“Metro does take safety seriously. Just look at how well deputies guarding the Red Line subdued this photographer -- I mean Al Qaeda operative -- earlier this month:”
– Will Campbell In response to ""Cartoon Thursday:" Eastside Blog Punks Metro on Gold Line Safety"
Email la-tips@streetsblog.org or send them anonymously. Tag your photos, links, and videos with "streetsblog".
Overall, we had a favorable impression of the future Gold Line and see how it will be a boon for the communities through which it passes. However, there were some safety concerns we had, especially at the Little Tokyo and Indiana Stations.
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jass
One cent a month is very reasonable. The price fluctuates 1-2 cents every day, so it would be impossible to notice.
in response to Introducing the Samuelson Gas Tax Increase: A Penny Every Month
Drew
Erik G., are you sure you aren't actually Eric Mann?
in response to The Gold Line Is Open, Post Your Stories Here
Spokker
If fares are not raised I fear there will be service cuts. While Metrolink does commuter rush hour rail service pretty well, it hurts regional connectivity if we cut the sparse midday and weekend trains we do have.
Which hurts more? Service cuts or fare hikes? Who knows.
in response to Activism Success: Metrolink Riders Convince Board to Put Off Fare Hikes
Mahatma
It's the most expensive fare-wise, but it's also the most highly subsidized service in the area....by far.
Why keep pouring money into it?
in response to Activism Success: Metrolink Riders Convince Board to Put Off Fare Hikes
DJB
This is a slow, underhand pitch to the right wing (i.e. they'll knock it out of the park). We shouldn't be talking about "raising taxes". We should be talking about "shifting taxes" from labor to pollution.
The only way carbon taxes have a chance in America any time soon is if they're revenue neutral. Also, support must be given to the regions that will be disproportionately affected by more expensive fossil fuels. It's also important to remember that the federal government won't use the money for much of anything good unless it's under massive pressure from alternative transportation advocates.
in response to Introducing the Samuelson Gas Tax Increase: A Penny Every Month
Downtown worker
I concur that the one station I have experienced, the Little Tokyo stop, is terrifying--an accident waiting to happen. Compared to the safety of the Pasadena portion of the line it is a disaster. It is also shocking to me that the city did not do more, such as installing pedestrian gates -- when someone is killed at this intersection, whether by train or by car, the negligent design lawsuit is going to cost so much more than the safety improvements would have. Not only that, but a good lawyer will point to the safety designs in the older parts of the line as evidence that the city knew how to build it safer, and knew it was necessary, but went ahead and skimped here--with the cost being people's lives.
Anyone who thinks the critics are just unduly safety conscious should take a walk through the intersections at rush hour, then come back and share their thoughts.
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
M
I of course have not tested all of the land for toxins along the freeways in LA, but really, there is so much wrong with this idea that it's somewhat scary. I've lived *near* the freeway for years so that I can be near a Metro station and frankly would not want to grow food ADJACENT to it. How many times have the walls along the freeways been painted, repainted and trashed with other toxic materials like herbicide and pesticides and remains from the once-upon-a-time leaded gasoline? This would require tons of cooperation from drivers in not tossing their garbage and still lit-cigarette butts out of their windows anymore. What about all of the animals that currently live in these otherwise unusable (to humans) areas? I've seen coyotes, raccoons, all sorts of birds, ground squirrels, rats and mice in these, even in mostly urban areas. Nevermind the quality of life issues for the people living in the "freeway villages". Even behind a sound wall, the freeway can be incredibly loud and dirty. Whenever I leave my windows open, my windowsills are quickly covered with thick layers of black "dust". Sooooo gross. And those freeway resurfacing projects that go on all night long.... ugh...
in response to Old MacDonald Had a Freeway
ubrayj02
I've dreamed of the same thing for years, but never thought anyone else would share my same ideas.
So strange.
There are some serious problems with this, however. Few of these areas of the freeway are safely accessible (other than by car), and there are no barriers to protect you from careening cars. CalTrans workers get plowed into, a lot.
Also, the pollutants from vehicles would produce ... food and plants of questionable integrity (I think). The soil in those embankments can't be that great nor healthy.
It is really interesting to see one of my day dreams independently fleshed out by someone else!
in response to Old MacDonald Had a Freeway
ubrayj02
I'm sorry, but Stephen Box's story should be at the top of the page all day long, with a mega-headline.
