting a study to see whether the lights make it harder for other drivers to see, according to the UT. But experts say there is no direct proof the light result in more accidents:
In recent years, the lights have become a standard – and often highly desired – feature on many luxury car models, including those made by Lexus, BMW and Cadillac. Owners swear by them, saying they put the road in sharp relief, making for a safer drive. Others, including many older drivers, find the lamps piercing to the eye.
What do you think of these high-intensity headlights? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out!
 The Bus Riders Union is handing out placcards to bus riders, pushing for a reduction in MTA fares instead of an increase:
The union has proposed Metro officials reduce daily fares to 50 cents and monthly passes to $20, pointing to past examples of ridership increasing with lower fares, but an agency official said a ridership increase would not have an effect on the deficit if fares were lowered. The group has plastered bus stops and the Metro Red Line with fliers urging commuters to speak out against the proposed fare hikes. "We’ve been getting a higher volume of calls, people asking how they can get involved," [union official Manuel] Criollo said. "Where does this agency want to take public transit? For us again, obviously we believe they should remove this fare increase proposal off the table." (from CNS)
What do you think about the fare decrease idea? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out.
 More traffic headaches as 405 widening continues:
Between Sawtelle and Sepulveda boulevards, Palms Boulevard will be closed in both directions Tuesday and Wednesday nights as work continues on the San Diego (405) Freeway car pool lane project. The road will shut down at 9 p.m., and will reopen at 6 a.m. The same hours will be in effect on Wednesday night to Thursday morning. The road closure is part of the $167 million High Occupancy Vehicle project on the 405 from the Marina (90) Freeway to the Santa Monica (10) Freeway. The project is scheduled to be completed in late 2008. (From CNS)
 It looks like the critics of the MTA's hefty fare proposal are trying to rally the troops.
About 50 members of the Bus Riders Union rallied this morning to oppose the hikes. The marchers said the fare hikes will disproportionately hit the wallets of low-income Blacks, Latinos and Asians, diverting their money to multi-billion dollar rail projects they may not see benefits from for decades.
The group is planning a canvassing and letter-writing campaign to get city leaders to see the future of Los Angeles transit the way they do: a network of streets full of frequent, low-fare buses. They hope to garner the votes of enough supporters on the MTA board to secure a withdraw or a no vote on the fare increases. But ideally, they would like to see a fare decrease, which they say would coax people out of their gas guzzlers and onto city buses.
-Tony Barboza
What do you think? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out on this issue!
 We see freeway chases mostly from the air. But here's a YouTube video that shows L.A. authorities pursuing a suspect from the ground. And it has the sound from the scene that is missing in all those TV chopper shots. The process of arrest from ground level is actually quite interesting -- and it seems a lot more loud than what we see on the evening news. YouTube posters seemed impressed with the police response.
What do you think? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out!
 A road-planning revolution is afoot in the Inland Empire. For decades, planners focused on improving the east-west commute (when many drivers went into L.A. County to work). But the PE reports that a big increase in commuting within Riverside and San Bernardino counties has officials talking about more north-south routes:
After years of focusing on helping commuters drive east-west to employment centers outside Riverside and San Bernardino counties, planners are looking for more north-south traffic solutions within the Inland area. The most recent effort involves developing ways for drivers to get from Moreno Valley to San Bernardino County without ever getting on Interstate 215. A recent round of state transportation funding also included money for north-south projects on Interstate 215 through Murrieta and through downtown San Bernardino. One Riverside County supervisor, Bob Buster, is calling for a change in transportation priorities to reflect the needs of Inland-only commuting.
What do you think about focusing road planning on inter-inland commuting? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out!
 Tough day to be taking the Gold Line into downtown:
Metro Gold Line trains experienced 20-minute delays today between the Allen and Del Mar stations in Pasadena after someone apparently threw a truck tire from a freeway overpass and damaged electric lines, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. A train operator called in last night to report that a tire had hit his windshield, said MTA spokesman Jose Ubaldo, adding that the tire also apparently damaged electric lines on its way down. (from CNS)
 The Times' Jean Guccione tries to get to the bottom of a proposal in Sacramento to create a "snitch line" where the public can report carpool lane cheaters. Jean says the proposal is similar to one in Washington state, "which is credited with reducing violations in the Seattle area to 5% of the vehicles in carpool lanes. The national average is 10% to 15%." But how big a problem is carpool lane cheats? Well:
According to Caltrans officials, fewer than 2% of the vehicles in carpool lanes in Los Angeles County are there illegally. CHP officers wrote 69,000 citations for such violations last year, down from 73,898 in 2005, according to statewide statistics. About 30,000 were written in the Los Angeles area.
