Our View: Metro should heed advice (Source: SGVTribune.com)

Our View: Metro should heed advice - SGVTribune.com

Our View: Metro should heed advice

Posted: 10/21/2009 05:37:03 PM PDT

IT'S not often that Southern California's congressional delegation comes together on an issue in a truly bipartisan way.

But
a letter sent Tuesday (see Guest View) to the Metro board urging that
the Gold Line Foothill Extension and two other projects be added to its
long-range transportation plan was signed by everyone from Republican
Reps. David Dreier and Gary Miller to Democratic Reps. Grace Napolitano
and Maxine Waters.

Fourteen Congress members in all signed the
letter, led by Dreier, Napolitano, Adam Schiff (who authored
legislation when serving in Sacramento that created the existing Gold
Line)and Judy Chu.

When this many Congress members speak - from
Jerry Lewis and Mary Bono Mack on the right in the Inland Empire to
Diane Watson and Jane Harman on the left and in Los Angeles - it would
behoove Metro, also known as the Los Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority, to listen.

The members asked the Metro
board to put the Foothill Extension, the Gold Line Eastside Extension
Phase II (through South El Monte and Whittier) and the Crenshaw/South
Bay Transit Corridor to LAX on its New Starts funding priority list
when the board meets today in L.A.

The L.A.-centric Metro board,
led by L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, has favored the Westside
subway-to-the-sea project over the two Gold Line extensions.

"In order to maximize federal funding we strongly urge you to broaden the County's federal strategy,"

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the Congress
members wrote. They pointed out that the subway and another heavy-rail
project favored by Metro were unlikely to gain funding from the federal
New Starts process in as little as three years, which would be possible
for the shovel-ready Gold Line light-rail projects.

"If the
board does not include these projects, we leave hundreds of millions of
federal dollars on the table that will be directed elsewhere in the
country," said Schiff, adding that Metro cannot afford to miss the
chance to bring dollars and jobs to the region.

Dreier
emphasized the broad, bipartisan group of Congress members wanting to
prioritize the entire region's needs and to "help secure the federal
resources needed to create jobs and invest in an infrastructure that
works for all Southern Californians."

Of particular interest to
San Gabriel Valley as well as Inland Empire residents, the letter
stated in part: "The Gold Line Foothill Extension project, Azusa to
Montclair, is developed enough to be ready for Federal New Starts funds
in the years before the Westside Subway Extension and the Regional
Connector Transit Corridor."

The letter ends by emphasizing the
imperative to have a strategy that brings as much federal funding as
possible to complement the $30 billion in Measure R sales taxes that
Metro will spend over the next 30 years.

"We would like to work
together as a team as we pursue New Starts funding for Southern
California's priorities on the federal level," ends the letter, also
signed by Reps. Joe Baca, Ken Calvert, Lucille Roybal-Allard and Linda
Sanchez.

That's a heck of an offer of assistance from some very
powerful people who seldom agree on anything. If the Metro board
members turn it down, they're nuts.

Monterey Park gets bullet train briefing - 10/21/09 - Los Angeles-Southern California-LA Breaking News, Weather, Traffic, Sports - abc7.com

Monterey Park gets bullet train briefing

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

By Jovana Lara
MONTEREY PARK, Calif. (KABC) -- High-speed rail could turn into a reality in Southern California if federal stimulus money is granted. Monterey Park residents were briefed Wednesday on the proposed line that would run from L.A. through the Inland Empire to San Diego.

Supporters of California's high speed rail line say the project would bring thousands of jobs, ease congestion, and help the environment. Now today in the first of four public hearings about the project in L.A. county rail authority employees are giving local community members a glimpse into the possible future.

By 2020, California's first high-speed rail line could be zipping through some parts of the state at nearly 220 miles per hour. Research into one of these Southern California portions, L.A. to San Diego, is just getting under way with a series of public meetings.

Yorba Linda resident Paul Schuber looks forward to faster trips to Modesto, where his family lives.

Right now it takes me about six hours to drive home," said Schuber. "If I take the train, the normal train, it takes about 10 hours to get home, so this takes about two hours. So definitely this is much more of a better option, plus it's greener and it'll save money on costs and just energy in general."

Los Angeles Union Station is slated to be the hub for the L.A.-to-San Diego portion. The exact route is still unknown. Project planners are still investigating several options.

"If you start just south of Union Station and then we head east, various alternatives, we're looking at State Route 60 on the north, the Union Pacific rail line on the south and maybe something adjacent to it," said Jose Martinez, California High Speed Rail Authority. "As we get into the area of El Monte, South El Monte, we're looking at Interstate 10, the Metrolink San Bernardino line and also the Union Pacific railway."

The high-speed rail line would have one stop between Union Station and Ontario. The options include El Monte, West Covina, Pomona and the City of Industry.

At this point, though, the focus of the meetings is to gather feedback from the community and so far, at least at this site, the feedback is positive.

"I like the plan," said L.A. resident Mary Hazen. "I like what the governor said. I think they're going through the good steps. The financing, I think it is possible and it's going to make jobs for many people."

"I'm definitely in favor of it," said Pasadena resident Ken Sterling. "I think it's our one possible way out of our traffic mess.

