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Heads up on closures beginning Sunday in West Hollywood for the annual parade: Santa Monica Boulevard will be closed from Fairfax Avenue to Doheny Drive from 6 a.m. until the conclusion of the parade. Parking on West Hollywood residential streets without permits will be allowed until 7 a.m. Monday.
 Here's another disturbing road rage incident, this one in Long Beach:
Authorities today sought the public’s help in finding two gunmen who wounded a commercial truck driver on the Long Beach (710) Freeway, a police spokesperson said. The shooting attack occurred yesterday about 6:40 a.m. on the northbound freeway between Pacific Coast Highway and Willow Street, said Long Beach police spokesman Jason Evans. It was unclear what the occupants in the blue sport utility vehicle and the commercial truck driver were talking about, but at one point the suspects in the SUV fired several times, striking the trucker twice, Evans said. The trucker, a 43-year-old San Pedro man, was taken to an area hospital for treatment of wounds described as non-life-threatening, he said. (CNS)
 Gas prices fell again this week. But it would take several months of declines (at this level) to get prices back to $3 a gallon:
Southland gasoline prices fell for the fourth consecutive week this week, dropping more steeply than at any time since the decline began, but they remain far above $3 per gallon, the Auto Club said today. The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular unleaded in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area fell 5.1 cents this week to $3.333, 15 cents less than last month and 1 cent less than at this time last year, according to the latest area survey by the Automobile Club of Southern California. The price fell 3.9 cents from both May 25-June 1 and May 18-25 and 2 cents from May 11-18 after rising for 14 consecutive weeks. The Orange County average price dropped 5.6 cents this week to $3.309. It had fallen 4 cents from May 25-June 1, 4.6 cents from May 18-25 and 2.6 cents from May 11-18 after rising for 14 consecutive weeks. (CNS)
 The MTA could take a sizable financial hit in court with this judgment in a bus crash in Santa Monica:
A jury today awarded nearly $14 million to a passenger who suffered brain damage and paralysis injuries when a Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus slammed into a parked car in Santa Monica. A Metro representative was not immediately available for comment on the Santa Monica Superior Court panel’s verdict, which was reached after a day of deliberations. Joseph L. Garcia, now 58, was riding on an MTA bus that was traveling on Santa Monica Boulevard on June 25, 2005, when it collided with a parked car, causing him to violently strike his head inside the bus, according to his attorneys, Geoffrey S. Wells and Browne Greene. Garcia suffers from permanent brain injury and is paralyzed on his left side. He will require 24-hour care for the rest of his life, and the court appointed a conservator to handle his financial affairs, his lawyers said. (CNS)
 The Palm Springs area likes to name streets after famous residents of the resort region. Now officials have added Dean Martin to the list.
Frank Sinatra can't rib him anymore. Dean Martin finally has a road named for him in this celebrity-conscious town where Ol' Blue Eyes, Bob Hope, Dinah Shore and Gerald Ford all have their own streets. On what would have been Dino's 90th birthday, Rancho Mirage dedicated Dean Martin Drive.... "The best part is he doesn't have to listen to Frank ragging about it anymore," [son] Craig Martin joked, standing near a street sign with his father's name.
CNS adds: "Other famous Rancho Mirage residents who have had streets named after them include Bob Hope, Dinah Shore, Ginger Rogers, Kaye Ballard and the late President Gerald R. Ford."
Turns out there's a Dean Martin Drive in Las Vegas too.
 Remember a few months ago we heard about the mayor doing some private polling about whether to seek a tax hike to pay for mass transit? Well, The Times' Steve Hymon says we haven't heard of any proposal yet. But he points out that L.A. residents will likely have to put their money where their mouth is when it comes to building expensive rail projects:
In other words, if the public wants a big mass-transit system, the public is going to have to pay more for it. "Public transportation is local transportation, and the quality of it is decided by the people who live there," said Virginia Miller, spokeswoman for the American Public Transportation Assn. "If you want a good system in your community, you and others need to make the decision to invest in it." The office of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has conducted polls to test voter sentiment about a possible ballot measure to fund more mass transit. But he hasn't proposed anything.
