Crown city connection

a business-friendly streetcar system has Pasadena’s name on it

http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/cms/story/detail/crown_city_connection/10750/

By Rebecca Kuzins 11/23/2011

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For many years, Pasadena residents and business owners have considered the possibility of building a public transportation system to link the various communities within the city’s downtown area. This long-discussed proposal may finally become a reality, thanks to recent actions undertaken by city officials and downtown business organizations.

The City Council last month approved a proposal to construct a $100-million streetcar system in the city’s Central District as one of the project priorities for the Downtown Redevelopment Project Area. The feasibility, sources of financing and applicable technology for the system were analyzed in two reports issued in 2010 by Strategic Economics, a Berkeley-based consulting and research firm.

“It’s kind of a far-off proposal,” explained Erlinda Romo, executive director of the Playhouse District Association, one of the business organizations spearheading the streetcar system. “There’s no funding identified; it’s more like a wish list. But as more people get behind it, and if they can figure out a funding mechanism, it might happen.”

Romo and other supporters of the system maintain a streetcar will connect the various downtown business districts and neighborhoods by enabling people to park only once and then hop on the streetcar, easily traveling from one area to another. The city, in cooperation with the Playhouse District Association, the Old Pasadena Management District the Pasadena Center Operating Co., the South Lake Business District, and Paseo Colorado, commissioned Strategic Economics to determine if — and how — a streetcar could “generate synergy” among the five downtown subdistricts: Old Pasadena, Paseo Colorado, the Playhouse District, South Lake Avenue and the Civic Center.

The system outlined in Strategic Economics’ March 16, 2010 report would run in a continuous loop for 4.1 miles along an L-shaped route, traveling west on Union Street from Lake Avenue to Pasadena Avenue, south on Pasadena Avenue to Green Street, east on Green to Lake, south on Lake to California Boulevard, and north on Lake to Union. The streetcars would run at the speed of traffic on tracks installed on the streets.

“Successful streetcar connectivity,” the report concludes, “could transform Downtown Pasadena from a discontinuous hodgepodge of business districts into a single dining, shopping, entertainment and business destination, dwarfing most others in the entire Los Angeles region.” The synergy created by the streetcar, the report adds, would enable Pasadena to sustain its “economic vitality” and have a unique niche in the regional economy, differentiating the city from neighboring Glendale and Arcadia.

The Glendale shopping district described in the report contains the Glendale Galleria and the Americana at Brand, two large malls located a block away from each other. The Arcadia district included the Westfield Santa Anita Mall in Arcadia, which expanded in 2009, and the Shops at Santa Anita, a nearby mall that was to be developed by Rick Caruso, who built the Americana at Brand. However, a month after the Strategic Economics’ report was issued, Caruso announced he had abandoned plans to build the Shops at Santa Anita.

The report argues that the shopping district in Glendale and an Arcadia shopping area containing both the Westfield mall and the Shops at Santa Anita pose a threat to Pasadena, because their “larger size, easy circulation, easy access, and single destinations create greater selections for customers, thus increasing drawing power.”

However, the Pasadena streetcar would “tie together” the downtown business areas so they could “function as a unified shopping destination” that would be “significantly larger and more diverse” than the shopping districts in Glendale or Arcadia. The streetcar would also “brand” downtown Pasadena as “a unified, very special place, unique in that it has a streetcar.”

The streetcar “would link the downtown districts easily and simply with a transportation system that people actually use,” said Paul Little, president and CEO of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce. “Streetcars have cache, they’re
user-friendly.”

“There’s something more romantic, fun and exciting about taking a streetcar instead of a bus,” agreed Romo. “In San Pedro, there’s a small streetcar route, and at an annual event there people wait an hour and a half to get on the streetcar, even though they can get on a bus every 15 minutes.”

Proponents of the streetcar argue that it will alleviate traffic congestion by encouraging Pasadena residents and visitors to walk, because it will shorten the distances to destinations. Instead of driving from one place to another, pedestrians could shop in Old Pasadena and then ride the streetcar to enjoy dinner at a restaurant along South Lake.

In addition, routing the system along Union and Green would increase the visibility of shops and other establishments located on streets other than Colorado Boulevard, enticing riders to shop at stores they might otherwise ignore.
In its Oct. 4, 2010, report, Strategic Economics estimated the streetcar could generate between $4.2 million and $25.5 million in annual retail sales revenue.

The streetcar could also enhance the tourism market by enabling visitors to cross-attend events and cultural institutions in downtown Pasadena. According to the report, a “modest increase” in hotel stays and rates and more business at the Pasadena Convention Center would garner between $267,300 and $1.1 million in annual hotel revenues.

