http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/01/30/todays-headlines-7/ Covering Los Angeles's livable streets movement Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:06:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/01/30/todays-headlines-7/comment-page-1/#comment-117 marybeth Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:42:00 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/01/30/todays-headlines-7/#comment-117 I posted this comment on the blog regarding the Dodger Stadium traffic but as a guest blogger here in the past, I thought I'd post it here as well.<br/><br/>***********************************<br/><br/><br/>I was the traffic engineer for the NY Mets for a year and a half. We increased the mass transit ridership from 22% to 50%. It takes a concerted marketing effort and overall comprehensive plan, not just providing some special service. It has to be a service people can count on. Remote parking is also a really good option, keeps cars away from the immediate area around the stadium and allows buses to have more priority. <br/><br/>However, it has to be a full on interagency effort from everyone, the team, the community, the MTA, the police, and most of all the mayor's office. Pressure from the mayor's office can move mountains. It would benefit not only the fans, but also the local community. Additionally, it would shift the mindset of people attending the game to a "mass transit" mindset and then it becomes "part of the Dodger experience". For a team that derives its name from mass transit, you would think there would be a little more effort to do this. <br/><br/>The Mets advertised mass transit during every game, both on tv and at the stadium, multiple times. It's time to get some transportation engineers and planners to come together and put together a comprehensive overall plan to make the game a better experience for everyone (thus increasing attendance, in stadium sales because people are in the stadium earlier instead of sitting in their cars, etc.) I posted this comment on the blog regarding the Dodger Stadium traffic but as a guest blogger here in the past, I thought I’d post it here as well.

***********************************


I was the traffic engineer for the NY Mets for a year and a half. We increased the mass transit ridership from 22% to 50%. It takes a concerted marketing effort and overall comprehensive plan, not just providing some special service. It has to be a service people can count on. Remote parking is also a really good option, keeps cars away from the immediate area around the stadium and allows buses to have more priority.

However, it has to be a full on interagency effort from everyone, the team, the community, the MTA, the police, and most of all the mayor’s office. Pressure from the mayor’s office can move mountains. It would benefit not only the fans, but also the local community. Additionally, it would shift the mindset of people attending the game to a “mass transit” mindset and then it becomes “part of the Dodger experience”. For a team that derives its name from mass transit, you would think there would be a little more effort to do this.

The Mets advertised mass transit during every game, both on tv and at the stadium, multiple times. It’s time to get some transportation engineers and planners to come together and put together a comprehensive overall plan to make the game a better experience for everyone (thus increasing attendance, in stadium sales because people are in the stadium earlier instead of sitting in their cars, etc.)

]]>