 A series of violent incidents on workers widening Highway 138 have prompted a full closure of the road near Highway 2 that begins Monday. The Times' Hector Becerra and Tony Barboza report that the road rage speaks to a larger issue of a rural road being used by commuters from far-flung suburbs:
Motorists angry at construction delays threatened road workers and damaged equipment. Also, flagmen have been attacked in what officials describe as bizarre incidents of road rage. Two workers were hit by cars and a third was shot with a BB gun. Now in an unprecedented response to ill will, Caltrans has announced it will close a portion of the highway beginning Monday to complete the project. California 138 connects two of Southern California's fastest-growing areas — the Antelope Valley communities of Palmdale and Lancaster and the Inland Empire's high desert region. But the rural highway has become a major commuter route, and that has caused problems. "This is growing pains," said Dennis Green, a Caltrans consultant on the $44-million widening project. "People here are not used to having congestion like they had in Los Angeles. It's here now, and they're having to learn how to cope with it."
An MTA bus crashed in the Pico-Robertson area today: A Metro bus and two other vehicles collided today in the South Robertson area of Los Angeles, leaving two people with possible injuries, authorities said. The accident occurred about 7:15 a.m. at Pico Boulevard and Beverly Drive, said Metro’s Rick Jager. The bus, operating on Line 14, was turning at the intersection when it collided with two other vehicles and caromed into a fence outside a building, Jager said. (CNS)
 Officials have been trying for years to widen the 118 Freeway in and around Simi Valley. They thought it was all a go. But now, The Times' Greg Griggs reports, money problems might force a major downsizing. As Greg notes: "Traffic on the stretch of the 118 Freeway increased from 110,000 vehicles daily in 1998 to 117,000 today. With no improvement, traffic planners estimate two-hour delays during morning and evening peak periods each weekday will double by 2025." More:
With work already underway to widen a key portion of the 118 Freeway, Ventura County officials say there is only enough money to expand one side of the busy roadway and are appealing to the state this week for more funding to complete the project. The California Transportation Commission initially allocated $50 million for the project, but higher construction costs left only enough to add an eastbound lane from Tapo Canyon Road in Simi Valley to the Los Angeles County line, officials said. When county officials asked for an additional $32.7 million to complete the westbound portion of the freeway, the state Transportation Commission staff erroneously classified it as a new project rather than a cost increase and recommended that the request be rejected, officials said.
 Here's another campaign in the development wars that have hit the Westside. West Hollywood has imposed strict limits on new development for 45 days as a new general plan is written. It's the latest effort by officials to get a handle on rapid growth -- and the corresponding traffic gridlock -- in the area:
An interim ordinance approved by the West Hollywood City Council places new standards on the construction of multifamily housing in medium- and high-density areas. "The interim ordinance will give us the breathing room we need to discuss and decide our future housing plans for the city," West Hollywood Mayor John Duran said. "It is impossible to strategize long-term when new construction applications continue to be filed with projects inconsistent with our housing goals." According to the interim ordinance, multifamily developments must not exceed 600 square feet for a studio, 800 square feet for a one-bedroom unit and 1,250 square feet for a two-bedroom unit. Buildings cannot exceed three stories. (CNS)
 Orange County's toll roads could be in for another toll hike. If given final approval, the maximum toll on the 73 toll road (which has long been the most troubled in OC's network, running from Newport Beach to San Juan Capistrano) would rise to $5. That's about half the peak rate on the 91 Express Lanes that connects OC and the Inland Empire:
Tolls will increase on the Foothill/Eastern (241/261/133) and the San Joaquin (73) toll roads by up to 25 cents on July 2 under a plan approved today by a committee of the Transportation Corridor Agencies. The proposed toll hikes will go to the full boards for approval on June 14, said Jennifer Seaton of the TCA. If the increases receive final approval, as expected, the most expensive toll on the system will be $5 at the Catalina View plaza in Newport Beach for someone driving the San Joaquin toll road at peak hours and using cash, Seaton said. Using a prepaid transponder at that location will cost $4.25. The cost of using the San Joaquin toll road is less if driving in off-peak hours, with fees up to $4.25 using cash, Seaton said. Seaton said other proposed increases are for 25 cents each on the Foothill Transportation Corridor at Oso Parkway in Mission Viejo, at Portola West in Irvine on the Eastern Transportation Corridor and at El Toro on the Eastern Transportation Corridor. (CNS)