People who live and work in downtown Pasadena would also benefit from the streetcar. “We don’t have the census data, but about 20,000 people live in the Central District, and about 84,000 people work there,” said Romo. “That’s a lot of people. The streetcar will be a good alternative public transit” and “will move people through the Central District.”

The streetcar could also be a “last mile” connection for workers who commute to Pasadena, but whose workplaces are a half mile or farther away from the nearest Metro Gold Line station. Strategic Economics estimates that only 30 percent of the 61,000 jobs in the downtown area are within a quarter-mile walking distance of the Gold Line.

“I hear a lot of people say that the Gold Line is very convenient, but it’s nowhere near where they work,” said Steve Mulheim, president and chief executive officer of the Old Pasadena Management District. “This [the streetcar] will enable more people to use the Gold Line.”

Mulheim and other proponents concede that many details must be ironed out before the streetcar proposal can get on track. Project supporters will have to decide what type of vehicles to purchase: vintage cars restored from use in the 20th century; vintage replica cars, which are new cars that are built to resemble old ones; or modern low-floor streetcars.

More importantly, proponents will have to determine how to fund the system. The proposed route is expected to cost about $79 million; if the route is extended along Green Street to Pasadena City College and along California Boulevard to Caltech, the costs would increase by $18 and $11.5 million, respectively, for a total cost of $108.5 million.

“Most cities that do this are utilizing a number of funding sources, including redevelopment funds, federal grants, and private funding,” said Mulheim.

According to Strategic Economics, Pasadena can reasonably expect to receive $25 million to $40 million, or between 25 percent and 50 percent of the total costs of the project, from the federal government, most likely in the form of grants from the Federal Transit Administration.

However, the city will not qualify for these funds unless it makes a “significant local contribution” of between $30 million and $75 million. According to the report, the most significant local contributions to financing streetcars in other cities have come from “creating some type of benefit assessment district” in which property owners pay to fund the project.

Other sources of funding could come from parking revenues, by offering streetcar riders rebates on their power and water bills, or from state redevelopment funds.

However, the future of redevelopment has recently come into question due to two measures signed in June by Gov. Jerry Brown. Assembly Bill 26 effectively eliminates redevelopment agencies, except to allow them to pay off their existing debt; Assembly Bill 27 allows these agencies to effectively continue operating, as long as they make significant “voluntary” payments to the state of California. The California Redevelopment Association filed suit to challenge these measures, arguing they are unconstitutional.

Our first ride on the Expo Line

Link: http://thesource.metro.net/2011/11/22/our-first-ride-on-the-expo-line/

Written by Steve Hymon in Projects on November 22, 2011
11 Comments - Leave a comment! - Tags: Expo Line

Carter and I had a nice morning: we were recipients of our first ride on the Expo Line, traveling from the 23rd Street station in downtown Los Angeles to the La Cienega station and back. We’ll post some more pics later as well as video. (Update: Here’s the link to the videos)

As for the obvious question: we don’t yet have an official opening date for the Expo Line.

Why? There’s still parts of the project not yet finished, namely there’s work to be done on the switch on the junction of the Expo Line and Blue Line tracks, the ventilation system in the tunnel under Figueroa near USC and the Culver City station.

Bottom line: Metro officials are adamant about not rushing to open the line until it is completed.

As for the ride, it was smoother and quicker than we thought it would be. A few impressions:

•Even though the train was in test mode and stopping at places it normally would not, it took about 21 minutes to travel from La Cienega to the 23rd Street station. We were both surprised how quick the train was in the sections it could run 55 mph, west of Western Avenue.

•In the street running sections of the line where there are no crossing gates, the train must obey traffic signals but will have traffic signal priority and should get a lot of green lights.

•The train runs very slow — 10 mph — on both sides of the Farmdale Station adjacent to Dorsey High School as part of the deal negotiated between the Expo Line Construction Authority and the LAUSD. It’s a bigger issue going eastbound, because the La Brea and Farmdale stations are very, very close to one another. The train barely leaves La Brea and it’s slowing for Farmdale. Get used to it.

•The mountains views from the aerial stations at La Brea and, in particular, La Cienega, are outstanding. Patrons will be able to take in a wide swath of the Santa Monica Mountains, the Baldwin Hills and the snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains. The only minor complaint: some ill-placed high-tension wires between the La Cienega station and the mountains in the distance will foil some photographers.

•The rain shields now installed at the stations look pretty good and should provide plenty of shelter during inclement weather.

We’re working on uploading the video and will post some later today.

