MetroRiderLA

Image courtesy of Fire Monkey Fish via Flickr.

Kymberleigh Richards, webmaster of San Fernando Valley Transit Insider and Metro Governance Council member, offers an open letter on her site to valley transit users regarding the proposed bus service cuts to many lines that serve the region. In the letter Kymberleigh proposes alternatives for Lines 96, 154, and 155 which include:

• Operate Line 96 only between downtown Los Angeles and Burbank Transportation Center. This service can reasonably operate hourly through the Griffith Park area. Realign Line 96 via Alameda Ave. – Main St. – Victory Blvd. – Olive Ave. to continue service to shopping center near the intersection of Alameda & Main.
• Line 96 portion between Burbank Transportation Center and Universal City Station operated as extension of Line 292.
• Line 96 portion between Universal City Station and Sherman Oaks operated as new Line 162.
• Line 154 portion between Burbank Transportation Center and North Hollywood Station operated as new Line 293, as a branch route of Line 292.

For the proposed cancellation of the midday route for Line 237, Kymberleigh offers these alternatives:

• Operate Line 237 only between Granada Hills and Woodley Orange Line Station.
• Interline Line 237 with Line 239 at Rinaldi/Balboa.
• New weekday peak-hour Line 159 operates portion of Line 239 eliminated by interlining, continuing connectivity between Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink Station and Cal State Northridge.

StreetHeatLA also has coverage of Kymberleigh’s comments at the hearing on Wednesday, calling her “one of the more pragmatic board members”.

Central/South Los Angeles

WHAT: Workshop for Central/South Los Angeles residents to provide input on bicycle policies facility improvements and other issues relating to the 2008 Los Angeles Bicycle Master Plan Update.
WHERE: Expo Center Swim Stadium, Community Room
WHEN: Saturday, February 16, 10am - 12pm
HOW TO GET THERE:

Expo Center Swim Stadium is located at 3980 S. Menlo Ave and is served by bus. Click the above map for nearby transit stops from Public Routes. You can also check the Metro Trip Planner for the best route from your location.

West Los Angeles

WHAT: Workshop for West Los Angeles residents to provide input on bicycle policies facility improvements and other issues relating to the 2008 Los Angeles Bicycle Master Plan Update.
WHERE: Felicia Mahood Multi Purpose Center
WHEN: Wednesday February 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm
HOW TO GET THERE:

Felicia Mahood Multi Purpose Center is located at 11338 Santa Monica Blvd. and is served by bus. Click the above map for nearby transit stops from Public Routes. You can also check the Metro Trip Planner for the best route from your location.

Valley Area

WHAT: Workshop for Valley Area residents to provide input on bicycle policies facility improvements and other issues relating to the 2008 Los Angeles Bicycle Master Plan Update.
WHERE: Marvin Braude-San Fernando Constituent Services Center, Conference Room1B
WHEN: Wednesday February 27, 6:30pm-8:30pm
HOW TO GET THERE:

Marvin Braude-San Fernando Constituent Services Center is located at 6262 Van Nuys Blvd. and is served by bus. Click the above map for nearby transit stops from Public Routes. You can also check the Metro Trip Planner for the best route from your location.

Harbor Area

WHAT: Workshop for Harbor Area residents to provide input on bicycle policies facility improvements and other issues relating to the 2008 Los Angeles Bicycle Master Plan Update.
WHERE: Banning’s Landing Community Center
WHEN: Saturday March 1, 10am-12pm
HOW TO GET THERE:

Banning’s Landing Community Center is located at 100 E. Water Street and is served by bus. Click the above map for nearby transit stops from Public Routes. You can also check the Metro Trip Planner for the best route from your location.

And should we? Would any of you use it?

Copied from their press release:

Earn rewards while you ride
10.30.2007

Apply for your BART Rider Rewards MasterCard®, issued by Chase, and start earning points redeemable for something you use every day, BART tickets.