The City is deciding, tomorrow, on how to allocate a huge chunk of Measure R money - and they're cutting the Bike/Ped project budget (a measly 10% of the total)!
We need to bring the noise.
in response to Today's Headlines
Adam Christian
Thanks for the warm welcome...I will be returning the favor :)
in response to Old MacDonald Had a Freeway
Dana Gabbard
Slightly off topic, but if anyone is attending the meeting next week of Mr. Goopdmon's group Citizens' Campaign to Fix the Expo Rail Line could you take a camera phone and post a photo? Just curious what sort of turnout this gets...
http://fixexpo.blogspot.com/
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
Alek F
Definitely, biking and especially walking conditions, are a MUST in order to provide effective connections/access to mass transit.
In Los Angeles, unfortunately, not too many pedestrian conditions exist... Sidewalks are out of shape, lack of landscaping & trees... some streets are missing sidewalks entirely!
Lots of things need to be done in the City of Angels in order for walking to become more appealing. Hopefully, this will happen soon.
in response to Feds Propose to Expand Opportunities for Biking and Walking to Transit
Peter Smith
this google map with the 'spheres of influence' is a great way to show what's possible.
in response to The Gold Line Is Rolling, Now What about a Bike Network to Support It?
Spokker
Was alcohol a factor in any of the Blue Line deaths?
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
Erik G.
It was so RACIST!
in response to The Gold Line Is Open, Post Your Stories Here
Eric B
@Sam and Joe: Why not revive ArroyoFest? It seemed to be loved by all and is still talked about however many years later. Obviously it's a lot of work, but talk about reclaiming auto space. I feel like the logistics are also easier than negotiating with the city about this or that many blocks.
in response to SCAG and City of Los Angeles Thinking About Solutions to the Last Mile Problem
Erik G.
How many of the 95 Blue Line Deaths were ruled a suicide? Anyone?
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
walker o
Cars will soon be extinct.
in response to The Gold Line Is Open, Post Your Stories Here
The Fredster
I'll admit that the digital effects in this film are very impressive, but I am not fooled for a second by this "mockumentary". Streets in an American city blocked off from CARS? Huge buffer zones for BICYCLE lanes? People who are willing to be seen in PUBLIC spaces?
Seriously, try posting some videos about bigfoot and area 51 next time—I'm sure they'll be much more convincing.
in response to New York's Game Changer, Janette Sadik-Khan, Will Visit L.A. This March
Joe Linton
@Sam - Thanks - we agree more than we differ... there's definitely a balancing act between few available resources and expansive visions... but I think that there's a sweet spot in there somewhere... and I think the sweet spot is significantly more than 3 blocks long! I worry that nobody (or perhaps nobody on a bicycle) would show up for a 3-block ciclovia... then maybe critics will say "we tried it once and nobody came"
in response to SCAG and City of Los Angeles Thinking About Solutions to the Last Mile Problem
ubrayj02
Yeah, Damien, what the City did to the East Side (and NELA) is pretty insulting.
The 1996/2002 plan had Class I Bike Lanes on a lot of arterials - which have all been removed and turned into "potential" bike routes/"planned but infeasible".
Stephen Box was able to acquire a copy of a subcontractor's survey of all the streets Alta Planning was asked to consider for the plan. The subcontractors survey showed, for example, that a Class 2 Major Highway (North Figueroa Street) is anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 ADT below its MINIMUM ADT. The minimum for this class of street is 30 to 50,000 ADT - the coontractors numbers in the most crowded stretch of Fig we 28,000 ADT, down to 20,000 in less crowded sections.
On N. Figueroa, with such a wide right-of-way, and the 110 freeway so close, and a traditional, walkable neighborhood and commercial district - some traffic calming is definitely in order. This is precisely what the subcontractor called for in their survey.
The LADOT took that recommendation and filed it in the trash can - they removed the Class 1 Bike Lane from the plans and keep claiming that "EIR", "EIR", "EIR" (some insurmountable obstacle) will prevent any car lanes from every being affected or removed, ever.
Lots of Major Highways and Scondary Highways in LA, that were considered in this plan, are below their minimum ADT, and are allowed to have a peak-hour Level of Service all the way down to "D" - which they are at, or are near already. Removing car capacity and putting bike facilities will reduce the number of cars on the road (if done properly) - yet the LADOT won't consider this.
The Gold Line extension right of way has wide shoulders and extra roadway space - but it has been designed for car throughput as fast as the engineers who designed it could make it.