 Looks like the lawsuit stemming from the deadly Glendale Metrolink crash will finally go to trial. At the center of the case is the controversial "push-pull" system Metrolink uses for moving trains:
A judge has cleared the way for consolidated lawsuits against Metrolink, stemming from a January 2005 train crash at the Glendale-Los Angeles city line that killed 11 people and injured more than 180 others, to go to trial beginning next March. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Emilie H. Elias rejected the argument by Metrolink attorneys that the agency was immune from civil liability in the case. The Metrolink lawyers maintained the immunity stemmed from relevant federal laws that override state statutes and because of regulations set forth by the Federal Railroad Administration. The FRA left it up to local operators around the country whether they wished to use the "push-pull" method to drive trains where engines travel at less than 125 mph, Metrolink attorneys argued. In his 16-page ruling issued Friday, Elias rejected the Metrolink lawyers’ arguments, stating that "negligence law appears to be a reasonable check on operators’ conduct or inaction." In the "push-pull" method used by Metrolink, trains are pulled by a locomotive in one direction and then pushed when they go in the opposite direction, instead of turning around. In the Jan. 26, 2005, Metrolink crash -- the deadliest rail crash since 1999 -- the cars were being pushed. (CNS)
Here's a novel way the Riverside Police Department is trying to spread the word to teens about the dangers of street racing: A 17-year-old boy who struck and killed a Riverside woman in a wheelchair during an illegal street race last October will own up to his actions today during a presentation to high school students. The scheduled presentation at Martin Luther King High School is a condition of the teenager’s sentence, according to Riverside police spokesman Steve Frasher, who said the boy would be joined by several police officers discussing the dangers of street racing. "This kid was a first-time offender, and he was a pretty good kid from what I know," Frasher said during an interview yesterday. "But his actions led to some horribly tragic consequences." (CNS)
 Does L.A.'s Westside/Eastside rivalry extend to traffic? Kemp Powers on LAist examines the plan to make Olympic and Pico one-way and ends up talking about why it seems to him that traffic is so much worse in the 310 area code:
But do I pity Westsiders? Hell no! Because I was once one of you (living in Santa Monica), and it took a relocation east to realize that the city of Los Angeles has been doing a lot of growing up, and making strides in battling those car-addicted, traffic-clogged clichés. I learned we have a subway system and, believe it or not, it’s pretty damn handy as long as you don’t need to go to the Westside. Traffic east of La Cienega is always a fraction of what it is to the west on most major streets, even though the eastern parts of town are much denser.
Of course, the real Eastside is just beyond downtown, where surface streets are being torn up to build the Gold Line extension rail line.
 Is the "Click It or Ticket" program we are seeing around Southern California a smart safety campaign or an unfair ticket quota system? Times' Your Wheels columnist Ralph Vartabedian raises that question, and finds some concerns about the program:
But is a program by the federal government to exert pressure on state and local police to issue tickets — accompanied by what amounts to ticket quotas — the right approach, particularly at a time when police are not able to fully control speeding, drunk driving and aggressive driving? There are compelling reasons to increase seat belt usage, particularly among young drivers and particularly among men. Many experts believe the best way to do that is through education and advertising.
 There is much excitement about the extension of the 210 Freeway into San Bernardino County finally nearing completion. But the Whittier Daily News editorial board says it's frustrated with a series of delays that are going to make it and the Highway 30 extension less of a commuter paradise than many thought:
When the Foothill (210) Freeway fully opens later this year in San Bernardino County, and the extension to Highway 30 in the city of San Bernardino is finally finished (at a still undetermined date), access to and from another major artery running through the region will be severely limited -- making the 210 less than the lifesaver for commuters and vacationers it should have been. But don't fret. San Bernardino County area officials reassure the public that the opening of the long-awaited interstate won't be delayed. You can count on that. It's just that two major connectors between the 210 and Interstate 215, which would have stood to make the lives of motorists that much easier because of uninterrupted travel, won't be ready for yet another three to four years.
