MetroRiderLA

A few weeks ago Andrew from Here In Van Nuys sent me a link to an article he wrote about the much maligned TransitTV. Unfortunately, due to the madness of the holidays, I haven’t been able to address it until now. Anyhow, Andrew, a Metro Orange Line rider, despises TransitTV. The “assualt on the senses” as he calls it ruins an otherwise peaceful ride through the Valley. But is TransitTV really that bad? Let’s just put it this way, Andrew is not alone.

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Over at Blogdowntown, the ever inquisitive Eric discovered that the MTA was created in 1952 in order to construct a monorail from the Valley to Long Beach. Matt Barrett, the Metro Librarian (who hooked me up with some great links to some MetroMovies you’ll be viewing the in future), chimed in to clarify some facts about the beginnings of the MTA:

“The first MTA was formed by the State in 1951 for the expressed purpose of STUDYING, not constructing, a monorail line from Long Beach to Panorama City. That first MTA failed at public relations when the monorail lobby moved in (like the MagLevers are doing now) and offered to build systems for “free” in exchange for the next 40 years of farebox revenues…”

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Love it or hate it, MetroRiderLA is now part of it.

Can you live without a car in LA, the epicenter of America’s automobile obsession?

This well made short film follows a young freelance video editor who successfully navigates the streets of Los Angeles via skateboard, bus, and rail. No car required.

[googlevideo]-7288289103285971208[/googlevideo]

Jacob Soboroff of LA Observed goes underground and brings us video of the Gold Line Tunnel Boring Celebration. “Lola”, one of two tunnel boring machines being used in the East Side Extension finally finished its 1.7 mile dig into Boyle Heights on November 16th and the Metro crew was there to celebrate. Soboroff even gets a little time in with the Mayor. Good stuff.

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It’s really too bad that the American Public Transit Association’s logo for their “America’s Best” Award doesn’t look more like a Metro train schedule because then we’d have them posted all over our trains and stations.

Congrats on the award and all MTA, but this is getting a little ridiculous.   Please save the ink and sticky paper for more useful signage, god knows we need it.