I cannot imagine these folks looking back on their decisions with anything but embarrassment and shame in 20 year's time.
This type of planning kills a disproportionate amount of people in LA County each year.
http://ubrayj02.blogspot.com/2009/03/pedestrian-rights-protest-in-boyle.html
in response to The Gold Line Is Rolling, Now What about a Bike Network to Support It?
David Galvan
No personal stories from me, as I don't really have a reason to ride this line. All the same, I am excited about this. With this opening and the Expo opening either next year or early 2011 (anyone got a realistic opening date for Expo?), the impact on public awareness from seeing these light-rail lines start operating is going to be significant. People who hadn't really thought about transit in L.A. will start to notice: So, this "Expo" line just opened. . . and didn't we just have another metro rail system open a year or two ago? Huh. I guess this city is getting a little more liveable without a car!"
in response to The Gold Line Is Open, Post Your Stories Here
Dana Gabbard
I'm sory, but I am still coping with the lack of adequate connecting bus service for the Orange Line. Metro staff conceded when the busway was being planned that frequent connecting services were key to the value of this 1/3 billion investment.
Yes, the nasty budget problems are a likely reason we didn't get what was supposed to happen but that some stations have infrequent weekday service and noen of weekends boggles my mind.
Forgive me. This post tripped over a pet peeve of mind.
Besides the electeds concerns like this one might be worth airing at the next meeting of the Review Advisory Committee for the Eastside extension. Hopefully Metro will post the date/time/place of the next meeting soon (I think it is to be on the 19th).
http://beta.metro.net/projects/eastside/goldline_rac/
in response to The Gold Line Is Rolling, Now What about a Bike Network to Support It?
Darrell
Some of my opening-day people photos are on Light Rail Photos.
in response to The Gold Line Is Open, Post Your Stories Here
Bobby
Great! Hopefully she'll be here the same time that cicLAvia happens!
in response to New York's Game Changer, Janette Sadik-Khan, Will Visit L.A. This March
Darrell
Happy,
Portland's stops downtown are on the curb where the tracks are in a one-way couplet, but other stations are in the medians of Burnside Street and Interstate Avenue.
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
Jessica
Super awesome!
in response to New York's Game Changer, Janette Sadik-Khan, Will Visit L.A. This March
Dana Gabbard
Southern California Transit Advocates had a booth at the East Portal building at Union Station during the grand opening celebration on Sunday. As I noted in my Streetsblog posting "The View From a Folding Chair" these openings are excellent opportunities to do outreach and meet the public.
http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/10/14/the-view-from-a-folding-chair/
Things started slowly, which befits a Sunday event. Then around 11:30 a.m. the floodgates opened and suddenly huge waves of folks out to ride the extension appeared and until late in the afternoon the site was crowded with attendees.
We had sample newsletters and a whole variety of materials to share on transportation issues. I worked the booth all day, along with fellow SO.CA.TA members. There were some questions asked (like the lady trying to figue out where to catch her Metro route 68 bus--the stop for which is at Chavez and Vignese, outside the Gateway Plaza) but oddly only one exotic technology comment--someone looked over our table and remarked "you have nothing on monorail" before walking away. It was also hard to talk because of the loud band Metro had playing there. The bad singer who did damage to a rendition of La Bamba during the Karaoke singing session the band had for the early part of the event was especially memorable, albeit in a bad way. Boy, could he not sing.
Other transportation related booths at the locale included Metrolink, TAP, Los Angeles Streetcar Inc., the Transit Coalition and the California High Speed Rail Authority.
Several rail buffs took the first trip on the extension, which departed Union Station at 3:40 a.m. Sunday morning. L.A. Times reporter Ari B. Bloomekatz was along for the ride after learning when it would occur thanks to a timely call by local rail activist Ken Ruben.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-gold-line16-2009nov16,0,5454432.story
Ken also rode on the first Gold Line train in 2003 when the first branch to Pasadena opened. That trip also had a Times reporter riding it--in that case, Kurt Streeter.