 Here's a very L.A. way to honor veterans -- give them free parking:
Veterans with specially marked license plates may park for free at all county-operated parking lots, beaches and parking meters under a plan approved today by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. The plan applies to veterans with specialty plates, including the Congressional Medal of Honor, Legion of Valor, Purple Heart, Prisoners of War, Survivors of Pearl Harbor and disabled veterans. The fee waiver will not be valid on weekends and holidays, except for Veterans Day. "Through this effort, the county is expressing its gratitude and appreciation for the distinguished service of our veterans," said Supervisor Don Knabe. "We owe them many freedoms that we have today, and they truly deserve the honor and respect of their fellow Americans." (CNS)
 Do carpool lanes work? It's an important question considering how much focus Caltrans is putting on adding the lanes across the state. There are two dueling studies out that seem to arrive at different conclusions, according to MediaNews:
Carpool lanes are a multibillion-dollar waste of concrete, causing more traffic headaches than they solve, according to a recent study by two Bay Area engineering professors. Whoops, hold on a sec. Carpool lanes are an effective tool for easing congestion, according to a follow-up report done by two other professors, from UC Berkeley, who happen to work across the street from one of the authors of the first study.
 Gordon Dillow got an earful for an OCR column that questioned the logic -- and safety -- of bikes and cars sharing certain roads. He follows up this week, saying many people disagreed with his take:
Well, about a third of the respondents agreed with me -– including some cyclists who said they had given up riding on the streets because of the danger. I also heard a host of complaints by motorists about dangerous behavior by some cyclists –- running red lights, darting in front of cars, groups of bicyclists riding in tandem in bike lanes or on shoulders and making it difficult for motorists to safely pass them, and so on.But the majority of respondents were bicyclists who thought I was, at best, seriously misguided.
 The effort to jump start the extension of the Metro Green Line into LAX hit a roadblock in Sacramento when Assemblyman Ted Lieu's plan to create a special authority died. Turns out, according to the Breeze, that the MTA lobbied heavily against the bill:
The Metropolitan Transportation Agency lobbied against creating a Green Line Construction Authority, arguing the new agency would compete for federal funds with other MTA priorities. "It's premature to move forward with one extension when it hasn't been fully funded," said Michael Turner, government relations manager for MTA. ... The MTA is also considering connecting to LAX via the Crenshaw Boulevard corridor. All of those projects are long-term propositions. "They don't want to lose control," Lieu said. "They've had over a decade to fix this problem. At least now we've brought it to their attention."
 We've heard a lot of debate on the BB about the merits of lane-splitting (in which motorcycles drive between lanes of traffic when cars are slowed or stopped). The practice is legal. But NC Times reports that there are also some basic rules:
There is an impression among many that California law allows lane splitting in bumper-to-bumper, rush-hour conditions and bars the practice in free-flowing traffic. That's apparently not the case. California Highway Patrol Officer Ron Thatcher in Temecula said in a telephone interview Friday that the law specifies only that the practice is legal. It does not set specific limits. "So basically, what we go by is being safe and prudent in passing," Thatcher said. "Throughout my 20-year career, I have used a 10 mph rule." In other words, he said, a safe pass is one where a motorcycle travels no more than 10 mph faster than traffic.
 We know a certain transportation expert has not been the biggest fan of the MTA's push for more rail. But James E. Moore tells The Times' Francisco Vara-Orta that he like the MTA budget's funding for more rapid buses -- but only as a start:
"In general, I think it’s a good move," said Moore, director of USC’s transportation engineering program. Moore said putting more buses on the street, specifically rapid lines, is more cost effective than building rail services. Moore expressed displeasure with MTA’s $742 million allocation, about 23.8 percent of the budget, for Metro rail operations. "I don’t care how MTA tries to spin it but rail has been a catastrophically bad idea," Moore said. "You have to wait minutes between rail trains arriving where as buses only take seconds. Also, you don’t have to build the rails for buses. I’d allocate more for buses in a city like L.A."
The blog Franklin Avenue noticed this interesting effort at traffic calming: A series of hand-written signs lining Sixth Street in Hancock Park urging drivers to slow down (the photo is quite funny): When stoplights or speed bumps just don't do the trick. Who needs the city, when you can erect your own signs telling drivers to "SLOW... THE... F**K... DOWN!"