Metro Still Won't Set Opening Date for Expo Line

Link: http://laist.com/2011/11/22/metro_still_wont_set_opening_date_f.php

Expo Line map (Metro)

Metro is still working on completing the Expo Line, but they still won't commit to any opening date for the light rail expansion. Why not?

The Source explains:

There’s still parts of the project not yet finished, namely there’s work to be done on the switch on the junction of the Expo Line and Blue Line tracks, the ventilation system in the tunnel under Figueroa near USC and the Culver City station.

Bottom line: Metro officials are adamant about not rushing to open the line until it is completed.

While these kinds of projects do take time (and, boy, do they!) if it feels like the Expo Line has been in the testing phase for a while now, you're right: They first turned the power on for the line in early April of this year. The Source bloggers got to take their first test ride today, riding from the 23rd Street station in downtown Los Angeles to the La Cienega station and back this morning. Some thoughts: The mountain views are great, the ride is smooth and quick, but riders should prepare for some very slow spots where speedy travel isn't possible.

As we await the Expo Line's first phase to be completed and the "all aboard!" call to go out, Metro has already officially marked the start of construction on Phase 2, which will connect Culver City to Santa Monica. That portion of the line is slated to open in 2015.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@laist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

San Francisco's Transbay Terminal faces murky future

Link: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/morning_call/2011/11/sf-transbay-terminal-faces-murky.html

San Francisco Business Times

Date: Monday, November 21, 2011, 7:15am PST

Plans for San Francisco's Transbay Terminal are hitting new problems as funding for California's high-speed rail become uncertain, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

San Francisco is continuing to build a $400 million underground train station for the bullet train, part of the $4.2 billion Transbay Terminal project that would create a two-story hub for Caltrain and bus service to the East, North and South Bay -- as well as the high-speed rail station.

But the bullet train system is facing hurdles as the Republican-controlled Congress slashes funding for high-speed rail and more questions arise in California about the project's financial soundness.

One fallback for the station being built is to use it for Caltrain, though that option would cost $1.5 billion, the report notes.

Westside Cyclists Looking to Make the Expo Line Bike-Friendly

Link: http://marvista.patch.com/articles/westside-cyclists-looking-to-make-the-expo-line-bike-friendly

Bike lovers are looking for a Bike Advisory Committee as Expo design plans move ahead.

• By Brian R. Bland

Westside residents along the proposed Culver City-Santa Monica section of the Expo light rail line are putting in an order with designers: "We'd like some bikes with that train, please.''

Bike enthusiasts aren't asking for the actual vehicles, of course, but they want the line and its stations to be bike-friendly, with easy station access and secure facilities for bikes.

At Expo's latest public outreach event on Tuesday night in Santa Monica, Expo spokeswoman Gabriela Collins said some people aren't aware of plans for a bike path that will run parallel to much of the Expo line.

"It will run from the Vermont station west of USC to the Colorado/17th St. station in Santa Monica, where it will connect with an existing bike path,'' Collins said.

But Barbara Broide, who lives near Olympic and Westwood boulevards, wonders when the Bike Advisory Committee that Metro promised will be established.

"It's long overdue,'' said Broide, president of the Westwood South of Santa Monica Boulevard Homeowners Association. "The committee was supposed to be appointed in Phase 1 of the Expo project,'' she said.

Expo trains between downtown Los Angeles and Culver City are supposed to roll in early 2012.

Collins said the bike committee will be formed before construction begins on Expo's Phase 2, between Culver City and Santa Monica.

Many of the approximately 100 residents at Tuesday's event had specific concerns about noise and traffic during both construction and eventual operation of the Expo line. But seemingly everyone was in favor of the overall project.

"It's great—something Los Angeles has needed for decades,'' said West Los Angeles resident A.J. Calomay. As a kid, he said played along the abandoned tracks of the old Red Car trolley system that disappeared when the freeways were built. Calomay and his fiancée have a condo near the Expo line.

"I'm trying to make sure it's not going to be too disruptive to my neighborhood,'' he said.''

Michael Deane, who lives not far from Calomay, said he wants to make sure the nearby station is as soundproof as possible.

"I grew up in New York next to a subway station,'' he said. "Expo is a good thing. I'm just a little concerned about how they're handling the impact on those who live along and around the line.''

Santa Monica resident Margaret Mills has an autistic adult son who lives near the line's Colorado/4th St. terminus. She wants to be sure her son's service providers won't face reduced parking or traffic jams on Colorado.

"It's going to change Colorado considerably,'' Mills said. "There will be a lot of people, a lot of movement, perhaps noise.'' Still, she believes, "Everyone needs to get behind `people moving' versus autos.''