Thankfully Metro in the end as I had urged operated free bus service to provide crowd relief. This was designated on its headsigns as route 600, the number used for special services. It operated in two modes -- express between the two ends (Union Station and 3rd/Atlantic) and a local version serving all 8 stations. You may recall I expressed concern in my posting "Gold Line Eastside Extension Set to Open 11/15. But Is Metro Ready to Party?" at Metro's initial plans not to run such service. Thankfully they came to realize I was correct to feel "the price of running such buses is much cheaper than having the coverage of the opening day event marred by reports of chaos on the platforms."
http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/10/27/gold-line-eastside-extension-set-to-open-1115-but-is-metro-ready-to-party/
As the line at Union Station to ride got long (at some points entailing waiting over an hour) in the early afternoon Metro staff even escorted people at the line ends to take the Express bus to 3rd/Atlantic where the line to get aboard was about half as long.
This was advocacy at its most basic direct level, one on one. Overall it was a fun, upbeat day.
Now we can look forward to the initial opening of the Expo line sometime next year as the next Metro rail opening.
in response to The Gold Line Is Open, Post Your Stories Here
Dan Wentzel
The silver lining of this line being light rail and not a heavy rail extension of the Red Line is that both light rail extension of the Southern Gold Line, to Duarte and Whittier may get built.
in response to The Gold Line Is Open, Post Your Stories Here
Drew
I had a great time. You can read my story by clicking through my name/link.
in response to The Gold Line Is Open, Post Your Stories Here
happy
This part struck me: "The station itself...is located in the street so pedestrians have to cross the street to get to the station. ...At all of these stations there is going to be conflict between pedestrians trying to get to the station and catch a train and cars, who may have a green light at the time, not looking for them."
And yet we will build the Expo line and the Broadway streetcar the same way - with the pedestrian having to cross auto traffic in order to board a train. It doesn't have to be built this way. In Portland. OR, the transit rider boards at the curb, not in the middle of the street. But when this issue is brought up at public meetings, it falls on deaf ears.
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
Sam
@Joe
I totally agree a longer route would be better.
Given the resource dillema, a shorter route may be more viable to get things started. Maybe have some sponsors / donors to cover the costs associated with traffic control?
Again, I'd really like to see this happen.
in response to SCAG and City of Los Angeles Thinking About Solutions to the Last Mile Problem
Joe Linton
@Sam - When I see the words Ciclovia and "3-4 blocks" I wince. Bogota opens something like 80 miles to bikes and peds every sunday. 3-4 blocks can hardly compete with the 3rd street promenade and the beach bike path... and is unlikely to attract any bicyclists. I would think a small Ciclovia event would be 8-10 miles... that would attract peds, bikes, rollerbladers, etc. Yes - it's more expensive and has more challenges, and will take some notification and logistics... but it will feel like a substantial reclaiming of street space for people. I know the first ones will be smaller... but don't think toooo small!
in response to SCAG and City of Los Angeles Thinking About Solutions to the Last Mile Problem
M
3rd time?
picture 1: http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo116/ihatenamingthings/sidewalkclosed.jpg
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
M
Argh. I guess this doesn't understand html?
picture 1: http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo116/ihatenamingthings/otherside.jpg
picture 2: http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo116/ihatenamingthings/otherside.jpg
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
M
I admit I've only read to reply 20 or so, but I thought these images might be interesting. They were taken last year near the Del Mar Gold Line station in Pasadena, which is commonly known as a comparatively pedestrian friendly city in the LA area. These are right across the street from the Del Mar station on the street I and many other regular Gold Line patrons walk each day.
The sign says "Sidewalk Closed, use other side of the street"
The other side of the street. You can barely see the sign from the previous picture in the background of this photo
This was the situation for at least a month or 2 and they are a result of some "transit oriented" developments being constructed near the train station. As something that was supposed to be friendly for those riding the train, these were some pretty bad conditions and this is just a small snapshot of the resulting difficulties (open trenches, jackhammers being used, people using leaf blowers and ignoring pedestrians and blowing dirt directly onto them).
As someone who rides the Red Line every day from Universal City Station and must walk past one of many freeway entrances/exits on pedestrian pathways leading from the station to the areas nearby where at least once a week I am nearly hit by a car speeding onto the freeway, it makes me wonder how far from the train stations we should be looking for "safety hazards" and if we continue outward in all directions that we will continue to find problems because in general the problem is a general pattern of behavior in LA, not just a train stop. A little bit further up the street pictured above, one of my friends was walking and was hit by a car earlier this year and sustained major injuries. As far as you look, I think you'll find hazards of behavior patterns all throughout the city.
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
Sam
@Jessica
I'd love to make a ciclavia happen in Santa Monica.