There will be three additional informational meetings.
(Copyright ©2009 KABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

Mayor's effort to fast-track Westside subway faces challenge (Source: LAtimes)

Mayor's effort to fast-track Westside subway faces challenge | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times

Mayor's effort to fast-track Westside subway faces challenge
October 20, 2009 | 2:17 pm

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/bottleneck/images/2008/08/20/subway.jpg

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s efforts to fast-track the long-stalled Westside subway faced a challenge Tuesday when a bipartisan group of congressional representatives said the current plan is unlikely to get immediate federal funding.

Villaraigosa has been pushing to have the subway completed in 10 years, more than 15 years earlier than current estimates.

At his urging, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board agreed to submit the subway expansion, as well as a plan to build a light-rail link through downtown, as the county’s two projects to compete against a national pool of federal funding.

But the 14 members of Congress who signed a letter released today said those two programs don’t have a good shot at immediately getting federal funding. Further, they said that L.A. County risks not get anything from the federal New Starts program unless it adds other regional rail proposals, including an extension of the Gold Line in the San Gabriel Valley and a rail line down Crenshaw Boulevard in South L.A. and the South Bay.

“We are very concerned that Los Angeles County is not positioning itself well to receive its fair share of New Starts funding in the near- and long-term,” the delegation wrote. “Metro’s current plan puts the County at risk of being out of the New Starts funding queue for several years, perhaps for the entire surface transportation reauthorization bill.”

The letter was signed by Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), David Dreier (R-San Dimas), Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), Jane Harman (D-Venice) and Diane Watson (D-Los Angeles), among others. The letter underscores a regional battle underway on the MTA board over which transit projects to pursue and how best to receive federal funding for those projects.

Villaraigosa, L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and others are pushing to make the Westside a top priority. Officials have been trying to build the line for decades but have faced numerous barriers, including the estimated $5-billion or more price tag.

Other officials, however, have questioned the logic of only pursuing federal funding for the Westside extension and the regional connector, and say those projects – particularly the subway – are aimed at only pleasing one region while others are made to wait or build projects that are not as favorable.

For example, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas wants the Crenshaw/South Bay Transit Corridor to be built using light rail, not bus, and said that next month the MTA board will vote on which of the two options to implement. If that project, like the Westside subway, pursues federal funding, the light rail would be more plausible and it would even be possible to build the rail underground in some parts.

In response to the letter, Ridley-Thomas said that it means “that no one plan should dominate. No one rail line should dominate.”

-- Ari B. Bloomekatz

West Hollywood supports FABULOUS metro line (Source: www.examiner.com)

West Hollywood supports FABULOUS metro line

West Hollywood supports FABULOUS metro line
October 20, 4:18 PMLA Energy Policy ExaminerAlexander Lennartz


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WeHo a transit go?

Put on the tunes, mix yourself a cosmo, because there is some good news out of West Hollywood concerning mass transit. According to metroriderla, an idea that started out as an internet memo two years ago has grown into a community-driven grassroots campaign for a subway extension under Santa Monica Blvd. known as the Pink Line. More details of the proposed line can be found here.

In terms of the trench warfare that is Los Angeles metro planning, for a proposal to go from internet chatter to community backed urban planning is great progress in a very short amount of time. West Hollywood could end up being a potential corridor that binds LA County together on a north-south axis via Hollywood and Highland and an east-west axis connecting to Western and Wilshire.

The primary focus of metro expansion is the Wilshire subway line to the Westside (not that there’s anything wrong with that), but the Pink Line should be given just as much consideration due to the level of community support for it. WeHo has strong grassroots political organization and is one of the wealthier areas of Los Angeles County. There are currently no funds for the line (projected cost $3 billion), but the community’s ability to effectively fund-raise will expedite the process of getting the line built while metro projects in other areas languish. Although it is not even on metro’s official web-site map of future projects, the Pink Line is continuing to build momentum.

Citizens of West Hollywood raised $3.9 million dollars in one day to fight Prop 8 on October 21st, 2008. Once they win that battle (sorry to break the news to those who share the views of Carrie Prejean, but when Iowa passes gay marriage, you know it’s only a matter of time before it happens here), a highly effective fund-raising machine can be directed at getting the line built as well as the ratcheting up the necessary political pressure required in order to get things done.

Besides the everyday benefit of having an efficient, fast public transport option in West Hollywood, the Pink Line would be a saving grace for the days that special events are held and major streets like Santa Monica and La Cienega are blocked off. The detours that had to be taken for last week’s AIDS walk stalled traffic and with Halloween upcoming, the party will also block off major traffic arteries. Even the buses were prevented from travelling up past a certain point on Santa Monica. Moving people via the subway would reduce auto accidents, time lost in traffic and the other maladies of congestion.

West Hollywood City Hall is supportive of the effort to bring a subway line to the area, as confirmed by the minutes of the city council’s meeting for October 6th. The city government has a transportation commission meets on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Conference Room of City Hall located at 8300 Santa Monica Boulevard for those who wish to engage in the debate.

Yet another meeting post: Expo Line, Harbor Subdivision, long-range plan (Source: MetroRiderLA)

Yet another meeting post: Expo Line, Harbor Subdivision, long-range plan | MetroRiderLA

Yet another meeting post: Expo Line, Harbor Subdivision, long-range plan
Contributed by Wad on October 21st, 2009 at 2:45 am

Expo Line construction sign

Photo by Alan Weeks and uploaded by Metro Library and Archive on Flickr; used with a Creative Commons license

You, at least more than two-thirds of you, voted for a tax to expand public transit. Most of them come at the last 15 years of the Measure R period. What’s the first 15 years? Attending meetings and seeing maps, diagrams and harangues on what could be.