Is the carpool lane snitch line a good idea? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out!
Times Staff Writer Jean Guccione answers your traffic questions.
Remember when Dodger fans could board a shuttle bus to get to the stadium for a couple of bucks?
Well, with the price of stadium parking going from $10 to $15, transit official might want to revisit the idea. The nearest Metro bus stop to the stadium is Sunset Boulevard, forcing bus riders to climb the hill to watch a game. The Dodgers discontinued the shuttle a few years ago, citing low ridership (on average, 400 a game) and high costs. Since then, transit officials have been unwilling to pick up the $150,000 a season tab to restart the service.
What you think of the Dodgers' parking situation. Hit the COMMENT button and speak out!
It looks like angst over the 405 widening is spreading into the San Fernando Valley.
Stunned Encino homeowner s got the news that as many as six properties may be demolished under a plan to widen the San Diego Freeway.
"This is the first time we’ve heard of it," said Marsha Rimbach, who bought her Valley Vista Boulevard home, now targeted for demolition, three decades ago. "I can’t believe Caltrans can do this."
Another option would be to close the Valley Vista offramp, an idea opposed by area business owners. Valley Vista provides motorists with easy access to shops and restaurants along Ventura Boulevard. If the exit were closed, getting to Sherman Oaks would become much tougher. Motorists would be diverted out of their way. The next closest freeway exits are for the Skirball Center and Burbank Boulevard.
-Jean Guccione
What do you think? Hit the comment button and have your say!
The Bus Riders Union is handing out placcards to bus riders, pushing for a reduction in MTA fares instead of an increase: The union has proposed Metro officials reduce daily fares to 50 cents and monthly passes to $20, pointing to past examples of ridership increasing with lower fares, but an agency official said a ridership increase would not have an effect on the deficit if fares were lowered. The group has plastered bus stops and the Metro Red Line with fliers urging commuters to speak out against the proposed fare hikes. "We’ve been getting a higher volume of calls, people asking how they can get involved," [union official Manuel] Criollo said. "Where does this agency want to take public transit? For us again, obviously we believe they should remove this fare increase proposal off the table." (from CNS)
What do you think about the fare decrease idea? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out.
 Many a Caltrans project has been foiled or at least delayed by environmental legal skirmishes. Now, according to The Times' Evan Halper, the road agency is turning the tables:
CalTrans, long foiled by lawsuits accusing it of recklessly plowing over the habitat of endangered species, polluting the air and contaminating waterways, is now filing its own legal challenges. Using a law that says developers must mitigate the impact of their projects on highways, the agency is suing cities and builders for money to fund freeway expansion and other improvements that relieve congestion. Developers say the suits are extortion: Pay the state's ransom or see projects bogged down in litigation indefinitely. Local governments complain that the state is trying to grab funds that should be going to their streets and to enviro-friendly transportation projects.
What do you think of Caltrans' new strategy. Hit the COMMENT button and speak out!
 Blogger El Chavo! takes a fascinating look at the Pasadena Freeway -- by walking it through in Lincoln Heights. It's a less dangerous and more picturesque journey than you might think:
This spot is quite intense as you have the Arroyo Seco meeting up with the LA River, the 110-5 interchange, trains running underneath, and hills all over the place. Lots of nice views all around.
It includes a short video of freeway traffic. (Photo from blogging.la).
 More disturbing news about possible abuses of disabled parking placards:
The proliferation of the disabled placards that allow drivers to ignore meters and use parking spots meant for those with disabilities point to abuse of the system, officials said. About one in 16 motorists in California carry the signs - more than double the number who had them a decade ago. An aging population, a broader definition of the disabilities that qualify drivers for the privilege, and abuse of the system are behind the increase, said Mike Miller, a spokesman for the state Department of Motor Vehicles. .... The DMV doesn’t know how much fraud there is in the system. But last year, after an annual check of death records, the department canceled 25,352 permits after finding out that the people to whom they were issued had died. (from AP)
What do you think about this? Hit the COMMENT button and have your say!