As the excitement grows around the Expo Line becoming a reality, Broide said some very big questions are still unanswered about traffic, safety and the decision to forego parking at stations such as Westwood, destined to be one of the line's busiest stations.

Broide said, "How do you get the students from the Expo station to UCLA and business folks to the Village? How do you get commuters from the station to Century City?''

The Expo Line from Staples Center to Culver City has been built. Trains are being tested along the route except for the final mile east of Culver City, where testing is several months behind schedule. Expo officials still say service will begin next year, with the Culver City to Santa Monica stretch getting the "all aboard'' in 2015.

The Projects of the 30/10 Initiative

Orange Line Extension Exposition Transit Corridor Phase 2 Gold Line Foothill Extension Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor Regional Connector Transit Corridor Van Nuys Bl Rapidway

Westside Subway Extension (to be opened in segments) West Santa Ana Transit Corridor Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 Green Line LAX Extension South Bay Metro Green Line Extension Sepulveda Pass Transit

For more of the specifics of each project, click on this link: http://www.metro.net/projects/30-10/

Subway Planning in the Century City Area

Dear Beverly Hills, Century City & Westwood area neighbors:

Many of you have followed Metro's planning for the Westside Subway Extension. There has been a great deal of interest in your neighborhoods about the studies involving the location of the Century City station and tunnels.

Metro contractors have conducted extensive geotechnical investigations to learn more about soil and seismic conditions, oil well locations, potential noise and vibration, and possible impacts for current or future buildings. Analysis of this information, including all back-up data and material, was recently released in two technical reports. A summary of the reports was presented to Metro's Planning and Programming Committee by a panel of technical experts and an independent review panel comprised of internationally recognized experts in geology, seismology, and engineering.

Please visit us online at metro.net/westside to learn more about the subway, view the reports, videos of the presentation to the Metro Board, and the experts' biographies. A full set of the reports is available at both the Beverly Hills Public Library (444 N Rexford Dr) and the Westwood Public Library (1246 Glendon Av).

This document provides you with a brief summary of the findings of the studies. Please note that no decision has been made by the Metro Board to date. It is anticipated that the Final Environmental Impact Statement/Report (FEIS/R) will be released in early 2012 for a 45-day public review period before it is presented to the Metro Board for their consideration.

Overview

In October 2010, the Metro Board asked for a detailed investigation of technical issues regarding the location of the Century City station for the Westside Subway Extension and tunnels in the area. Since then, more than 200 field tests were conducted in the area. The data were analyzed and reviewed and two technical reports produced–the Tunnel Safety Report and the Fault Investigation Report.

Contact us

Please go the "Contact Us" section of metro.net/westside. You can also keep up with subway developments and discussion on Facebook: facebook.com/ westsidesubwayextension, or follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/westsidesubway.

• What were the conclusions of the studies?
• What did the studies find about the fault zones in this area?
• How could the Constellation site be safe for a station? It's still close to the active fault zones.
• If it is not safe to build a subway station in a fault zone, is it safe to tunnel through one?
• Is there a risk of ground settlement from the tunnel?
• Will people above the tunnels in Beverly Hills, Century City or Westwood hear or feel the trains?
• Is there a risk from gassy ground or oil wells?
• Who conducted these studies and what is their background?
• How does this new information about the Santa Monica Fault or the West Beverly Hills Lineament impact plans for future building in this area?

What were the conclusions of the studies?

The studies concluded that (1) there is not a viable location anywhere on Santa Monica Bl for a Century City station due to the presence of two active fault zones; (2) Constellation Bl is outside of active fault zones and is a viable station location; and (3) that the tunnels and stations can be built to be safe and without impacting people or property located above them.

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What did the studies find about the fault zones in this area?

Santa Monica Bl lies within the Santa Monica fault zone from west of Century Park West to east of Avenue of the Stars. The originally proposed Santa Monica Bl Station at Avenue of the Stars would be directly within the fault zone. The studies found that the West Beverly Hills Lineament (WBHL) is a northern extension of the Newport-Inglewood fault zone. In this area, the zone has several well-defined strands along the eastern edge of Century City and western edge of Beverly Hills. A proposed station location on Santa Monica Bl at Century Park East would straddle the WBHL.

The studies found that the station location on Constellation Bl would not be within an active fault zone and is a viable option for a station location. The Constellation Bl Station site is south and west of both active fault zones.

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How could the Constellation site be safe for a station? It's still close to the active fault zones.

