Caltrans
Streetsblog LA
Media on the I-405 Widening: It’s Going to Take Awhile, But It’s Totally Worth It!
I was somewhat heartened last week when coverage of the massive I-405 Sepulveda Pass Widening Project actually mentioned the amazing amount of highway vehicle congestion that will be created by the project over its estimated three year construction phase. However, I waited to write about the press coverage because I was hopeful that some writer would actually make the connection that the this project could actually create more congestion over the course of the construction than will be "relieved"before induced demand helps fill those new travel lanes back up. Unfortunately, there is no such luck. The news coverage ranges from, "traffic is going to be awful but at least everything is going to be so much better when it's done" to "traffic is going to be worse than they're saying because the government is always wrong about these sort of thing." Unfortunately, nobody is taking on the government's claim that the project is going to permanently reduce congestion in the corridor.
January 21, 2010
NY and CA: How Did They Spend Transportation Stimulus Money?
In an economic recovery report released
today by New York Gov. David Paterson (D), the state broke down its
plans for the estimated $31 billion it received as part of the Obama
administration's first stimulus law.
December 8, 2009
What Will It Take for Caltrans to Decide to “Fix-It-First?”
How many people would be surprised to discover that California's roads were ranked as the third worst in the nation? According to a recent survey of truckers by Overdrive Magazine who make cross-country trips, only two states have worse roads, and none have worse drivers. Locally, the I-5 and I-10 were listed as "unspeakably bad" roads.
November 24, 2009
Superfund, Fault Lines, Groundwater All in the Way…Let’s Dig a Tunnel!
I wonder if it's still too soon to criticize the concept of digging a tunnel to connect the 710 Tunnel to the I-210.
November 18, 2009
Old MacDonald Had a Freeway
I usually don't pull story ideas directly from The Metro Library's daily headlines page, but this one was just too good to pass up.
November 17, 2009
Disability Activists Sue Caltrans for Negelcting Crosswalks and Sidewalks
A coalition of activists for seniors and the disabled went to federal court to try and force Caltrans to meet federal safety standards for sidewalk, intersection and other pedestrian amenities. The group charges that when doing road construction, our state DOT is ignoring the federally mandated fixes and upgrades that are required by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).
September 17, 2009
The “Other” I-710 Project: Widening to Improve Air Quality in Long Beach
While environmentalists and smart growth advocates focus on the I-710 Tunnel Project, the one that would "complete" by closing the 4.5 mile gap between the current end of the freeway and the 210 Freeway; another massive expansion project for the I-170 is more quietly moving though environmental review.
July 8, 2009
Caltrans Working Hard to Speed Up Local Streets
Tomorrow, new rules governing how municipalities evaluate speed limits on local roads will go into effect. Unfortunately, these rules allow municipalities even less room than before to resist speed limit changes. The new rules maintain the backbone of the bad law, speed limits are set based on how fast the "eighty-fifth" percentile of drivers are speeding but still manage to make it harder for municipalities to resist faster streets for pesky reasons like pedestrians or cyclists want to use the street.
June 30, 2009
Caltrans on the 710 Tunnel Project: Trust Us, We Know What We’re Doing
Last week, community forums were held in Glendale and La Cañada Flintridge on the proposed project that would construct a tunnel connecting the I-710 and I-210 freeways in Pasadena. The Glendale News Press reported, in two separate stories, that opposition to the project is as strong as ever and that Caltrans isn't happy that the opposition is speaking up now.
June 2, 2009