Transit Advocacy

Fifteen Percent Live Near Convenient Transit Options

(The following post was written by Ron Milam, longtime transportation advocate, co-founder of the LACBC, Eco-Villager and self-employed consultant. Read more about Ron at his website.  Also, our friend Darrell Clarke has more images from the conference at LA Visions.)

Here's a great way to support transit before we head in to another traffic-snarled Memorial Day weekend. H.R. 6003, the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act, is currently in need of co-sponsors in the House (a version has already passed the Senate). The bill "authorizes Amtrak for the five years Fiscal 2008-2012, provides for capital assistance for states, and development of state rail plans," according to the National Association of Railroad Passengers. Five years of funding will, among other things, put a stop to the current practice of forcing Amtrak to beg for money every year.

At a Time When Transit Agencies Are Fighting For Every Dollar, Metrolink Wastes Money Suing Bloggers

On Tuesday, voters in Portland, Oregon elected Sam Adams as their next mayor. A former Congressional staffer and current Portland city commissioner, Adams -- who is a cyclist -- ran on a platform that emphasized environmental and progressive growth initiatives, including, in the words of the Oregonian, "use [of] the Portland Streetcar and better planning to spur urban renewal." Adams received strong support from the livable streets community, which helped earn him a 52-34 percent margin of victory.

The conference begins tomorrow morning at 7:30 A.M. at the Los Angeles Theater. Registration is $75.

Many of the Workshops at Next Week’s Conference Were Based on the Book Street Smart One week from today, the Seaside Institute will be holding am all-day workshop on streetcars at the Orpheum Theatre.  With the news last winter that the city is thinking of putting a trolley back on Broadway, this workshop could provide … Continued

Videos must be submitted by July 4th. A few are already online -- Clarence, meet your competition.

Gold Line Trains to East LA Should Be Online in ’09 Buried in a press release announcing the public comment period on Metro’s 2009 budget, was a bit of good news for straphangers and bus riders: Metro will not have a fare increase in the 2009 Fiscal Year (July 2008-July 2009). Other highlights from Metro’s … Continued