It also means MetroRiderLA will post yet another meeting post, though longtime MetroReaders know we are much more.

Here’s something to do tonight. The Expo Line Construction Authority conducts a community meeting tonight in West Adams for an update on Phase 1, which may or may not open next year — and likely to Crenshaw Boulevard first and then to Culver City. Find out more by going at 6:30 tonight to Holman United Methodist Church, 3320 W. Adams Blvd. Transit access: Metro lines 37, 38, 209, 210 and 710; and LADOT DASH Midtown.

Thursday, the sparks are sure to fly and Las Vegas bookies have placed odds at 3 to 1 that something may get accomplished at Metro’s monthly meeting, where the board must vote on the long-range transportation plan. How long range? A vote Thursday affects spending for the next 40 years. Curbed LA lists some of the major items, including the subway extension, the regional connector, and the Foothill Gold Line extension. Of course, the reason for odds is that Metro may decide to punt again. That, or Metro may spend hours arguing over what color the Expo Line ought to be. The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. It’s at Union Station. By now we trust MetroReaders to know what buses and trains to take here.

And both tonight and tomorrow, Metro is also asking what ought to be done with the Harbor Subdivision. All options are considered: bus rapid transit, light rail, Metrolink service, or an express train between Union Station and LAX. Tonight’s meeting at 6 is at the Jackie Robinson Academy Auditorium, 2750 Pine Ave., Long Beach. Thursday’s meeting, also at 6 p.m., is at the Miriam Matthews Branch Library, 2205 Florence Ave., Hyde Park.

Transit access to the Long Beach meeting: Metro Blue Line and Long Beach Transit lines 51-52, 101-103 and 181-182
Transit access to the Hyde Park meeting: Metro lines 111, 207, 209, 210, 710, 711 and 757

High-speed rail line called boost for Murrieta (Source: /www.pe.com/)

High-speed rail line called boost for Murrieta | San Bernardino County | PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California

High-speed rail line called boost for Murrieta

10:00 PM PDT on Monday, October 19, 2009

By AARON BURGIN
The Press-Enterprise

A station stop on California's proposed high-speed rail line would be a huge benefit for Murrieta, whether the route is along Interstate 15 or I-215, people who attended a scoping session Monday said.

An audience ranging from city officials to high school students attended the first of three high-speed rail forums in Riverside County hosted by the California High Speed Rail Authority. The guests at the Murrieta Public Library viewed poster boards with information about the rail system, including routes, diagrams of stations and the steps in the environmental review process.

The Southern California line, part of a statewide system planned to link Sacramento to San Diego, will pass through several cities in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Murrieta has been targeted for a station stop in an area near the intersection of the two freeways often referred to as the Golden Triangle.

Officials in the southwest Riverside County city see the station as a potential boon -- possibly a catalyst for commercial development and job growth.

"It makes Murrieta a central point," said Bruce Coleman, the city's economic development director.

Kenneth Ray, a Temecula resident and former school board member, said he supports a high-speed rail stop in the region for many of the same reasons as Coleman.

"Both Murrieta and Temecula are commuter communities, and this gives commuters a new lease on life," Ray said.

Determining which freeway the train will parallel will be part of a lengthy environmental study that begins with the public comments fielded at the scoping sessions, said Jose Martinez, project manager for the Southern California line.

Each route has benefits and drawbacks. The terrain along I-215 is flatter and could allow the train to pass through both county seats. But the I-15 route is shorter and has more available land, said Rick Simon, a project engineer.

Not everyone was supportive. Murrieta mother and son Ken and Louise Appel said they didn't believe that the benefits of the rail line -- shorter commutes and less dependence on foreign oil -- outweigh the costs -- more noise and the estimated $45 billion price tag for the entire system.

Reach Aaron Burgin at 951-375-3733 or aburgin@PE.com

Little Tokyo Sounds Off About Metro’s Expansion Plans (Source: API Movement)

Little Tokyo Sounds Off About Metro’s Expansion Plans | API Movement

Little Tokyo Sounds Off About Metro’s Expansion Plans

Michael - Posted on 19 October 2009

Community leaders continue to meet with Metro officials to emphasize the area’s historical and cultural significance.

By Nalea J. Ko, Reporter
Pacific Citizen
Published October 16, 2009

Little Tokyo stakeholders are expressing concerns over Metro’s plans to expand the city’s mass transit system in the area.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or Metro, has been collecting community input about its 1.8-mile-long Regional Connector Transit Corridor project. It is a plan that would run through Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo, connecting the Metro Gold, Blue and Expo Lines, and possible future transit projects.

Little Tokyo is one of the last three Japantowns left in the nation including one in San Francisco and one in San Jose.

Most residents and employees say they are in favor of improving the transportation in the area, but they are also concerned about how Metro will mitigate negative impacts during the construction phase.