To safely close off a road for an adequate distance, maybe 3 or 4 blocks to start, we would need some traffic control devices. Also, if it were in a business area, where I think it could be most viable to start, we'd need buy-in from all or most of the businesses.
Can this be done by an active group, given the limited resources of the City? To make this happen the City would have to rent additional traffic control devices, deploy and monitor the traffic control devices, staff traffic officers at key intersections (overtime pay), and notify all affected businesses.
Those are the challenges I see; I'd very much like to see them overcome and welcome any ideas.
in response to SCAG and City of Los Angeles Thinking About Solutions to the Last Mile Problem
Carlos Morales
During our safety bike ride to review this train line from a bike/pedestrian stand point, two things really stood out to me as far as safety. The first is the pedestrian crosswalk at the Little Tokyo Station. When a pedestrians are walking in the crosswalk there is a section where you can get trapped between cars traveling northbound on Alameda and the South bound train traveling only a couple of feet behind you, with no safety rails or fences you are literally standing in a dangerous island. Also at the same station a Northbound train at the intersection of 1st and Alameda comes very close to pedestrians waiting at the curb crosswalk as it makes a right turn, we took photos of how close the train gets to the curb, I am worried about families with kids who often break free from parents hands grasps and the train traveling so close to them (only an arms reach away).
The other and probably the most dangerous aspect of the line is the 1st street and Indiana intersection which transition to 3rd street. It is very tight, and can be confusing for people not being traffic flow savvy and I agree with Damien the signal timing is way off. Terry Marquez mentioned that both Jose Huizar and Gloria Molina have been notified of the communities concerns at several public meetings.
Today, I attended the Grand Opening of the Gold Line Extension and Councilmember Jose Huizar re-stated to the community what he told Damien and I; that there will be continued improvements to this train line which includes fencing and railing along the route and he thanked LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina’s for keeping persistent on this issue. We only hope that no one gets hurt mean while these safety improvements are implemented.
It was pretty exciting to see a new chapter in the Eastside community’s history. Today was a good day!
Thank you Damien, for organizing this safety bike ride and all others who joined us and gave their input.
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
Spokker
Got damn, Union Station was packed today. I think they got the turnout they were looking for.
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
Foldie
I just rode my bike along the route and to partake in opening day festivities. Honestly I think pedestrians should be worried more about cars. I am glad the line is here as it gives me a new way to explore our beautiful city. I encourage all you nay sayers and NIMBYists to go enjoy our transportation and stay away from the cars...cause they are the real killers.
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
jass
How do I use italics here?
Damien (second post)
"Our light rail trains in LA travel at 35 mph in the median of the street and 55 mph when they have gates (Eastside Extension has no gates).
No way if the Green Line trains traveled as fast as ours would it have been able to make this stop: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odk7WZ3UjSY
You may be confusing the travel time speed, which is around 14-16 mph, with the operating speed. The Eastside Extension takes an hour to go 14-16 miles, not travels 14-16 mph along the way."
Ehm, if a train takes one hour to travel 14 miles...then it is traveling at 14mph. And as I said, the D branch of the green line moves at 55mph.
Youll note that in the video, the train was approaching a station and intersection. In LA, the train would also be moving at less than 10mph in such a situation.
You then linked to a picture of the blue line....again, we're talking about the gold line here. The 4 track freight/light rail situation is a whole different animal, and as far as I know, is one of a kind. The green line, running in the freeway, is also completely different.
Someone provided this link
http://friends4expo.org/ltrail.htm
Look at the T-Third Street line, which looks just like the gold line. I dont see fences, flashing lights or gates.
Theres nothing special about the gold line. It's built just like most other american light rail systems....but with an insane amount of "safety" features that are not needed, and only serve to demonize trains.
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
jass
Damien,
"[i]The Green Line is more of a local circulation line, which takes forever to travel in it's at-grade section. It stops every few blocks, and rarely if ever travels above 20-25 mph at street level (there are some sections in Downtown Boston with subway and one of the Green Line branches is all grade separated). Comparatively, the Blue Line is a regional system, 22 miles in length (55 min travel time from end to end) with stations roughly every mile, operating at speeds of 35 mph when in street running (like the Eastside extension), and 55 mph in the cab signal section (where there are gates).
It's really apples and oranges.[/i]"
I am not comparing the Boston Green line with the Los Angeles Green or Blue lines. This is only about the Gold line. Even so, the D branch of the green line operated at 55mph.