Throughout our active seismic region, we have to deal with ground shaking as a result of earthquakes. There is a difference between a location in an active fault zone where ground rupture or deformation could occur and an area where ground shaking occurs. No subway stations have been built in known active fault zones in North America. Modern engineering techniques have been developed to address the ability of structures, including subway stations, to withstand ground shaking.

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If it is not safe to build a subway station in a fault zone, is it safe to tunnel through one?

There are numerous proven design and construction methods to ensure that a subway tunnel is safe in a fault zone. These include building a larger diameter tunnel and/or a very strong and flexible lining to withstand several feet of movement. Tunneling at a high angle across a fault zone, rather than along one, limits the risk.

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Is there a risk of ground settlement from the tunnel?

The latest technology uses pressurized, closed-face tunnel boring machines (TBMs). As these machines proceed, concrete tunnel liners are immediately installed in the newly excavated tunnel portion. These techniques combine to provide immediate ground support of the tunnel. These machines were successfully used on the Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension (MGLEE) where ground movement was very limited and, along most of that alignment, there was no measureable settlement.

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Will people above the tunnels in Beverly Hills, Century City or Westwood hear or feel the trains?

Metro now operates 18 miles of subway tunnels in downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, and North Hollywood running under numerous buildings including homes, often at more shallow depths than the tunnels planned for the Westside Subway Extension. To date, no complaints have been received about noise or vibration from train operations. Noise and vibration tests were part of the recent field tests. Results predict that ground-borne vibration from the trains would not be greater than 64 decibels, less than the 72 to 75 decibel standard established by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for residential and institutional uses. Predicted noise levels would be no greater than 33 decibels, lower than the FTA noise standard of 35 and 40 decibels for residential and institutional use. Monitoring of noise and vibration above existing Metro tunnels has shown no detectible noise or vibration above normal background levels. Noise and vibration are created in the tunnels as the train wheels run over the tracks. They are absorbed in the soil and dissipate over distance. The tops of the tunnels are planned to be 50 to more than 110 feet deep in the area from West Beverly Hills to Westwood. They are shallowest close to the stations and generally deepest midway between the stations. It will be 70 feet deep to the top of the tunnels under the south wing of Building B at Beverly Hills High School. The tunnels will be even deeper in some areas between Santa Monica and Wilshire Boulevards – more than 100 feet deep in some cases. The tracks are about 20 feet below the top of the tunnels.

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Is there a risk from gassy ground or oil wells?

Field tests in this area looked for methane and hydrogen sulfide, gases that occur naturally in the ground. Results indicated that methane levels were below those encountered along the subway in downtown Los Angeles. The hydrogen sulfide levels in the Century City area were either very low or not detectable. All subway tunnels and stations are equipped with gas detection equipment and robust ventilation and fire suppression systems. Oil well maps and scans only detected one oil well potentially in the path of the tunnel. It is in Century City and, following further tests, will be properly abandoned if necessary.

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Can BHHS still be used as an emergency evacuation center?

The studies determined that the subway tunnels will not impact the availability of BHHS for use as an emergency shelter or evacuation center, even in the event of an earthquake.

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Will the tunnels impact future plans to remodel BHHS or build new buildings?

The studies determined that subway tunnels would not preclude Beverly Hills High School's future plans, including in areas directly above the tunnels. This includes the possibility of building multi-level underground parking. In most cases, such construction actually reduces the pressure on the tunnels as the weight of the new building and its contents is less than that of the soil removed.

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Who conducted these studies and what is their background?

The individuals involved included engineers, geologists, and seismologists. The Fault Investigation Study and Tunnel Safety Report were prepared by Metro's contractor for this project. They brought in specialists to assist with the fault studies. The work was reviewed by an independent Tunnel Advisory Panel. A separate independent panel then reviewed the studies. Biographies can be viewed at metro.net/westside.

Fault Experts

James Dolan, Ph. D.
Thomas Henyey, Ph. D.
Thomas Rockwell, Ph. D.

Metro's Tunnel Advisory Panel

Ed Cording, Ph. D.
Geoff Martin, Ph. D.
Harvey Parker, Ph. D.

Independent Review Panel

Lloyd Cluff
Lucile Jones, Ph. D.
Paul Jennings, Ph. D.
Thomas O'Rourke, Ph. D.

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How does this new information about the Santa Monica Fault or the West Beverly Hills Lineament impact plans for future building in this area?

These studies were conducted as a part subway planning and the data generated was analyzed solely for those purposes. The data has been made public and other regulatory and permitting agencies, as well as other property owners, can evaluate the information to determine if it has any implications independent of the subway.

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Keywords: Subway Planning in the Century City Area; Westside
Last Revised: Friday November 18, 2011