“The Metro has to find ways which will in effect guarantee that businesses and institutions that reflect our ethnic heritage will not be destroyed or impacted to ruination through their proposed construction … and work with the Little Tokyo community after construction is done to help ensure that the ethnic flavor of the community can continue and not be swallowed up by big-money interests,” said Bill Watanabe, executive director of the Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC).

Watanabe said his opinions are personal and do not necessarily reflect of the feelings of LTSC.
Construction on the regional connector could take as long as four years, depending on which project option is pursued.

Metro officials have not broken ground yet. An 18-month environmental impact statement/environmental impact report is currently underway. It is expected to be complete by the summer of 2010.

In the interim, Metro officials are exploring four different options for constructing the regional connector: a no build alternative, a transportation system management alternative, an at-grade light rail transit alternative and an underground light rail transit alternative.

Metro officials will determine which option to proceed with depending on community input, Metro procedures and the Federal Transit Administration’s guidelines.

The regional connector is intended to provide those who live and work in downtown with “more access to the light rail system.” Little Tokyo is one of the communities that would be included in the project area. Others include Bunker Hill, the Jewelry District, the Civic Center, the Toy District, the Historic Core, the Arts District, the Financial District and the Jewelry District.

Constructing the regional connector would allow passengers to travel through the downtown area without having to transfer, said Dolores Roybal Saltarelli, Metro project manager.

“The elimination of these transfers would save passengers between 12 and 20 minutes of travel time per average trip, and would reduce the need for casual passengers — those without monthly transit passes who pay for each trip individually — to pay additional fares.” Saltarelli wrote in an e-mail to the Pacific Citizen.

“In order for the Metro system to accommodate the anticipated population growth and increases in transit users through the year 2035 and beyond, it will be important to address crowding at these stations.”

Each proposed regional connector option has varying price tags. The transportation system management alternative would have an estimated capital cost of $63 million and an operating cost of $13.6 million. That option would provide bus or shuttle service between the 7th Street Metro Station and Union Station.

The at-grade light rail transit alternative would be $796 million with an operating cost of $9.8 million. This option would go west along Main and Los Angeles Street and north along Temple Street. And the final option, the underground light rail alternative, is estimated to be $910 million, costing $5.2 to operate. Its route would run along Second Street, crossing into Little Tokyo.

“No option is really acceptable to us,” said Craig Ishii, JACL PSW regional director.

“Little Tokyo — this is the whole community — the whole community for the most part is not opposed to the idea of public transit and is not opposed to Metro. It is only opposed to these options that are being presented. The idea is that Little Tokyo should have been involved in the process where they went from 30 [project options] to four.”

Ishii said they oppose the underground light rail transit alternative because of the possible traffic congestion and loss of business during construction. The at-grade light rail transit alternative is also problematic because it sequesters Little Tokyo, said Ishii.

The JACL PSW regional board passed an Oct. 5 resolution, saying they are against all options presented by Metro, unless proper mitigations are implemented.

Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, also submitted a letter to Metro Chairman Ara Najarian urging him to be mindful of the regional connector’s possible impact on the Japanese American National Museum, which has “unique characteristics and compelling historic significance.”

Saltarelli said they are working with the community before finalizing their decision.

“The project team is conducting extensive outreach in the community to identify the best possible alternative,” Saltarelli said. “We are hopeful that we can identify an alternative that minimizes the impacts on the downtown community, and provides great benefits to businesses, residents, and visitors in downtown Los Angeles and regionally for the long-term.”

The next downtown-based Metro community meeting is Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. at the Wurlitzer Building.
Stakeholders hope Metro officials will consider the historical and cultural significance of Little Tokyo.

“If the Little Tokyo community can plan and coalesce in effective ways to ensure that the community will not be destroyed in the future, then perhaps there is hope for change that results in positive ends for the city and for the Little Tokyo community,” Watanabe said. “Without these guarantees and assurances, many in the community will be unsupportive of these changes.”

High-speed trains may collide with L.A. River plans Two environmental goals -- mass transit and reclaimed open space -- may be mutually exclusive. (Source: LAtimes.com)

Link: High-speed trains may collide with L.A. River plans -- latimes.com

High-speed trains may collide with L.A. River plans
Two environmental goals -- mass transit and reclaimed open space -- may be mutually exclusive.
Photo: Joe Linton

Joe Linton walks near parkland in one of the areas being considered for a high-speed rail line. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times / October 15, 2009)

Map: Train routes Map: Train routes

By Ari B. Bloomekatz

October 18, 2009

The plan to build a network of high-speed bullet trains across California is facing opposition from the heart of Los Angeles, where community leaders fear the line will hurt efforts for another grand project: revitalizing the L.A. River.

The rail plan, which has picked up considerable steam since voters approved the nearly $10-billion bond measure in 2008, would use Union Station as a major hub, and the line probably would run along the Los Angeles River.

But some elected officials and residents believe the proposed rail alignment would seriously clash with their vision for the area, which involves replacing the dilapidated industrial proprieties along the river with green space, recreation areas and community facilities.

The situation makes for delicate politics. Many L.A. officials strongly support the bullet train concept and believe that the Union Station hub would fit into the county's efforts to expand subway and light rail service. But they also believe that revitalizing the river is an important part of making the city core more livable for residents and attractive to visitors.

