Metro

Today, the Metro Board of Directors' Executive Management Committee approved changes to the way the agency partners for development on Metro-owned land.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, L.A. City Councilmember Mike Bonin, and others hosted a press event this morning to showcase progress on the Metro Expo Line Phase 2. The event took place at the under-construction Palms Station, and featured a test train pulling into the station under its own electrical catenary power. Leaders enthused that construction is more than 90 percent complete, and the project is on-time and on-budget.

This morning, the Metro Board of Directors approved its $11 million contract with Bicycle Transit Systems to install and operate a pilot downtown L.A. bike-share system. The downtown system is expected to debut in 2016 with 60+stations and 1,000+bicycles.

Earlier this week, we ran an editorial by Assemblymember Richard Bloom with other Westside elected officials calling on Metro to "delay its decision" on a 1,000-bike bike-share system slated to open in downtown Los Angeles in early 2016. Metro has the bike-share contract on its board meeting agenda for today; it was approved by Metro's planning committee approved last week.

This morning, Metro CEO Phil Washington and Metrolink Board Chair and Orange County Supervisor Shawn Nelson welcomed Southern California commuters to "dump the pump." The press event featured a motorcycle officer serving ceremonial divorce papers to a car. The divorcing a car theme is reminiscent of the title of a recommended 2000 book by Katie Alvord. Divorcing one's car, according to American Public Transit Association (APTA) figures for Los Angeles, will save a car commuter nearly $13,000 each year in "auto-mony."

As expected, at yesterday's meeting the Metro Planning and Programming Committee approved the contract for the first phase of Metro bike-share. The final approval is now expected at next Thursday's meeting of the full Metro board of directors.

Step aside, North Hollywood. Keep chugging along, Purple and Crenshaw lines, and Regional Connector. Wait a while, preferably a long, long while, South Pasadena.

Metro is in its third week of an all-door boarding pilot at two stops on the 720 Wilshire Rapid Bus line. Riders can take advantage of all-door boarding mornings westbound at Wilshire/Vermont and afternoons eastbound at Wilshire/Westwood.

This morning, Metro joined the L.A. County Community College District's press event announcing a $15 million California Career Pathways Trust (CCPT) grant from the California Department of Education. The state education funding goes to L.A. County community colleges for career and technical education, internships, and training.