Metro
Streetsblog LA
The Expo Line Opening and the Way Forward
Today is the day. While many were happy about the Gold Line Foothill Extension opening earlier this year, I think the level of excitement about today's opening of the Expo Line extension to Santa Monica is several magnitudes greater. As Kathy Seal eloquently detailed in her recent post, this project was made possible by authentic grassroots activism, exemplifying the famous quote by anthropologist Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
May 20, 2016
Metro Did the Right Thing By Not Over-Parking Expo Line Phase 2
Metro's Expo Line Phase 2 opens this Friday. Though there is a lot of excitement and praise for the line, the Expo extension from Culver City to Downtown Santa Monica has also received some criticism. Note that Expo Phase 1 weathered its own criticism, and exceeded expectations.
May 18, 2016
Metro Deputy CEO Wiggins Previews Proposed Student Pass Program Upgrade
At this morning's Student Transit Pass Advocacy Summit at L.A. Trade Tech College, Metro Deputy CEO Stephanie Wiggins announced changes that Metro plans to make to its student transit pass programs. Later this month, the proposed changes will go to the Metro board for approval.
May 13, 2016
Touring the Soon-To-Open Metro Expo Line Phase 2
The countdown has begun for the opening of Expo Phase 2 with just over a week left before the 6.6 mile extension of the Expo line opens to the public.
May 11, 2016
Community Organizing Wins the Day: Skills and Enthusiasm of Many to Build Expo for All
Behind the May 20 opening of the Expo Line to Santa Monica lies the untold story of dozens of dedicated volunteers who worked for decades to make this line happen.
May 4, 2016
Six Updates From Today’s April Metro Board Meeting
Today's monthly Metro board of directors meeting was one of the less eventful ones; it was sort of a lull in the news swirling around Metro's planned November sales tax ballot measure. Nonetheless, there were a number of items that SBLA readers might find interesting.
April 28, 2016
Coalition Urges Good Local Jobs in Metro Heavy Railcar Contract
At a press event in front of Metro headquarters this morning, the Jobs to Move America (JMA) coalition called for companies to create good jobs as they manufacture Metro railcars. Today is the deadline to file income taxes, so the coalition emphasized the need for companies to be responsive to U.S. taxpayers who are footing the bill for these transportation manufacturing contracts.
April 18, 2016
Eyes On The Street: Metro Bike-Share Really Coming To DTLA This Summer
It is not real until the marketing materials say it is real, right? Via friend of the blog Allison Mannos, enjoy an image from a marketing photo shoot for Metro's exciting new bike-share system debuting in downtown Los Angeles this Summer. No start date has been announced yet.
April 12, 2016
Metro Measure R2 Expenditure Plan Meetings Start Tonight
Tonight in Agoura Hills, Metro kicks off a series of community meetings to receive input on the agency's draft expenditure plan for a likely November 2016 half-cent sales tax ballot measure. There are nine face-to-face meetings throughout April, and a final on-line forum April 30.
April 5, 2016
New Map Shows Walk Time Between L.A. Metro Stations
Here is a interesting way of looking at L.A. County's rail and Bus Rapid Transit systems. Martin Leitner at Torti Gallas and Partners architecture firm did a "map hack" showing how long it takes to walk from each Metro station to the next. From Leitner:
April 4, 2016