The proposed rail routes would run near Taylor Yard, a 247-acre freight switching facility in Cypress Park that was closed by 1985. Part of Taylor yard, which is north of Union Station, is still used for rail maintenance and storage, but it also includes Rio de Los Angeles State Park and sites for a planned high school, green space and a mixed-use housing development. The Los Angeles River runs next to it.

"To take a step backward, to put in a train, it's not going to help the quality of life," said Greater Cypress Park Neighborhood Council chairman Gustavo Lizarde.

Lizarde grew up in Lincoln Heights, moved to Cypress Park in the early 1980s and 25 years ago took over his father's auto service shop on North Figueroa Street. He used to live near Taylor Yard.

Last week, Lizarde walked past a new soccer field at the park off San Fernando Road to the concrete bank of the river. A blue heron swooped by a path littered with foam plastic cups.

The soccer field is one part of the city's long-term effort to transform the area along the concrete-sided river that was once synonymous with crime and graffiti into a place residents can enjoy.

The Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan calls for improvements to water quality; providing the public with easy access to the river; building new trails for walking and biking; and providing open space and better habitats to support wildlife, among other goals. The city considers improving the river one of its top long-term priorities.

Joe Linton, author of the book "Down by the Los Angeles River" and the blog LACreekFreak, joined Lizarde at the river. "As we're starting to see a nicer river . . . we want to move toward removing barriers," he said.

Linton, who rides a bicycle almost everywhere he travels in Los Angeles, said he supports the high-speed rail but wants to be sure its route will not damage the progress that has been made along the river or prevent that effort from expanding.

Linton said he feels it's a clash of two well-praised ideals. On one hand, the high-speed rail aims to increase mobility and improve the environment by providing attractive options for commuters, but having the route run along the river, he said, would make it much more difficult to transform the river.

High-speed rail has been talked about in California for decades. In the late 1970s, then-Gov. Jerry Brown, now the state's attorney general, envisioned a bullet train from Los Angeles to San Diego. It was shot down in the early 1980s.

For many it was a pipe dream, too expensive and too large to come to fruition.

But it has been taken very seriously since voters approved the sale of $9.95 billion in bonds in 2008 and since President Obama pledged federal funds for transportation projects and talked about his vision for high-speed rail.

"Imagine what a great project that would be to rebuild America. Now all of you know this is not some fanciful, pie-in-the-sky vision of the future, it is now, it is happening right now, it's been happening for decades. The problem is it's been happening elsewhere, not here," Obama said during a news conference.

Spain, Italy, France and Germany have built high-speed rail

The total project in California would span some 800 miles and include a route from San Francisco to Los Angeles that would take a little more than 2 1/2 hours to travel. It has an estimated price tag of about $45 billion. Promoters say the rail project would be the nation's most ambitious since the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869.

One of the first phases, a high-speed corridor from Los Angeles to Anaheim, would cost about $4.4 billion and, depending on whether the project receives significant federal funding, construction could begin as early as 2011, according to the California High-Speed Rail Authority.

The rail authority and other transportation officials said the routes and planning are in elementary stages.

They said that before final environmental impact reports are done, they plan to meet with community leaders and residents to discuss which routes would be best to take.

On Tuesday, officials from that agency and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority are scheduled to discuss how to involve various cities and communities in the planning.

"We understand that this is a massive project," said Jeff Barker, deputy director of the rail authority. "We need the people of every single community along the line as our partners. We need to work together as a team. What's fortunate is that we're very early on in this process, and the fact that people are getting involved now is perfect timing. This is the exact point in the process in which we're fleshing out alternatives."

Transportation officials say that the general routes and hubs of the rail lines have been mostly planned and are partly dictated by Proposition 1A, the ballot measure that authorized bonds for high-speed rail. Those alignments are being modified, the official said.

Running high-speed rail through Union Station would make sense, some officials say, because the depot is already home to MTA's rail line as well as to Metrolink and Amtrak.

But if the high-speed rail goes through Union Station, some officials and environmental advocates say, it would be difficult to find a route that doesn't run near the river.

Los Angeles City Councilman Ed Reyes said he would like to see other alternatives for routes from Anaheim to Los Angeles and from Los Angeles to Palmdale. He said he supports the high-speed rail but doesn't want to sacrifice the river or the progress of the communities the bullet train would pass through.

"The river right now is in a straitjacket. Lined with cement, constrained by railroad lines. . . . But the way they're approaching it, they're going to put the last strap on the straitjacket," Reyes said. "I support it, but let's not be hasty, let's be opportunistic."

ari.bloomekatz@latimes.com

Features of MTA’s proposed Crenshaw Transit Corridor attract Westchester residents’ attention (Source: Westchester)

Link: The Argonaut: Westchester

Features of MTA’s proposed Crenshaw Transit Corridor attract Westchester residents’ attention

BY GARY WALKER

The extension of the Metro Green Line and the Mid-Cities Exposition Line have been the central focus of light rail advocates and legislators on the Westside regarding mass transportation.

But another line that could eventually intersect with both lines has begun to recently garner attention, especially among Westchester residents.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is proposing to construct the Crenshaw Transit Corridor, which could connect with both the Expo and Green lines in a north-south configuration. A possible light rail line would extend west to Sepulveda and La Tijera boulevards in Westchester and eventually connect with the Green Line station at Aviation Boulevard.

