MetroRiderLA

[tags]west hollywood, metro, los angeles, westside, westside extension[/tags]

Metro has released a new and informative video covering the public scoping process of the Metro Westside Extension Transit Corridor study. The 16-minute video, guided by Judy Litvak and David Mieger of Metro, describes the the area, the process, and the possiblities for the Westside Extension. Unfortunately the audio clips out of the video about 2/3 of the way through. I appreciate Metro attempting to communicate with its customers this way, it definitely beats midday meetings in far-off locales, but hopefully they nail down the technology better next time.

[tags]nextrip, nextbus, metro, los angeles, public transit, beta, technology[/tags]

Metro continues to modernize its system. First came the new LCD displays in the subway, then came the news that ticket machines would start accepting credit cards, and now Metro brings us real time arrival technology in the form of NexTrip. Of course, all these projects are still in beta, and NexTrip is no exception.

A link to NexTrip is discreetly tucked away in the top right corner of the Metro Advanced Trip Planner. Clicking it opens a pop-up window (ugh) containing the NexTrip interface. The only mention of NexTrip on the Metro website is a press release from March of this year that claims that NexTrip offers real-time notices of bus arrival times to web-enabled cell phone users. The technology is similar to rapidbus.net, a service already in use for Metro Rapid buses. It’s also similar to a service called NextBus, which offers real-time arrival information for a number of transit systems across the country. NextBus has a page describing how the technology works, essentially a combination of live GPS data and predictive software that sends highly accurate estimated arrival times to the world wide web and other wireless communication devices.

Anyone who has ever waited for a bus before knows that value in this kind of technology. Due to the nature of traffic, buses are rarely right on schedule, and are often way off schedule. As a bus rider, there’s nothing worse than feeling stranded at a bus stop, with no clue as to when the next bus is to arrive. With NexTrip technology, riders will be able to know exactly when they can expect the next bus to come and adjust their plans accordingly. If anything, NexTrip will bring peace of mind to bus riders as they will no longer wait in a vacuum.

This is, of course, if the technology actually works. And if you have a web-enabled cell phone.

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[tags]los angeles, gold line, light rail, east los angeles, curbed la, militant angeleno[/tags]

And they mean it!
Credit: Militant Angeleno

Curbed L.A. has more pictures of the Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension — this time, with some shots of the underground stations. Come for the pictures, stay for Curbed’s trademark high-quality commentary. Two days before this article appeared, Curbed had a query about construction progress.

Meanwhile, everyone’s favorite militant Angeleno, umm … Militant Angeleno, tells about a recent trip to The Real Eastside. He also has an eyewitness account of Gold Line construction, encounters an apparent epidemic of duck molestation in an East L.A. park, and tries a Mexican addition to his list of Southern California’s ethnic iced desserts.

See also:

• MetroRiderLA: Eastside Gold Line nude pix (safe for work)

[tags]los angeles, foothill transit, san gabriel valley, el monte, pomona, west covina[/tags]

Foothill Transit, citing increased fuel prices and decreased funding, proposes fare increases for Silver Streak and express bus lines.

Cash fares would go up to $2.50 for the Silver Streak for all passengers, including seniors and disabled riders. Peak-hour express bus fares would rise to $4.40 for all passengers. Presently, Silver Streak fares are $2 and $1 for seniors and disabled, and commuter fares are $3.65 and $1.80 for seniors and disabled.

Prices for 31-day passes are also increasing: $66 for a local pass (from $55), $30 for students (from $25) and $21 for seniors and disabled (from $18). The Silver Streak and Express passes rise to $96 and $155 respectively for all passengers. Seniors and disabled passengers would see huge price increases, currently paying $40 and $65, respectively.

Local fares would remain the same.

A meeting is scheduled for 6:30 tonight at the Metro San Gabriel Service Sector Office on Division 9 at the El Monte Bus Station, 3449 Santa Anita Avenue. Transit connections: Metro Express lines 484, 490 and 577X, and Local lines 70/370, 76/376, 176, 267, 268, 270 and 287; and Foothill Transit lines 178, 269, 481, 482, 486, 488, 492 and 494.

The schedules for two other meetings are listed after the jump.

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[tags]southern california, public transit, fire[/tags]

The fires throughout Southern California have forced transit agencies to curtail services.

Metro

• The northbound terminal of Line 534 is moved to Pacific Coast Highway and Sunset Boulevard until further notice while fire crews are battling flames in Malibu.

Metrolink

• The commuter rail agency reports delays on several trains throughout the system due to the fires and strong winds. Check the agency’s site for up-to-date notices on delays.

Santa Clarita Transit

• The following closures are in effect as of 7:15 p.m. Monday
  • Line 2: Unable to serve Chiquito Canyon & San Martinez Roads in Val Verde.
  • Lines 3 and 7: Unable to serve Seco Canyon Road north of Copper Hill Drive.
  • Lines 4 and 14: Unable to serve Bouquet Canyon north of Plum Canyon Road.

San Diego County

• Line 20 is not running North of Rancho Carmel Dr.
• Lines 888, 894, 810, 820, 850, 860 are not in service.
• Line 964 is unable to access the Transit Center at Alliant University and is making a U-turn at the entrance to the school and then proceeding back into the Mira Mesa area
• Passengers using paratransit services are advised to cancel their ride unless the trip is of an imperative nature.
• North County Transit District will operate a reduced or Sunday schedule on buses today.
• Coaster Connections in Carlsbad, Encinitas and Sorrento Valley will operate normal weekday schedules.
• Routes 308, 350 & 351 will not operate.

Orange County Transportation Authority’s server was down at press time. Information was unavailable for affected Orange County bus service.

[tags]orange county, octa, metrolink, amtrak, anaheim, transit oriented development[/tags]

A Metrolink train at Anaheim station. This site is targeted for transit oriented development and a major transportation center for Orange County.
Credit: Patrick Dirden via Flickr (Creative Commons license)

Orange County Transportation Authority — but not the 60-foot buses with the stylish accordion centers. It already has those.

ARTIC is the acronym for the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center, a Grand Central Terminal for Orange County. It would be built on or near the present Anaheim Metrolink and Amtrak station, which just happens to have Anaheim Stadium next door and the Honda Center a long block away. Anaheim city officials are calling this area the “Platinum Triangle”.

Orange County Register reports that OCTA is hosting a conference on October 29 to discuss development opportunities on the 16 acres the transit agency has purchased. The agency hopes developers would offset the costs of building a bus and train hub on a part of the stadium. Presently, the Anaheim Station is a small staffed platform with only rush-hour Metrolink feeder buses going on the property. Passengers must walk a far distance to catch nearby local buses.