It is a straight comparison between the gold and boston green line. Average speed in Boston is about 10mph. Average speed in LA, measured during testing, is 13mph.
"[i]Let me give you a real good example. Part of $4.5 million in safety measures proposed to be added later to the line is fencing in the median of the tracks. The intent is to discourage jaywalking. How tall must the fence be to obtain the desired goal of discouraging jaywalking? The only way you can answer that question is by evaluating the population in question. Surely you'd agree that while a 4 foot fence may discourage adults and elderly from jaywalking, it very likely will not discourage middle school aged children from jaywalking?"[/i]
But why have fencing at all? There are many streets in LA, with 6 lanes and traffic moving at 40mph. There is nothing to stop a jaywalker. Whats so bad about jaywalking across tracks that have a 10 minute headway? Why are we ok with these dangerous 70 foot (width) avenues, but terrified at 10 feet (width) of track?
"[i]And yes there is "carnage" in Boston and Philadelphia. There are accidents on the Boston Green Line and some times they're as bad as the accidents we have on Blue Line. In the age of google, no person can claim ignorance when making these statements, simply laziness. Indeed, it's rather...interesting for people to profess that if they don't know about an accident then they must not be occurring.[/i] "
Carnage implies death. There are maybe 2-3 instances a year where a car hits the green line. I cant recall any deaths. A pedestrian is hit every year. Hes taken to the hospital with minor bruises and is lectured on paying attention.
How many deaths are there every week from cars?
"[i]It seems that your statement is two pronged:
-We don't care about bus safety
-Buses are worse than rail so we shouldn't care about rail safety
Would you like to attempt to substantiate either of these points?[/i] "
What I'm saying is that there is never any outcry when a bus or car crashes. Take the recent incident where that truck fell off the bay bridge. The response? Lets put up a new flashing sign. Now image a train fell off a bridge. The entire line would be shut down. There would be a system wide speed restriction. There would be investigations. Why the double standard? If it had been a bus, instead of a truck falling off the bay bridge, I guarantee the bridge would not have been shut down. The speed limit (50mph, and then 40mph) would have remained. If it were a train, you would be guaranteed a 10mph speed restriction for ever.
Vehicle (bus, truck, car) accidents are shrugged off as a part of life. Train accidents, even train fender benders, are treated like huge incidents.
Im not saying we should build grade separated bus lines. Im asking why we're ok with buses and cars being unsafe, but not ok with trains?
"[i]Second, FTA stats show that buses are half as accident prone as light rail. This is really not hard to understand. Buses (and cars by the way) have shorter breaking distances and steering wheels. They can avert accidents more easily. If a person trips on the street 50 feet in front of a bus and the bus driver can swirve to avoid her or brake more quickly. A train operator is helpless.[/i] "
Thats a fair point. Buses can avoid an obstacle. HOWEVER, buses have stuff coming at them from every single direction. They can be hit from all sides. A train driver just needs to worry about whats directly in front of him, on the tracks. A bus driver may need to be concerned about a drunk driver swerving two lanes to his right.
Yes, trains take longer to brake...but so do trucks. Go over the the NY page and youll read about a truck that slammed into a building because it couldnt stop. Trains are driver by drivers who are extensively trained, are continuously monitored, and are held to a high standard. Meanwhile, getting a truck license is a piece of cake, and there's no monitoring.
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
Jay
Let's get a grasp of reality here -- thousands and thousands of people die every year from car related deaths. Many many more are seriously injured. For all the risks involved with trains, it's a microspeck compared to cars. The more cars off the road, the less deaths, the less injuries, period.
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
DJB
I just rode the Gold Line Extension end-to-end and walked around some of the stops.
There's a lot to say, but I won't say it now. My sentiments can best be understood through the immortal words of John McClane (Bruce Willis) in Die Hards 1-4:
"Yippie Ki Yay Mothaf****a!"
This is a great day for LA County!
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
Terry Marquez
All this concerns mention are not new to the ears of the Metro, Supervisor Gloria Molina or Council member Jose Huizar, or the Community Advisory Board.
Many residents and business owners complaints were given time of time, at every meeting for the last six months or more. The October meeting, I personally ask, as to why has the Metro ignored all the safety issues brought up in the meetings. No answer was given, yet the November 12, 2009 meeting at the Boyle Heights Senior Citizens Center was cancel without notice, and reschedule for Nov 19, 2009. The most complaints received by driver, pedestrians and businesses was the Indiana Station as the most dangerous, 2nd the Lorena and 1st were the rail comes up unto the street, 3rd the corner of Rowen and 3rd Street, in front of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. All this due to safety.
