A little bit of progress in the Inland Empire

The improvements for the interchange of the 60, 91 and 215 freeways in Riverside have experienced more than their share of troubles (delays and questions about efficiency among them). But a small step has been taken, according to the Riverside Press-Enterprise:

A bypass separating trucks from the rest of traffic at the 60/215 interchange opened [last week], part of the state's largest freeway interchange project -- the 60/91/215 overhaul, now in its fourth year of construction. Caltrans District 8 Director Michael Perovich said at a morning ribbon-cutting ceremony that the growing Inland population has increased the number of large commercial trucks on the freeways. The bypass, which has been under construction for about a year and a half, will help alleviate traffic at the interchange, where trucks slow because of the incline, Perovich said. "It takes traffic off the freeway and speeds traffic on the freeway up," he said. Completion of the interchange project is already a year overdue. Caltrans expects the entire $368-million project, more than $50 million over budget, to be finished in October.

Street Dispatch: Passing time in Chinatown

Inching my car through Chinatown this morning, I was lucky enough to be stuck behind one of those yellow-orange city trucks kitted out with ladders, road signs, traffic cones and the like. It helped pass the time. There were eight colorful stickers on the back, including one that admonished me to "Watch the Road." Plus a homemade, cardboard-and-Sharpie-pen sign on a side window that asked: "Got Hooters?"

And there was a bucket attached to the back, labeled "PERVO PLUS."

Not being a DIY type, I ask: What's "PERVO PLUS"? And what bright bulb came up with the name?

-- Rosie Mestel

Newport Beach mulls ways to ease congestion from the 55

There seem to be no perfect options for reducing the traffic bottleneck where the 55 Freeway ends in Newport Beach. But the Daily Pilot reports that at a recent Orange County Transportation Authority public forum, the expensive idea of taking the expressway underground got some support. Other ideas went nowhere:

While OCTA says 100,000 vehicles use Newport Boulevard every day, residents at the meeting cited Caltrans as saying 180,000 vehicles use the thoroughfare. OCTA estimates its number could increase by 15% as early as 2030. The city has taken some short-term plans to alleviate the problem, including the addition of new lanes on the north- and southbound portions of Newport Boulevard, though a long-term solution has yet to be seriously articulated, said Director of Public Services Peter Naghavi. Tony Petros [of LSA Associates, the firm contracted to develop plans to ease the congestion,] repeatedly said the plans put forth by his firm were simply preliminary, and that the meeting was intended to elicit community input about which proposals should be further examined. He cited one such plan, the widening of Newport Boulevard to a 10- to 12-lane road, as one that his staff assumed would be quickly rejected by residents.

Getting rail to LAX: Round Two

Remember the failed effort last year to get the Green Line rail system extended to LAX? Well, some of those same backers are trying again, according to the Argonaut. The MTA is now talking of a new rail line that would attempt to connect the Green Line to downtown via Crenshaw Boulevard. Here's details on the new rail-to-LAX push:

Three influential Westside legislators are seeking to reconfigure a plan for light rail to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) that failed last year in its original form. Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, Assemblyman Ted Lieu of Torrance and State Senator Jenny Oropeza of Redondo Beach have put their support behind an extension to the airport of the Metro Green Line, which currently travels from Norwalk to El Segundo and Redondo Beach. Last year, Lieu sponsored Assembly Bill 889 that would have established a joint powers authority for the Green Line that would function as the lead agency in charge of hiring contractors and overseeing the construction of the proposed extension. The bill passed several legislative committees before it was tabled in the Appropriations Committee of the Assembly.

Speeders beware

An Assembly committee today approved a bill sponsored by a Southland legislator who wants to make it easier to revoke the drivers’ licenses of people with long histories of excessive speeding. Assembly Bill 2669 would double the number of points added to a motorist’s record if the person is caught driving at least 26 mph over the posted speed limit. The Assembly Transportation Committee unanimously approved the bill today. Assemblyman Paul Krekorian, D-Burbank, said the death of a woman who was struck and killed by a driver going 65 mph in a 30-mph zone was one of the major reasons he proposed the legislation. “That driver had a long history of traffic violations, but still had his license,” Krekorian said. “We need to make it easier to take away the driving privilege from those who repeatedly flaunt the speed laws and endanger the lives of our citizens.” (CNS)

23 Freeway gets bigger

Good news for Ventura County commuters. The widening of the 23 Freeway is done, and the grand opening is Thursday. According to the Acorn:

The $65-million project on State Route 23 between Thousand Oaks Boulevard and Los Angeles Avenue in the cities of Thousand Oaks and Moorpark was completed 14 months ahead of schedule. These improvements will help to relieve congestion, improve mobility and enhance safety.

Meanwhile, Ventura County's transportation chief is talking about a possible tax hike to pay for more traffic improvements in the county. The Acorn reports:

[Darren] Kettle said he'd like to see a half-cent sales tax on the ballot by 2010. New to Ventura County, Kettle agreed to head the county transportation agency in October after having directed legislative affairs and freeway construction for the San Bernardino Associated Governments, a sister agency to the Ventura County Transportation Commission. The agencies set the policies, funding and priority for county transportation projects and services. Commissioners represent each county supervisor and cities within the county. Kettle is optimistic a sales tax measure to improve traffic in Ventura County can win voters' approval despite a failed attempt in 2004. Measure B, which would have provided funds for widening the 101, 118, 126 and 23 freeways, expanding commuter rail services and more, won only 42% of the vote, far short of the required 67% needed to pass. Kettle attributed the loss in part to proponents unveiling the measure five months before voters went to the polls.

Getting around Beverly Hills could get harder

The Times' Martha Groves reports that the corner of Wilshire and Santa Monica in Beverly Hills -- already a Westside traffic bottleneck (and that's saying something) could get worse with new development approved:

If you hate to sit in traffic at the intersection of Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards, prepare to discover your inner reserves of patience. To the dismay of residents wary of overdevelopment, the Beverly Hills City Council has approved a high-rise condo and retail project for the eight-acre site of the defunct Robinsons-May department store. What's more, the council is expected Tuesday to approve an ambitious $500-million proposal by the Beverly Hilton to add condos and the West Coast's first Waldorf-Astoria Hotel to the mid-century Hilton's fabled site. The two projects would be next-door neighbors at Wilshire and Santa Monica, one of the busiest intersections in the region.

Landmark bridge to be replaced

State officials have good news for the Harbor area. Two aging, sagging bridges would finally be replaced under the current plan. There has been talk of replacing the span between Long Beach and Terminal Island with a modern architectural gem found in a European city. The Times' Patrick McGreevy rounds up action from the California Transportation Commission:

Projects to be funded include:

* The replacement of the Gerald Desmond and Schuyler Heim (pictured) bridges in the Los Angeles-Long Beach ports area.

* Building a 2-mile trench for rail lines under several streets in the cities of Alhambra, San Gabriel and Rosemead so cars no longer have to stop for passing trains.

* Providing 29 other grade-separation projects including lowering State College Boulevard, Placentia Avenue, Kraemer Boulevard and Valley View Avenue so cars can pass under the railroad tracks.

* Widening parts of California 91and Interstate 15.The commission also endorsed a controversial plan pushed by the administration of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to spend $97 million of the bond funds to build a 1.4-mile railroad bridge that would address a bottleneck in Colton.

It would eliminate a crossing for Union Pacific and Burlington Northern trains.