Metro
Streetsblog LA
Metro Extends Reach With Its New First Last Mile Strategic Plan
At its April 2014 meeting, the Metro board approved its First Last Mile Strategic Plan & Planning Guidelines. For readers unfamiliar with "first last mile" terminology, it's planner-speak for looking at the portion of a transit trip between a transit stop and one's final destination, most often a home or work place. Generally every transit trip includes some non-transit at each end. This last mile can include: walk, bicycle, skate, scooter, transit, taxi, carpool, driving, etc., or some combination of those. First last mile planning looks at the infrastructure that makes it safer and easier for riders to get to transit stops.
May 9, 2014
Did Metro Build a Perpetual Motion Machine?
Even if you've never seen “The Seven Year Itch,” you probably know the bit where Marilyn Monroe's skirt is blown by a subway train. Her skirt lifts because subway trains generate wind--lots of wind.
May 5, 2014
And So It Begins: Crenshaw Sees Major Street Closure and Reconfiguration Starting Friday Night
Taking shelter from the hot mid-day sun bearing down on Crenshaw Blvd., I struck up a conversation with a security guard that had worked in the area for a number of years.
May 1, 2014
Metro Raising Parking Rates for NoHo and Universal; Most Parking Still Free
As of July 1st 2014, Metro will raise monthly permit parking rates for two of its most popular and most sold-out parking lots. Metro's North Hollywood Red Line Station monthly parking permit will go from $39 to $59. Universal City Station monthly parking permits will go from $39 to $55.
April 30, 2014
Active Transportation Advocates Secure Fair Competition for State Funding
At yesterday's Metro Board meeting, bike and walk activists won a small victory to ensure a fair process for projects seeking state funding.
April 25, 2014
Metro’s “Short Range Transportation Plan” Meetings Start Today
Starting this evening and continuing during the next two weeks Metro is holding community meetings seeking input on its Draft 2014 Short Range Transportation Plan and the companion technical document.
April 23, 2014
Memo to Metro CEO Art Leahy: They’re Called Bicycle Boulevards
At today's Metro Sustainability Committee, Metro CEO Art Leahy mentioned that he had visited Portland, Oregon. While there, he saw an "interesting treatment" for low volume streets making them better for bicycling. Leahy stated that cars hadn't been removed from the streets, but that they were diverted in some places. He said that these low volume streets carry hundreds of bicyclists every day.
April 16, 2014
Editorial: Why Raise Fares When Metro’s Building Even More Free Parking?
A couple of weeks ago, I posted an editorial asking Why Raise Metro Fares While Giving Away Metro Parking? At the time, I totaled parking for Metro's BRT and rail lines at 19,450 parking spaces. Despite Metro's plan to increase transit fares, the agency has no plan to increase parking charges. Metro gives more than 9 out of 10 spaces away for free. I did a conservative estimate of Metro's parking revenue potential to be at least $3.5 million per year.
April 15, 2014
Move L.A.’s Measure R2 Draft Proposal, Including Their Rail Fantasy Map
Last week, Move L.A. convened its annual transportation conversation conference under the banner of "Imagining Measure R2." The daylong conference was profiled in the L.A. Times and at the Source. Today SBLA takes a look at Move L.A.'s "strawman" R2 proposal presented that day. It's a draft for purposes of discussion, very likely to change some before it would reaches the ballot in 2016. It looks a lot like Measure R, but there are also a few big differences.
April 3, 2014
Opposition and Confrontation at Metro Fare Increase Hearing
On Saturday, Metro held a public hearing on proposed changes to its fare policy. Metro is proposing to raise its $1.50 base transit fare to $1.75 starting September 2014. From there, it would be raised again to $2.00 in 2017, and to $2.25 in 2020. This would include a 90-minute free transfer, but only when the fare is paid using a TAP card.
March 31, 2014