http://www.scribd.com/doc/21544494/Bred-a-Memo

Wasn”t there a possibility of some HSR funds for connecting services?
Well, maybe some of that could be used to speed up the regional connector or doubletrack parts of Metrolink

As far as the Harbor Subdivision, it is on the Strategic Plan, and was not identified as a New Starts application or as a “second tier” project to obtain external funding, like the Gold Line Foothill Extension or Crenshaw. This is the correct location for the project, since a commuter rail line down Slauson Avenue would make the complaints of the Expo or Eastside Gold Line communities look like peanuts. There are serious concerns about using the Harbor Subdivision for any form of medium or high speed rail service given the density, interaction with traffic, and language barriers present.

One of the least noted things, though, is how Mark Ridley Thomas snuck in a carpool lane from SR-14 all the way to Kern County on I-5. I don’t know where this idea came from, but it is an incredible boondoggle. There is little to no traffic north of SR-126, and will not be for some time, even if they drop 100,000 people in Centennial like they claim. In addition, since people on I-5 are going on trips, you have a much greater concentration of “carpoolers” than daily commuters. This is literally the 60 mile carpool lane to nowhere.

Since someone asked, here is the text of the original Ridley Thomas motion: http://img132.yfrog.com/img132/3569/ecn.jpg and http://img33.yfrog.com/img33/8302/xs1o.jpg “Regional Rationality” is a classic MRT phrase. MRT is a very erudite person, but sometimes substitutes those five dollar words when something like “Fairness” would work just as well.

The Transport Politic, a great meaty transportation blog, has a great map as well.

Here is a link to an amazing map of what Los Angeles County would look like if everything in the LRTP, inlcuding the Tier 1 unfunded transit projects, were built. I love the London style graphics.

In other words, no news :)

Seriously, thanks Calwatch.

I suppose we’ll get to read the details when the negotiations are subpoenaed after the first collision, derailment or aerial structure collapse.

But they got a good deal and the cars will be built in L.A., right??

(Don’t bet the farm on the “built in L.A.” part)

Brad,

The Harbor Subdivision does not have any improvements on it at this time, save for the bit of the Green Line down in Redondo Beach, which most would not consider to be “The Westside”

The Red (now Purple) Line from Metro Center/7th to Wilshire/Western.

The Marina Freeway

One Southbound-only HOV lane on the San Diego Freeway (I-405)

Transportation Improvements in the San Gabriel Valley since 1965:

The El Monte Busway

Interstate/SR 210 (The Foothill Freeway)

The Metrolink San Bernardino Line

The Metrolink Riverside Line

Gold Line to Sierra Madre

State Route 57 (The Orange Freeway)

State Route 60 (The Pomona Freeway)

Interstate 605 (The San Gabriel River Freeway) from I-10 to I-210

Am I missing anything?

Are you seeing a pattern here?

Scrap the I-10 HOT lanes; Double Track Metrolink from LAUS to San Bernardino!

Increase service on the Riverside Line to hourly, and add a spur to ONT!!

http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2009/10/subways_well_never_s.php

The Regional Connector and the first 3 of 5 phases of the Purple Line (to Westwood) still are the “New Start” applicants for federal funding.

The Gold Line and Crenshaw Line get priority over the last two phases of the westside subway for Non-”New Start” federal funding (e.g. Climate Change legislation).

It is a good compromise for Westside subway supporters because it still allows non-”New Start” Federal funds to be sought for the final two phases. How much non-”New Start” Federal funding can be found for anything, if any, remains to be seen.

Any news about our favorite Pistola-based company??

4. EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL FOR FUNDING IN THE 2009 LRTP TO CLOSE THE GAP IN THE I-5 FREEWAY FROM THE I-605 TO I-710, AND REPORT BACK IN JANUARY AND QUARTERLY TO THE BOARD. STAFF SHOULD CONSULT WITH THE GATEWAY CITIES COG, THE I-5 JPA, CALTRANS AND OCTA

http://ridley-thomas.lacounty.gov/PDFs/Misc/LongRangePlanAmendment102209.pdf

I’m too tired and busy to scan it, but may get around to typing it. Check out the Supervisor’s blog later today I’m sure it will be up.

Does anyone know if the Harbor Subdivision Transit Corridor is wide enough to run both heavy rail Metrolink and light rail Metrorail trains? If Metrolink went to LAX, maybe that would get the attention of politicos on this service. Most world class cities that have world class transportation systems have dynamic local rail and regional rail (as well as a comprehensive bus system too).