 The mayor didn't don a hardhat. But he did put on work gloves as he announced his new attack on potholes today. CNS is still trying to figure out how the new "Operation Smooth Ride" differs from his "Operation Pothole" announced last year:
According to the mayor’s office, Los Angeles drivers spend an average of $693 a year to repair damage caused by bad road conditions and potholes. Nearly 500,000 auto insurance claims are filed each year for pothole mishaps. This isn’t the first time Villaraigosa has declared war on potholes. Last year, he announced a program to fill 300,000 potholes across the city. Between September and December 2005, city crews filled 80,173 potholes at a cost of $450,000 during "Operation Pothole." It usually costs the city $5 to $21 to fix a pothole in the city, depending on its size, according to the Department of Street Services.
 Those Cheviot Hills residents who want the Expo Line extension routed away from their neighborhood aren't getting much sympathy. One L.A. couple recounts how moving next to the Gold Line was the best thing they ever did:
We bought the house years ago when the rail line was in the planning stages, anticipating and eventually experiencing higher property values, traffic relief and an easy way to navigate the city. Buying close to transit was one of the best decisions we ever made. But at the Cheviot Hills meeting, I spoke to some who saw rail as some sort of dark force that lowers property values and endangers children. I told them I have yet to see light rail bring down a neighborhood, be it in Portland, Boston, Istanbul or Pasadena.
What do you think? Hit the COMMENT button and have your say!
 Here's an idea for easing Southland traffic congestion you don't hear everyday. Forgot those subways and light rail lines. Instead, encourage commuters to leave the car at home and drive bikes, scooters and Segways. That's part of the congestion plan by City Hall watcher and mayoral candidate Walter Moore:
To encourage people to use these types of efficient commuting vehicles, we need to convert the parking lanes on our major surface streets (e.g., Wilshire, Sepulveda) into lanes dedicated to such vehicles. Some of the lanes would become “bus only” lanes. Others would become “two-wheeled vehicles only” lanes.
What do you think of this idea? Are two wheels the answer? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out!
 Have L.A. transit users been spoiled all these years? MTA officials tell the DN that the hefty proposed fare increases (to $2 a ride) would simply bring L.A. up to the fares already charged by other cities:
MTA officials said the fare hikes will bring those in Los Angeles in line with those in other major cities. In New York, for instance, a one-way bus or subway ride costs $2, while a day pass costs $7 and a monthly pass costs $76. And commuters in Chicago pay $2 for a one-way ride, $5 for a day pass and $75 for a monthly ticket.
Of course, we've talked about the idea (proposed by SF Mayor Gavin Newsom and others) to encourage transit use by offering free rides. (San Francisco's adult fare is $1.50). Does raising fares discourage people from taking mass transit? That's what some are saying.
What do you think? Hit the COMMENT button and speak out!
 It's Monday, and the mayor has a new traffic initiative! This one is called "Operation Smooth Ride," described as a "a traffic relief initiative aimed at smoothing and repairing the most congested and pothole-heavy streets." He unveils it this morning at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Detroit Street.
 The weeklong debate at The Times opinion section about the future of L.A. traffic ends with the wish lists from the Transit Coalition's Bart Reed and the Reason Foundation's Ted Balaker. Reed backs more mass transit, Balaker favors other solutions like toll roads, buses and smarter growth. A summary:
Reed: The Subway-to-the Sea; a rail line between the Valley and Westside; Green Line to LAX and to Santa Fe Springs; Gold Line to Montclair; Metrolink service further into L.A. and making it electric; add rail to the Orange Line and expand it to Glendale; the regionwide high-speed rail network; Expo Line to the sea. (BB lost track of costs, but seems like more than $100 billion).
Balaker: Reduce bus fares 40%; force transit officials to actually tak | |
Yes, they are talking about a $4 a gallon summer in California. It's already there at a few downtown San Francisco gas stations (Southern California prices are a bit lower than those in the Bay Area). But experts said the summer could be worse than the spring unless something quickly changes (Consumer Affairs says the hostage situation in Iran is one factor in rising prices). And many see a ripple effect:
