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The Ventura County Star gives a big thumbs up to the widening of the 23 Freeway, calling it a Caltrans success story: Not only is the $65 million road-widening work, which is all but complete, nearly 14 months ahead of schedule and on budget, but the new lanes on this well-traveled pavement have also delivered the promised relief from bumper-to-bumper traffic during rush hour. For the most part, it is now smooth sailing for the steady stream of cars and trucks — estimated at more than 99,000 daily — flowing along the busy 7-mile stretch of the east county highway. As a bonus, the added road space has now lured back hundreds of motorists who had been clogging surface streets, such as Erbes, Lynn and Moorpark roads, in an effort to avoid the once-jammed highway.
The Alameda Corridor -- the super rail line system designed to move cargo from the ports inland and reduce truck traffic on local freeways-- reached a milestone recently, according to Progressive Railroading.com: Earlier this month, the six-year-old Alameda Corridor marked a six-digit milestone. The Los Angeles-area intermodal corridor logged the 100,000th train to use the high-speed freight-rail expressway since it opened in April 2002. The 20-mile corridor connects the ports of L.A. and Long Beach with downtown L.A. rail yards and the national rail system. The Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority owns and governs the corridor, which includes a 10-mile, below-ground and triple-tracked mid-corridor trench shared by BNSF Railway Co. and Union Pacific Railroad via trackage rights.
 The Santa Monica proposal to limit commercial development in an effort to ease growing gridlock has some strong opponents, according to the Lookout News:
The [Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce] has last month voted to oppose the measure, saying it could stymie much-needed projects and is based on a premise that has not been proven and may in fact be faulty -- that curbing commercial development relieves traffic congestion. “The definition of commercial development is extremely broad,” said Chamber President Tom Larmore. “This goes far beyond office development. The commercial development definition includes a whole raft of things.” Among the developments capped by the proposed initiative are hotels, which generate little or no additional traffic; medical facilities that complement the two major hospitals, and movie theaters to replace the outdated venues Downtown, Larmore said. In addition to curbing potentially beneficial projects, the initiative could discourage building the workforce housing its sponsors support, said Larmore, who is a real estate attorney. Because such housing cannot be deed restricted, it will most likely have to be subsidized by commercial development on site.
The vote could out to be a turning point in the years-old growth battles of the Westside. Santa Monica has rejected several big developments -- such as replacing the Santa Monica Place Mall with residential towers. But traffic there and across the Westside is a big problem. As Martha Groves wrote back in 2006: Customers calling in for their pizza deliveries from the Domino's in Westwood typically live within a mile or two of the parlor. But these days, Domino's drivers say they often endure wicked traffic from the moment they leave the store, turning what once was a quick delivery into a 30-minute, and sometimes a 45-minute, ordeal. "They usually want to carry two to three more orders because it takes so long," said Domino's manager Arnulfo Fernandez, adding that the eatery won't let them for fear of robberies.
The LADOT has a cool new website with more real-time traffic maps and more. LAist give it a good review, but suggest a few improvements including: A blog. Transportation is in the top three of hottest issues in the city. Why is there not constant communication with the citizens? For one, the current LADOT Public Information Officer works his ass off, but needs more resources and flexibility. A blog with its simple and instant push button press technology moves beyond controlling bureaucracies and gets information to the people in a timely manner. It will not only create a positive dialogue between residents and one of the most hated departments in the city (disliked both by residents, city staff and city council), but will improve the way the department thinks and works.
On LA Now, The Times Steve Hymon reports on 10,000 signatures vs. "out of control" traffic: This just in from the Republic of Santa Monica: A group calling themselves the Residents' Initiative to Fight Traffic said today that they turned in 10,295 signatures to the city to qualify a November ballot measure that would limit commercial development in the city for the next 15 years. "Out of control" is how one member of the group described development in the city-by-the-sea. Signatures still have to be counted -- and verified. The magic number: about 5,800.
More from Steve:
The effects of Earth Day keep trickling down. Our traffic guru, Steve Hymon, took time out from stop-and-go traffic to watch city officials squirt fizzy wine (Barefoot Bubbly, bought by Metrolink honcho Keith Millhouse) at a train. He explains why: Metrolink, the Southland's commuter rail service, celebrated the first of its new 'green' locomotives at its Taylor Yard facilities. Although this $1.9-million, 3,600-horsepower bad boy (or girl) only gets one half-mile to the gallon, its emissions of various ingredients that contribute to smog are 40% to 70% less than current engines, Metrolink officials said. They who challenged freight haulers to clean up their notoriously dirty choo-choos.
Still no money for the "subway to the sea." But the new austere L.A. city budget does offer minor bright spots for commuters, according to The Times' city-county team: "The transportation budget would receive 7% more money, some of which would be used to install left-turn signals. And the Bureau of Street Services would see its budget go up 3%, allowing it to repair 60 additional miles of streets."
According to the Associated Press, Modesto beats Las Vegas as the car-theft capital of the United States: A new ranking of vehicle thefts drops Las Vegas from the top spot it held in 2006, to second in 2007. The National Insurance Crime Bureau report still puts Las Vegas with four California cities on the list of the top five auto thefts per capita. But Modesto now tops the list, with the San Diego area third, followed by Stockton and the San Francisco-Oakland area.
A new Metropolitan Transportation Authority report suggests that there may be some hardships if the agency makes cuts to 29 bus lines. This has been a major debate: Of the 29 bus lines being targeted for partial or total elimination around Los Angeles, 17 are in high-crime areas, 24 are in transit-dependent communities and 20 run close to hospitals, according to a report that will be presented tomorrow to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board. Metro board members ordered the report last month in the wake of public outcry that the cuts -- many of which involve the elimination of night service hours in crime-ridden neighborhoods -- could put patrons at risk. Board members also called for a list of alternatives that would reduce the same number of service hours without cutting service to high-crime and transit-dependent areas. None of those alternatives are included in the report, with Metro officials saying no alternatives could be found. The proposed cuts, which would eliminate some 215,000 annual bus service hours, would mostly take effect in June. The cuts are just the first round in proposed reductions in Metro bus service. About 200,000 more service hours are scheduled for elimination by December. (CNS)
Just in time for Earth Day, Metrolink this week is unveiling a green train -- and is presenting it in a very green way. According to the commuter rail line agency's news release: Metrolink will unveil its newest locomotive -- the cleanest diesel-electric option available -- and stress that riding Metrolink even one day a week makes a difference to the environment. Metrolink also will debut its new paperless press kit.
Huntington Drive can be a nice shortcut from Pasadena/San Marino/South Pasadena into downtown L.A. Well, maybe a little less so for the next few weeks: Traffic on westbound Huntington Drive will be down to one lane during the morning rush hour for about a month starting today, San Marino police reported. Heavy traffic is expected on Huntington Drive between St. Albans and Old Mill roads during repairs to an underground sewer line, said Sgt. Robert Cervantes of the San Marino Police Department. The construction is slated to last until the end of May, according to Cervantes, who urged motorists to seek alternative routes. (CNS)
Officials are getting around to honoring a slain California Highway Patrol officer: A ceremony will be held this morning to dedicate a section of the Pomona (60) Freeway in Pomona in honor of a California Highway Patrol officer who was fatally shot four years ago on this day. CHP Officer Thomas J. Steiner, 35, was ambushed and killed April 21, 2004, outside the Pomona Courthouse, said CHP Officer Joe Zizi. CHP Commissioner Joseph Farrow will preside over this morning’s ceremony to dedicate a section of the freeway as the “CHP Officer Thomas J. Steiner Memorial Freeway.” (CNS)
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