 Sad end to that standoff on Interstate 5 in Santa Clarita that jammed traffic:
A 25-year-old man said to be despondent about losing his job jumped to his death this afternoon from an overpass onto the southbound Golden State (5) Freeway. Los Angeles city and county firefighters, assisted by Los Angeles police, sheriff’s deputies and the California Highway Patrol, set out airbags and tried negotiating with the man for several hours, said d’Lisa Davies of the city fire department. But the man, who began holding authorities at bay at about 11:35 a.m., eventually walked around where the five air bags were positioned and jumped onto the freeway, she said. He was declared dead at 2:01 p.m. During the standoff, the CHP issued a SigAlert and closed down the southbound transition road of the 5 Freeway and the north and southbound transition lanes of the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway.
 The MTA announced that it will add eight new Rapid bus lines -- the biggest news as a budget was unveiled today. No major expansions of rail in what officials described as a "no frills" budget:
The new lines will be on West Olympic Boulevard; Garvey Avenue and Cesar Chavez Avenue; Manchester Boulevard; Atlantic Boulevard; San Fernando Road; Sepulveda; Torrance/Long Beach; and Central Avenue. Metro officials also expect to receive 100 60-foot buses in 2008 and introduce 65-foot buses on the Metro Orange Line. MTA officials earmarked $742 million -- 23.8 percent of the budget -- for Metro rail operations. Metrolink will receive a $58.5 million subsidy. Rail service will not expand in 2008, but the agency expects to receive 24 new rail cars and begin the procurement process for an additional 50 light rail cars. Ridership is expected to increase in 2009 when the Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension opens, and in 2010 when the Metro Expo Line between downtown and Culver City opens.
Heads up on a situation around the busy 5/14 interchange: That man is still threatening to jump from an overpass at the southbound Golden State (5) Freeway near the northbound Antelope Valley (14) Freeway just south of Santa Clarita. The California Highway Patrol has issued a SigAlert and closed down the southbound transition road of the Golden State (5) Freeway and the north and southbound transition lanes on the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway, a CHP officer reports. The standoff has been going on since late morning. (CNS)
 The MTA did it. The Big Blue Bus did it. Now, Foothill Transit is considering its own fare increases. Officials tell the Trib that the cut in funds from Sacramento are making a jump in pass prices likely:
While the $1 base fare for local buses would not increase, officials are contemplating increases to monthly passes, transfer rates, discounted fares, Commuter Express services and other fares. A transit report suggested other options, such as eliminating senior and student fares on the Commuter Express buses and raising the age for senior discounts. Foothill Transit governing board member and Glendora Councilman Doug Tessitor said he would "absolutely" support fare increases. ... Although the $117.4 million budget is balanced for 2007-08, Foothill Transit expects a $3million to $7 million shortfall in 2008-09. If bus fares are not increased, the agency could lose an additional $4.8 million in 2010, said Richard Hasenohrl, the director of finance.
 A major Southern California bottleneck is finally the focus of a road improvement: The 101 Freeway at the Santa Clara River in Ventura County. The road project should be completed this summer, according to The Times' Gary Polakovic:
Congestion at the bridge is usually at its peak during rush hours or on weekends, with traffic often backing up for miles in both directions. Local commuters have suffered the most. "I don't take the freeway home," said Ventura resident Nicole Syverson, an office assistant in Oxnard's Topa Financial Plaza. "There's always, always traffic there. I take another way to avoid it." But come mid-August, crews are expected to finish construction. In place of the original seven-lane bridge will emerge a 12-lane expanse. "It's the largest [road] construction project in Ventura County," said Caltrans spokeswoman Judy Gish. "It's part of the whole U.S. 101 corridor. Anything we can do to ease congestion in that area is going to improve the highway and access locally as well as for through-traffic between Southern California and Northern California."
 the Gold Line light rail extension pushes east, it is going to cause some problems on the 710 Freeway in East L.A. Heads up:
A stretch of the Long Beach (710) Freeway in East Los Angeles will be closed early Tuesday and Wednesday for construction of the Metro Gold Line Eastside extension, according to Caltrans. The northbound portion of the freeway from Whittier Boulevard to Floral Drive will be closed Monday night from 11:59 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday, according to Maria Raptis of Caltrans. The southbound portion of the freeway between the same exits will be closed from 11 p.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. Wednesday, Raptis said. The northbound connectors from the Santa Ana (5) Freeway to the northbound Long Beach Freeway will also be closed from 10 p.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday, she said. (CNS)
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