Among MTA members, an ongoing discussion that centers on whether the transit corridor should feature a light rail line or a rapid bus line will figure prominently in how Westchester is impacted.

The Neighborhood Council of Westchester-Playa discussed the proposed rail line at its October meeting, and some of its members say that they only recently learned of the transit authority’s plans for a proposed rail line that could impact roads and businesses in east Westchester.

“We found out about it at our August neighborhood council meeting,” said Denny Schneider, a member of the Neighborhood Council of Westchester-Playa. “Metro held four meetings before we found out about how this would impact our community.”

Roderick Diaz, the project manager for the Crenshaw Corridor, said that his agency has been very diligent in informing the public about its plans for the transportation corridor.

“I don’t think that (Westchester residents) were notified any later than our other constituents,” Diaz told The Argonaut. “We have had a very open process from the beginning.”

He conceded that certain neighborhood groups may not have received word of the agency’s meetings as soon as they would have liked, but Diaz and other Metro representatives have since had four meetings in or near Westchester, including one on October 6th with the Westchester Neighbors Association.

Resident Harry Rose attended the meeting, and said he thought that Metro’s presentation was straightforward.

“I think that MTA really wants to work with the community to have a light rail system on the Westside,” Rose, an association member, said.

Some of the options that Schneider and other homeowners near Osage Avenue disagree with are proposals to close Hindry and Florence avenues for a possible maintenance yard or a station, a proposed drop-off station at Hindry and at-grade or ground level crossings.

Schneider says that a number of longtime community businesses would also be uprooted if the station were built at Florence, including the Westchester Playhouse, where the popular theater group, the Kentwood Players, perform.

“That is a major issue for us,” said Schneider.

Diaz confirmed that some of the buildings could be relocated if the Metro board chose to go with a light rail option.

“If the light rail alternative is chosen, there are some businesses in the light industrial area that may need to be relocated,” the project manager acknowledged.

Rose said that he and other residents believe that if the playhouse is relocated, Metro should do everything it can to accommodate the theater group.

“I think that MTA should really look at putting the Kentwood Players somewhere that is close and in a good location where they can still perform,” he said.

Diaz noted that there are two proposed locations for a maintenance facility — in neighboring El Segundo or in Westchester, south of 83rd Street, north of Florence and east of Osage.

The proposed alignment of the light rail is a point of contention for Westchester residents, Schneider said.

“I support the rail line, as does the (neighborhood council),” the council member stated. “It’s not a question of trying to stop MTA from doing something; we just want a solution that doesn’t destroy a community to make it convenient for mass transportation.”

Schneider said he likes the idea of having a light rail that would go all the way to the other parts of the city, including the South Bay.

Diaz mentioned several times during the interview that nothing had been decided in terms of possible light rail alignments, the location of the maintenance yard or whether the mode of transportation will be a rapid bus or light rail line.

“The Metro board of directors has not made any final decisions yet,” Diaz stressed. “We will likely need to do some more concerted planning within the next few months related to where the stations are and what facilities will be included with them. We will also very likely have to do some community engagement as well.”

Rose said that he prefers a light rail train to a bus.

“The light rail line would be better to help residents on the Westside connect quickly with others parts of the city,” he noted.

The Metro Board of Directors will meet in December to discuss the Crenshaw Transit Corridor, and Diaz said at that time the board will likely vote on whether to implement a rapid bus line or the light rail line.

Schneider says that City Councilman Bill Rosendahl’s office is aware of the residents’ worries regarding Metro’s proposals and has pledged to represent their best interests before the Metro board.

“Councilman Rosendahl has come forward again to protect our community,” he said.

The comment period for the Crenshaw Transit Corridor ends Monday, October 26th.

Public Meetings Announced for Downtown's Light Rail Regional Connector (Source: LAist)

Public Meetings Announced for Downtown's Light Rail Regional Connector - LAist

Public Meetings Announced for Downtown's Light Rail Regional Connector



 If Metro's regional connector project is built, passengers will be able to commute between Pasadena and Long Beach without transferring from the Gold Line to the Red Line, then the Blue Line. Likewise, those traveling between East LA and Culver City (and maybe someday Santa Monica) will be able to skip a similar transfer process. That means faster travel times and more accessibility car-free.

As part of that plan, the transit agency must develop an environmental impact study and report with public input. Therefore, it's public meeting time to learn about the most recent developments and to share more thoughts:

Thursday, November 5, 2009; 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Lake Avenue Church 393 N Lake Ave, Pasadena

Saturday, November 7, 2009; 10 a.m. to Noon
Wurlitzer Building 818 S Broadway, Los Angeles

Tuesday, November 10, 2009; Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Board Room, Los Angeles Central Library 630 W 5th St, Los Angeles

Thursday November 12, 2009; 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. AND 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Japanese American National Museum (JANM) 369 E 1st St, Los Angeles

Identical information will be presented at each meeting. Please plan to attend the meeting that best accommodates your schedule.

