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ChineseExpo Line Transit Service Interface Proposal — Part 1: Culver CityBus
Photo by Scott Page, uploaded by Metro Library and Archive on Flickr; used with a Creative Commons License
Welcome back to the latest installment in the Open Source Transit series. Our previous series focused on bus service changes that allow for better connections to the Eastside Gold Line. The purpose of Open Source Transit is twofold: It lets riders start the discussion in how services should be shaped around our travel patterns. It is also a learning experience for riders, as we learn how and why transit agencies support or reject service changes.
The new installment is much narrower in scope yet still critical in importance. This three-part series focuses on improved bus connections to Phase 1 of the Expo Line. The three proposals in this series involve Big Blue Bus, Metro and the agency presented here, Culver CityBus.
This is the present PDF system map of Culver CityBus. The changes that are suggested for all the routes in the Transit Service Interface Proposal can be viewed in this Google Map. If you have any comments on the routing changes presented here, leave them in the comments or send them via e-mail. Please leave your name. Comments will be given to Culver CityBus to support or rebut the plans made here.
In a nutshell, Culver CityBus has the potential to become a much bigger player in Los Angeles transit. It will be thrust in this role anyway, as it will see an influx of ridership when the Expo Line opens and has been operational for a while. The more modest changes involve relocating the services from the “West Los Angeles Transit Center,” that depressing bus stop and layover area beneath Interstate 10, to Culver Junction. The more ambitious changes involve green buses taking over the orange buses operated by Metro. A couple of the changes will not connect with the Expo Line, but are added here because it would make sense to restructure services at the same time.
As a reminder, these proposals are not official by any agency and are not endorsed by them. The table of changes and rationales follows the jump.
| Line 1 |
Rationale: Proposal calls for Culver CityBus to provide a crosstown bus service along Washington Boulevard between Venice and Union Station. Metro Line 35 would become attached to Culver CityBus Line 1. Line 1 would also restore service along Alameda St. between the Little Tokyo Gold Line station and Washington Blue Line Station. Route: Union Station, Vignes St., Alameda St., Washington Bl., Culver Junction Expo Line Station, Washington Bl., Pacific Av., Windward Av. and Main St. |
| Line 2 |
Rationale: Existing Line 2 is a low-performing community route. The buses allocated to this route would run between Westfield Shoppingtown Fox Hills and Fisherman’s Village. Culver City can provide this service at a lower cost. Despite this proposal included with the Expo Line Transit Service Interface Proposal, it would not connect with light rail. Route: Westfield Shoppingtown Fox Hills, Sepulveda Bl., Centinela Av., Mesmer Av., Jefferson Bl., Inglewood Bl., Washington Bl., Centinela Av., Short Av., Mindanao Wy., Admiralty Wy., Fiji Wy. and Fisherman’s Village. |
| Line 3 |
Rationale: This fairly busy Culver CityBus route would now have a deviation to Culver Junction to connect with the Expo Line mid-route. Also, the route adjacent to Westfield Shoppingtown Fox Hills would be eliminated and now provided solely by Metro Line 110. Route: Century Park W., Constellation Bl., Century Park E., Olympic Bl., Beverly Glen Bl., Pico Bl., Westwood Bl., National Pl., National Bl., Motor Av., Washington Bl., Culver Bl., Venice Bl., National Bl., Culver Junction Expo Line Station, Culver Bl., Overland Av., Freshman Dr., A St., B St., F St., Freshman Dr., Overland Av., Playa St., Sepulveda Bl. and Westfield Shoppingtown Fox Hills. |
| Line 4 |
Rationale: The proposal calls for a single bus to operate on Jefferson Bl. The existing Line 4, west of Culver Junction Expo Line station, would provide a single Jefferson Bl. bus between the rail station and Playa del Rey. It would replace Metro Line 110 west of Fox Hills Mall. The more ambitious route calls for Culver CityBus Line 4 to assume the routing of Metro Line 38 between the Culver Junction and Jefferson Expo Line stations. Line 38 would then be relegated to East Jefferson Bl. (See the Eastside Gold Line Transit Service Interface Proposal). Route: (West of Culver Junction) Culver Bl., Vista del Mar Av., Culver Pl., Culver Bl., Jefferson Bl., Slauson Av., Sepulveda Bl., Westfield Shoppingtown Fox Hills, Sepulveda Bl., Jefferson Bl., Overland Av., Freshman Dr., A St., B St., F St., Freshman Dr., Overland Av., Jefferson Bl. Higuera St., Washington Bl. and Culver Junction Expo Line Station. |
