MetroRiderLA

[tags]los angeles, red line, transit oriented development, nbc, universal city, north hollywood[/tags]

Rendering of MetroStudio@Lankershim, the proposed headquarters of NBC/Universal. Clicking on the picture goes to the project web site.

North Hollywood was in the news for L.A.’s biggest, boldest development at the junction of the Metro Red and Orange lines. Even that $1 billion investment is now dwarfed, in less than two weeks, by an even bigger, bolder plan by a big, bold media company. NBC/Universal is consolidating its operations, and the Peacock is leaving Burbank for Campo de Cahuenga, right above the Universal City station! And this one promises to be about $3 billion!

Google News has several news stories on the NBC move. Also, the developer has launched a site for the project, titled MetroStudio@Lankershim. Curbed LA has been all abuzz with several NBC-move posts, including this statement left in its inbox:

UNIVERSAL CITY - The NBC relocation atop a Red Line station has inspired several of you to wax poetic about the realization of the LA subway as a viable system. “Would it make sense for either Google or Yahoo to have a presence there rather than in Santa Monica… Also a good time to rethink about the extensions of the Red Line subway north, as well as the Purple Line to Santa Monica to allow the suits on the west side an opportunity to get to the offices in Universal. Now LA is starting to understand how [transit oriented developments] can really be beneficial.

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[tags]los angeles, metrolink, commuter rail, newhall, santa clarita, antelope valley[/tags]

The Newhall Pass slowly is being reopened after this weekend’s tragic chain reaction collision. The emergency added service on Metrolink’s Antelope Valley Line is still running for another day, including the additional late-morning trips on trains 210X and 212X and added cars on regular trips.

Six Flags and William S. Hart Park are not providing overflow parking today, but additional parking is available at the Saugus Speedway next to the Santa Clarita Station and San Fernando Road and Sixth Street next to the Newhall Station.

AVTA has announced it is resuming regular commuter schedules today. Today is also the last day commuter passes are accepted for free boarding on Metrolink.

[tags]los angeles, metrolink, commuter rail, santa clarita, newhall[/tags]

Metrolink has announced it is adding two additional midday trains and extra cars to additional trains on the Antelope Valley line in response to the closure of Interstate 5.

Trains 210X and 212X depart Via Princessa station at 9:15 a.m. and 11 a.m. The timetables for intermediate stations are listed in the link above.

In addition, several additional parking lots will allow commuters to park their cars and be shuttled for a train ride through the Newhall Pass. Santa Clarita Transit and AVTA commuter pass holders can ride Metrolink free through the emergency period.

The additional parking lots are located at Six Flags (Lots A1, A2 and A3), Saugus Speedway (next to Santa Clarita Station), and San Fernando Road and Sixth Street and William S. Hart Park (near Newhall station).

See also:

• Google News searches for Interstate 5 closure. Three people died in the Newhall Pass chain-reaction crash, and both north and south lanes were shut down throughout the weekend.
• AVTA rider alert

[tags]los angeles, mta, public transit, santa monica, pam o’connor[/tags]

Metro board chair — and Santa Monica council member — Pam O’Connor invites Metro riders and haters to an online chat beginning at noon Wednesday.

Questions may be submitted to Metro in advance, and will be answered during the live chat.

This is Metro’s first online chat.

[tags]los angeles, gold line, light rail, pasadena, south pasadena[/tags]

Metro has announced a planned service delay on the Gold Line this weekend. Landscape crews perform maintenance between the Fillmore and Mission station, placing one track out of service.

Trains operate every 20 minutes between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Northbound trains depart Union Station at 3:45 a.m., 4:10 a.m., 4:25 a.m., 4:45 a.m. and every 20 minutes until 2:45 p.m., then returning to regular schedule at 3:03 p.m. Southbound trains depart Sierra Madre Villa Station at 4:41 a.m., 4:59 a.m., 5:19 a.m., 5:39 a.m. and every 20 minutes until 2:39 p.m., then returning to regular schedule at 2:55 p.m.

[tags]los angeles, mta, public transit, crenshaw boulevard, leimert park, inglewood[/tags]

Metro hosts three meetings to discuss a major investment study for Crenshaw Boulevard between Wilshire Boulevard and the Century Freeway.

The alternatives offered are Metro Rapid Bus (it already exists), Metro Rapid Transit (a dedicated lane) or light rail. The streets in the study include Crenshaw, as well as Hawthorne Boulevard and Prairie Avenue south of downtown Inglewood.

Metro accepts comments by telephone, e-mail and mail along with the public meetings. The telephone number for the project is (213) 922-2736. E-mail may be sent to project manager Alan Patashnick at patashnickalan@metro.net. Written mail may also be sent to:

Alan Patashnick
Metro Planning Director, South Bay Area
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Mail Stop 99-22-3, One Gateway Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Comments become part of the public record. All correspondence must be received by November 5, 2007.

The list of meetings follow the jump:

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