The BART Rider Rewards MasterCard® works just like an airline frequent flyer card, only better! Cardholders have the opportunity to earn points redeemable for BART tickets.

BART is the first major urban public transportation agency in the country to provide customers with a program like this.

OUTSTANDING BENEFITS FOR CARDHOLDERS
The BART Rider Rewards MasterCard® allows cardholders to earn points faster than most other rewards cards. Cardholders earn five points for each dollar spent on eligible BART purchases: at BART ticket vending machines, tickets purchased online through bart.gov, linking the BART Rider Rewards MasterCard® to a BART EZ Rider smart card, and reserved parking permit purchases made at bart.gov/parking.

In addition, cardholders can earn two points per dollar on purchases made at qualifying entertainment locations and one point per dollar on all other purchases.

* Points can be redeemed for BART tickets or cash.
* 2,500 points earns a $25 BART ticket
* 4,500 points earns a $48 BART ticket
* 6,000 points earns a $64 BART ticket
* 5,000 points earns a check for $50
* 10,000 points earns a check for $100

There is no annual fee.

APPLYING FOR THE CARD IS EASY
Just apply for the card by using Chase’s online application or call Chase at 1-866-482-8180.

Friends 4 Expo joins us to offer its position on the controversially Expo Line grade crossing safety issue.

Bumper-to-bumper traffic between downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica is a front-page issue. The Expo Line can help significantly, and soon.

Friends 4 Expo Transit is the grassroots group of volunteers who have been supporting the Expo Line, some for over 18 years. Our motto, “Connecting Neighbors” reflects members from Los Angeles, Culver City, Santa Monica, and across the region.

We support the state-of-the-art safety measures proposed by the Expo Authority for an at-grade crossing at Farmdale Avenue by Dorsey High School — which exceed even the Gold Line standard, by including pedestrian gates, crossing guards, and trains slowing during the time that students cross — and urge the Expo Board to move forward with the current California Public Utilities Commission application and resolve the issue as soon as possible.

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Damien Goodmon, transit advocate and founder of FixExpo.org, presents a series of articles defending his position on the controversy surrounding the Metro Exposition Line. The thoughts presented in this series are those of Damien Goodmon and Fix Expo and do not necessarily reflect the views of MetroRiderLA, its contributors, and/or readers.

The Expo Line controversy: At-grade rail. Dorsey HS. LAUSD. CPUC. Environmental racism. Fix Expo. Expo Communities United. And Damien Goodmon.

Many still don’t understand how or why I became the driver of the entity most critical of Los Angeles’ newest light rail line. And so for the next couple of weeks, I’ll write the Exposing Expo series, with the belief that by bringing to light the many interactions, information and uncovered documents, more can get a clearer picture of the 600 pound guerilla that is the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority, an agent of MTA.

Because the process, fellow transit advocates, is very revealing and rather interesting. Indeed, what has become a tenacious brawl, began rather innocently and with the best of opinions of Expo staff.

“Work with staff,” I was told.

“Just ask questions and they’ll be honestly evaluated and fully answered,” I was led to believe.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

What will be illustrated is an arrogant and willfully ignorant Expo Board that continues to downplay the safety issues, mounting public pressure and pending legal actions that if unaddressed will derail the largest public works project in their districts.

What will be revealed is an unethical and snide Expo staff acting defensively and immorally under the crisis of transparency.

What will be exposed are actions of people who claim they’re transit advocates, which are more in line with that of agency apologists and public relations front men.

I will never disclose the contents of private conversations, and I legally can’t mention anything discussed in mediation, but pretty much everything public will be made available for the world to see.

Important questions will be answered, such as:
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The North San Diego County Transit District has set Sunday, March 9, as the inaugural day of service for the Sprinter light rail line.

Sprinter was originally scheduled to open January 13, but station construction was not complete and the California Public Utilities Commission had not given the district the green light.

It is a 22-mile rail line from Oceanside to Escondido, also serving the cities of Vista and San Marcos.