For additional information or questions, please visit the Regional Connector Transit Corridor study website at metro.net/regionalconnector or contact the project information line at 213.922.7277. The project is also on Facebook, under Regional Connector Transit Corridor Study.
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By Zach Behrens in News on October 15, 2009 3:29 PM

Another Ballot Initiative Required for Wilshire Subway?* (Source: Curbed LA)

Curbed LA: Another Ballot Initiative Required for Wilshire Subway?*

Another Ballot Initiative Required for Wilshire Subway?*

Tuesday, October 13, 2009, by Neal Broverman

Picture%207.png What looked like another story on the East/West turf war over Measure R public transit funds had an interesting sidenote: CARealEstateJournal.com reports that Wilshire subway supporter Zev Yaroslavsky, one of five LA County Supervisors, is angry that a majority of the Metro board members are against using a chunk of the Measure R money to expand the Purple Line, and instead want to divert it to other projects (like the Gold Line Foothill extension). One of Yaroslavsky's solutions: "Yaroslavsky said he is considering having an initiative put on the ballot to block the diversion of the funds dedicated to the Westside subway through passage of Measure R," reports the website. Really? *UPDATE: Joel Bellman in Zev's office writes that, "We are working with the MTA to develop a fair and equitable resolution to the Measure R distribution/allocation of funds. I am optimistic that this will be worked out. If not, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." On the subject of the Wilshire subway, the MetroRider LA blog has exhaustive, and interesting, demographic breakdowns of every proposed new station—even the ones in Santa Monica that are a loooong way off.

Streetcar Project Looking for Consultants (Source: Blogdowntown)

Streetcar Project Looking for Consultants :: blogdowntown

Streetcar Project Looking for Consultants
By Eric Richardson
Published: Tuesday, October 13, 2009, at 02:44PM

Red Streetcar Eric Richardson [Flickr]

A streetcar navigates the streets of Seattle in early 2008.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — L.A. Streetcar Inc. is seeking a few consultants as it continues work on a streetcar line that would connect South Park, Broadway and Bunker Hill. The project yesterday released a pair of Request for Qualification (RFQ) documents, one looking for marketing and outreach help and the other seeking more technical research on assessment districts.

Firms interested in either of the jobs are encouraged to check out the complete RFQ documents online and submit their response before October 23.

For the P.R. / Media RFQ:

LASI is soliciting qualifications from individual firms or teams capable of developing an integrated and branded suite of advertising and outreach materials to communicate with Downtown Los Angeles stakeholders, property owners, transit riders, residents, community groups, and other stakeholders regarding the benefits of a streetcar system.

And for the Special Benefit District RFQ:

LASI is soliciting qualifications from consultants capable of developing revised Los Angeles Streetcar conceptual Special Benefit District alternatives that will generate revenues to help pay for the capital and operating costs of the streetcar system.

The project hopes to have its first line up and running by 2014.

One Step Closer: Metro Releases Final(?) Draft 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan (Source: I Will Ride Blog)

One Step Closer: Metro Releases Final(?) Draft 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan « I Will Ride Blog

One Step Closer: Metro Releases Final(?) Draft 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan
Posted by Albert


Metro kid: We did it!
San Gabriel Valley: Not so fast Metro kid.

You’ve seen these four words tossed around quite a bit: Long Range Transportation Plan, or LRTP for short. It is the grand-daddy of transportation plans in Los Angeles County. It sets on paper what, how, and when transit projects can be funded – of which the Metro Board can change with a majority vote. This lone document has fueled more articles on this blog than any other transit topic or issue (federal funding will take the crown after a few more months). With the exception of the Bus Riders Union and bike advocates, probably no other group has agonized more over the details of the LRTP than the supporters of the Foothill Extension – and for good reason.

9 Months Ago

Since the draft LRTP was reintroduced into the transit news circles by Metro staff in January, many things have changed for the better for the San Gabriel Valley in this plan. However, the path wasn’t without a few heartaches in the beginning and along the way.

That LRTP in January was a carryover from 2008 – when the Metro Board held off on a vote to approve the plan to give Los Angeles County voters a chance to pass the half-cent sales tax increase that was Measure R last November. Measure R passed (look no further for proof than the sales tax on your receipt), and when the LRTP was given an “update” in a January Metro staff report, it still excluded the Foothill Extension (to Azusa) from initial funding despite it being the only proposed Measure R light-rail project that was ready for construction. The Foothill Extension Construction Authority, San Gabriel Valley residents, businesses, elected officials, newspapers, students, and everyone else in between took issue with it – also giving birth to this blog. To make a long story short, through a combined effort on all levels from the San Gabriel Valley, Metro revised the LRTP to include $875 million for the first phase of the Foothill Extension to Azusa. Yay?

Hold Off That Celebration

Metro recently released their final draft of the 2009 LRTP, and, besides the new plan shaving off $24 million for the Extension (bringing funding to $851 million), not much has changed since the Extension was included for funding back in June. The operations date for the Foothill Extension to Azusa is still set for 2017 in the plan. With the groundbreaking most likely happening next year, the construction of the first phase can be finished and the line can be ready in 2013. Let’s not wait 4 years after the line has been completed to operate the thing.

Looking past the stop at Azusa, many other cities are still waiting for their portion of the Foothill Extension to be funded. The recent debate over federal funding has become a big issue because of Metro’s decision to back only two projects for federal money: the Subway to the Sea and Regional Connector. Now let us repeat that these are two very important transit projects that should receive help from Washington. However, like we have pointed out before, our county stands to lose out on hundreds of millions of dollars because of an unrealistic (most likely unachievable) timeframe Metro has put in place for the Subway and Regional Connector to qualify for federal money. And like Congresswoman Judy Chu’s office has pointed out, the second phase of the Foothill Extension to Montclair is in a much better position to receive federal funding much sooner – without impacting the Subway and Regional Connector’s chances at federal funding when these two projects finally do qualify.