Last, the questions from Boyle Heights community from Soto and east to Indiana, no stations at all, leaving almost half of the distance of the Gold line in Boyle Heights with no available stations, we need at least one on Evergreen and 1st, bringing access for north and south of Evergreen bus lanes. three (3) stations on the west of Soto, no stations on the east beyond Soto until the ELA County line Indiana and 3rd.
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
Dan Wentzel
"All of this money and effort spent on endless studies and reports, and they all avoid the one thing that must be done to get people out of private automobiles: taking road space away from cars for other forms of transportation. All the rest is hot air."
------------------
Great point.
And it's the one thing they politically won't consider. Part of what makes a sprawling city like London so great for public transit isn't just its 12 tube lines and dozens of commuter rail lines but a comprehensive bus network with bus only lanes.
It takes a tremendous amount of political courage for any politician, especially a southern California one, to tell a motorist that their single-occupancy vehicle is not our highest transportation priority.
If Metro moved from transportation model of moving "vehicles", where a bus and car are treated the same, to one of moving "people", where the greater the number of people being moved, the higher the priority, it would revolutionize transportation planning in L.A. Good luck on getting politicians here to go along with that.
The other suggestion is eliminating free parking, which is also politically problematic..
in response to SCAG and City of Los Angeles Thinking About Solutions to the Last Mile Problem
Peter Smith
can't say i've ever read a more damning report. i hope, for the sake of everyone's safety, you're wrong about all the safety concerns.
in reading about the blue line's ability to kill, i definitely got the impression that accommodating cars was the main issue, followed closely by the desire to run a train through an urban area at 55 MPH -- a fantastically deadly proposition if ever i heard one.
the entire corridor needs to be traffic-calmed -- take an entire lane of auto traffic and give it over to bicycles. or, at a minimum, install some Long Beach-style colored sharrows.
crossing my fingers!
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
Ypres
@Damien Goodmon - I might also suggest that Metro's desire to save money by using a legacy ROW or some other politically and financially expedient option (like the median of the 210 in Pasadena) also contributed to the failure to directly connect to regional destinations. I know for a fact that the city of Pasadena has put out a request for a downtown streetcar to connect many of the places you've mentioned, which would serve the purpose of "last-mile connectivity" better than placing a regional rapid transit line under Colorado. I also find myself wondering how Metro could have negotiated the extremely sharp turn necessary for a train to move from the end of the ROW underneath Colorado, especially given the number of historic structures in the area. They only managed the section of tunnel that they had by making it quite shallow and running it under what is for all intents and purposes an empty lot. Even without the streetcar, though, Pasadena's doing some pedestrian improvements to turn the land above the tunnel into a pedestrian alleyway to connect Memorial Park station to Old Town.
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
Ypres
Regardless of any other factors involved, I think it's important to remember that most of the physical form of the Pasadena section of the Gold Line and Expo is dictated by the legacy ROW Metro chose to use for cost reasons. Unfortunately, Expo's ROW is a Pacific Electric street-median type and the Gold Line's is largely separated from traffic, having been originally built for a long-distance railroad. In the case of Eastside Gold, there wasn't a ROW to begin with, so Metro simply put it in the median of the street (which is the next cheapest option) except for the section under 1st Street where the streets are too narrow to hold a rail line. We can debate the reasoning behind crossing policy - why, for instance, the PGL goes underground under Colorado Boulevard and Expo remains at grade across Vermont, Normandie, and Western, which likely have similar traffic volumes - but the basic form of each line is essentially determined by the ROW Metro used, which in turn comes from Metro's desire (like most public agencies) to spend as little money as possible while attempting to achieve the best result. Does this necessarily achieve the best results? Hardly. But it does give the people who work at Metro a more likely motivation for their design work than the simmering hatred of brown people that some other people seem to want to project onto them. And really, if the Metro design staff really wanted nothing more than to inflict environmental damage upon the poor or minority communities of Los Angeles, it seems to me that they could find a lot of cheaper, simpler, and better ways to do it than by building rail lines.
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension
Darrell
Here's the link for examples of pedestrian-friendly at-grade light rail in many other U.S. cities.
in response to A Streets-Level Review of the Gold Line Eastside Extension