| Line 7 |
Rationale: Culver CityBus can provide the Marina del Rey portion of Line 108 more effectively, and attract more riders to Marina del Rey by connecting with the Expo Line. Therefore, Line 7 would become an all-day version of LADOT Commuter Express Line 437, providing two-way service in Marina del Rey. Route: Culver Junction Expo Line Station, Culver Bl., Alla Rd., Bonaparte Av., Glencoe Av., Lincoln Bl., Mindanao Wy., Admiralty Wy., Via Marina, Pacific Av., Windward Av. and Main St. |
| Line 8 |
Rationale: Culver CityBus would assume the Baldwin Hills portion of Metro Line 439 between Culver Junction Expo Line station and Westfield Shoppingtown Fox Hills. Metro Line 439 would be converted to Line 539X, a blue-bus express service (see Metro service plans). Route: Culver Junction Expo Line Station, National Bl., Fairfax/La Cienega Expo Line Station, La Cienega Bl., Centinela Av., Bristol Pkwy., Green Valley Cir., Sepulveda Bl., and Westfield Shoppingtown Fox Hills. |
Discussion
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Please keep discussions civil: exercise Troll Controll.
Let us all know when Culver City points out they don’t have the resources to take over all that Metro service.
Does Culver City have the resources to take over ANY of that service.
Having tried to catch the 108 between Marina Del Rey and Fox Hills Mall several times is an exercise in frustration. The buses only come once an hour and often not on schedule.
If there is a way to restructure this service with Culver City Bus or DASH, that would be great. The Del Reys are underserved with quality bus service. Even if the #14 Big Blue bus were extended to Jefferson or to Fox Hills mall it would be helpful.
Great work! Do you have a link to the service Metro service plans for the 539x?
EDIT: Oops! Nevermind.
Line 4 going to Playa Vista and Playa del Rey is a good choice. MTA 110 is ok but I wish they run more frequency on weekends to Playa Vista. Either way, the lack of bus service right now from Playa del Rey to Westside in general is a big problem.
The problem I have with #3 making a detour to Culver Junction is that it will make the trip time too long. I take #3 from Century City to Fox Hills Mall quite often and it is a 40 minute ride off-peak… and almost 1 hour in traffic (the bottleneck on Motor/National is a big problem). The extra loop to Culver Junction will take another 20 minutes during rush hour. This is not practical unless Culver City implements a “Rapid” limited stop service on Overland.
Converting Line 2 to all day service is a great improvement but I don’t know if it should come at the expense of 108. Most of the people taking 108/358 is coming from South LA area to service industry jobs near Venice pier. Line 2 forces them to transfer at Fox Hills when they presently make it in one seat. Granted Line 2 in theory will provide more frequency throughout the day, but as proposed, it doesn’t go to Washington Blvd where those service jobs are located. Instead, it goes to Fisherman’s Village, which is ok for locals but useless to people commuting to work.
I have no problem with Line 7 proposals as I think making it all day service will boost ridership quit significantly. Culver Blvd is under served right now. But I think ultimately, this one is less important due to frequency on Line 1 (Washington).
The most important service changes for residents of del Rey should be extension of BBB Line 14 South to Jefferson or Fox Hills (which I think you’ll cover in part 2). But I also think a rush hour “Rapid 14″ service on Centinella/Bundy is probably warranted. The extension south to Jefferson will enable Palms/Mar Vista/del Rey residents one bus ride to Playa Vista and vice versa. And since Line 14 is the 2nd most busy BBB route in terms of boarding, it meets the requirement for “Rapid” consideration.
Instead of Culver City Line 3 making a detour to Culver Junction, I propose the following alternative: an “EXPO” shuttle operated by DASH (I’m ok with a BBB or Culver shuttle as well) that operates in a one-direction loop to connect Expo Line terminus to all major transit destinations in the vicinity [time points in square brackets]:
[Culver Junction station] – West on Washington Blvd [Downtown Culver] City) – right on Overland Ave [Sony lot] – left on National/Westwood – [Westside Pavilion] – right on Pico Blvd – follows CC #3 route to [Century City] (via Pico/Beverly Glen/Olympic/Century Park West/Constellation) – right on Ave of The Stars [Fox] – left on Pico (follow BBB#7 route to Robertson), right on Robertson Blvd – [Robertson/Cadillac] – [Culver Junction station].