Like Metro Board Chair Ara Najarian stated, we need to be unified in order to sell our transit projects to Washington. In order for our delegation to the federal government to become unified, we cannot close the doors on projects that are eligible for federal funding.

What’s Next?

The Metro Board Planning and Programming Committee will meet on Wednesday, October 14, 1:00 PM at the Metro building to consider the LRTP. Then, assuming nothing out of the ordinary happens at the meeting, the LRTP moves to the Metro Board of Directors for a final vote. Yes, after a few false jump-the-gun moments in the past months, the Metro Board of Directors (we’re assuming) will finally vote on the 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan – 3 months after Measure R’s half-cent sales tax increase had kicked in.

For more information on the meeting, and if you’d like to attend, visit our Act Now page.

Update: though we were able to obtain the LRTP documents ourselves, the direct link on Metro’s website don’t seem to be working. If you think you might have better luck, you can check out the Planning and Programming Committee agenda and click on the links in Item 10 for the LRTP.

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Tags: funding, measure r, metro, residents
2 Responses to “One Step Closer: Metro Releases Final(?) Draft 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan”

Public hearings start for high-speed train network (Source: LA Daily News)

Public hearings start for high-speed train network - LA Daily News

Public hearings start for high-speed train network
Daily News Wire Services
Updated: 10/12/2009 08:55:45 AM PDT

Public hearings will start next week as state officials take comments on proposed routes for the southernmost leg of California's proposed $40 billion high-speed train network, which will include new tracks along one of three possible paths between Los Angeles and Pomona.

The state plans new tracks for 220 mile-per-hour trains from Los Angeles to San Diego via Pomona, Ontario, the Inland Empire, and Escondido, with trains making the trip from LA's Union Station to downtown San Diego in one hour and 18 minutes. Existing Amtrak service between the same cities, down the beaches of Orange and San Diego counties, takes nearly three hours.

Rail planners have identified three potential paths for the bullet trains between Los Angeles and Pomona: along the existing Union Pacific tracks through Commerce, Pico Rivera and Industry, or either parallel to or in the center of the San Bernardino (10) or Pomona (60) freeways.

The high speed trains would cross Pomona along the existing rail lines, and stop at Ontario International Airport. From there, several routes are possible east and then south to UC Riverside, with one option including a loop out to San Bernardino.

Those options take the tracks south on Route 215 to Murrieta, but another option is to head directly south from Ontario Airport along the Ontario (15) Freeway, through Corona and Lake Elsinore to Murrieta.

Tracks would then be built atop or along Interstate 15 south through Escondido to near the Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar. One of several new alignments would angle over towards La Jolla, and the tracks would enter San Diego along Interstate 5 at Mission Bay.

Separate environmental studies are underway for a high speed line from Los Angeles south to end in Anaheim, and also for the tracks from L.A. north to Palmdale.

California legislators have passed a law that the first leg of the $40 billion, 800-mile statewide system will be the Anaheim leg, and the second target would be connections from L.A. to San Francisco and Sacramento. The Riverside/San Diego high-speed leg would likely be funded third, but officials note that construction money could come in fast enough to allow all three legs to be built simultaneously.

The California network will be funded with $9.95 billion in bond funds approved by voters, and a sizeable chunk of the $8 billion that Congress has allocated for nationwide high-speed rail seed money as a part of President Barack Obama's commitment to high speed rail. The state has asked for $4.7 billion, but may end up with about $3 billion, observers in Washington said.

Congress is expected to add another $1.5 billion in economic stimulus money as well. The federal government has identified eight city-pairs and corridors across the country as likely recipients of the federal money, but other states are seeking to get a piece of the federal pie.

The President has said California is at the head of the line because of the commitment of local money and advanced state of planning, as well as the fact that California is the only state proposing travel speeds of 220 miles an hour.

Nevada officials are proposing a privately-funded high speed track between Las Vegas and the outskirts of San Bernardino, and are investigating the possibility of bringing it across the mountains to plug into the California network.

Arizona and several other states are setting up planning efforts to investigate building high-speed rail lines between Southern California and Phoenix and Tucson.

This week's hearings will take public testimony on the proposed routes, as the state hears evidence on what issues and alternative routes must be studied during the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement.

The first hearing will be Tuesday in La Jolla, with additional hearings set for later this month in San Diego, Riverside and then Los Angeles counties. All hearings are set from 3-7 p.m., and Los Angeles County-area hearings are set for:

-- Oct. 20, at the Corona Public Library, 650 S. Main St., Corona;

-- Oct. 21, at the Shepherd of the Hills Methodist Church, 333 S. Garfield Ave., Monterey Park;

-- Oct. 26, at the West Covina City Hall, 1444 W. Garvey Ave., West Covina;

-- Oct. 28, at the El Monte Community Center, 3130 Tyler Ave., El Monte;

-- Oct. 29, at the Pomona First Baptist Church, 586 N. Main St., Pomona; and

-- Nov. 2, at the Ontario Airport Administration Center, 1923 E. Avion St., Ontario.