I believe this route will take about 30 minutes to complete (probably less) so a 4 bus fleet assigned to it can provide 10 minute service intervals. This should complement the “Expo Line Simulator” quite well (maybe interline it so as to provide 5 minute intervals between Culver Junction and Westside Pavilion) and encourage office workers at Sony and Century City to take the one-seat bus ride. It will also have high visibility (EXPO paint scheme) so eliminates the guess work from novice bus riders on which bus to take to connect with Expo line.
The CC Line 3 changes seem to cut off all the people working or living near “Corporate Pointe” and Green Valley Circle – which is quite a lot of people. The walk up and down the hill to the Fox Hills transit center is pretty nasty, either cutting across a huge parking lot or walking next to Slauson which isn’t exactly kind to the lungs with its heavy traffic.
Noting (while laughing my head off) that some have already misinterpreted this experiment as something resembling official proposals, I’d like to interject a bit of reality that will throw a monkey wrench into Chris’ proposed Line 8:
Line 439 is likely to go away completely when Expo gets to Culver City (now likely to be sometime in 2011, thanks to Damien Goodmon’s meddling). Metro Line 38 is likely to be extended at least as far as the Expo terminus via Line 439’s routing, but they haven’t yet come up with a plan for the service between there and Fox Hills Mall. (I suspect that the segment between Fox Hills and Aviation will be discontinued in favor of Culver City Line 6.)
@ bzcat: “Expo paint scheme”? You want dull grey buses to match the rail cars that will be running on Expo?
And please familiarize yourself with the service warrants for Rapid service. Lines that have multiple turns on them, such as BBB 14 and CC 3, will never get a Rapid overlay. There is more to it than the number of boardings. (Number of connections to cross-direction service is also a consideration, and BBB 14 falls way short on that once you get north of Wilshire.)
Kymberleigh Richards:
BBB 14 goes in a straight line between Culver Blvd and Montana right now… am I missing something? The Centinella/Bundy corridor is probably the most heavily transit dependent route in LA that currently has no Rapid plans. Sepulveda would obviously get priority over Bundy but I think your dismissal of Rapid 14 is premature. Granted it will be a short Rapid line but that is why I think extension to Fox Hills Mall Transit Center makes a lot of sense for this service (i.e. Line 14 = existing route but extend to Jefferson, Rapid 14 = Montana to Fox Hills Mall).
CC 3 is a classic “local” service so yeah, it wouldn’t work as a Rapid. But I was thinking a modified route that goes up and down the Overland corridor from Fox Hills Mall to Century City with a detour to Culver Junction. It will run rush hour only and not an all-day service like a real Rapid. It should not follow the current CC 3 route but only approximate it.
bzcat:
What I was implying was that you wouldn’t run a Rapid 14 only between Montana and Culver because there would be a demand to have it connect with Metro Rapid 761 in Brentwood (and in reality, that “straight line” north of Wilshire has a lot of twisting and turning on it).
I also doubt that CC would be happy with BBB extending a Rapid beyond the terminal of the underlying local in order to come into “its” territory. The municipal operators are very protective of their turf.
I agree with Wad’s objection to your CC 3 proposal, BTW.
[...] Monica’s proposals would not grow the system as much as the line changes posited for Culver City. Some changes are included here to be concurrent with the first phase of Expo, even though the [...]
Isn’t the Culver City Bus still trying to go online with the Rapid 6?
(I’m not sure whatever happened to the Torrance Rapid 3.)
Before expanding all of this service, new revenue and resources would need to be identified.
As someone who uses and greatly appreciates both the Big Blue Bus and Culver City Bus, I’d glad pay $1.25 a ride like Metro for expanded service, both in route and in hours. However, I’m probably a minority.
Dan Wentzel:
Rapid 6 is on hold since Culver City is short on money and didn’t allocate any money in this year’s budget to buy new buses that will be needed to start Rapid 6. BBB only got Rapid 3 rolling because Playa Vista gave them money to buy the 10 buses required for the service level… and Rapid 7 used existing bus (repainted to dark blue).
Also, you are not the only one. I couldn’t go to the Culver City meeting yesterday about fare increases but I wrote them an email saying I support the raising the base fare to $1.00 (as proposed) if it means they can maintain service level. I also told them the 40 cent transfer idea was stupid… make it 50 cents and move on.