MetroRiderLA

So I contacted LB transit about my idea for a ferry from Long Beach to the West Side.

I got a quick response, saying that the idea was “out of their ballpark” but that they would pass the idea on to the planning department. Where it will receive, I assume, a proper burial with all due respect.

Still, doesn’t it sound like a good idea for those of us unwilling to wait for the fabled red line extension?

Raphael

I’ve been thinking about this for while, but when sitting at my computer to post, it kept slipping my mind. So instead of writing anything at all I’d just end perusing other LA public transit sites. Today, during such a perusing, I came across the always sarcastic and informative Metro Mole and an article he wrote addressing some of the dirtiest bus stops in the county. Now I’ve definitely seen my fare share of dirty azz bus stops, the 14,18, 720 stop at 5th and Grand downtown comes to mind, but not really enough to truly break down which one rightfully deserves 2006’s Dirtiest Bus Stop Award. Though it should be in the running, along with under the 10 overpass stop at Fairfax and Washington. Both nominees if nothing else. But to my point.
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NBC Universal and Thomas Properties Group announced yesterday a “long-term Vision Plan” to revitalize and sustain their 391-acre Universal City property (which houses Universal Studios, Universal Studios Hollywood Theme Park, and Universal CityWalk) through a transit-oriented developmenet project simply called the “Universal City Vision Plan”. According to Ron Meyer, president and COO of Universal Studios, the 25-year plan represents opportunity to “take a fresh look at our industry, the community, and our businesses”. For a full rundown of all Universal has planned check out the Universal City Vision website.

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An Amsterdam parking lot. Photo courtesy of Poom247 via Flickr.

I stumbled upon a post by a blogger from the Netherlands, Ingrid Robeyns, asking the question, “Can you live without a car?” And her post also has a secondary question, “Can post-industrial families live without a car?” The distinction of course is that it may be easier for an individual without a family to live car free, but in a family with children a car may be a necessity in our modern world.

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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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Our esteemed governor re-elect just donned his hard hat in celebration of another successful California currency bonfire.  Thanks to the dedicated sales-tax sacrifice of Orange County consumers coupled with prop 1B the bonfire was able to efficiently burn $550 million dollars!  But from the ashes arose something ginormous and to quote  schwarzenegger “spectacular”:  A glistening black phenix in the form of 2 new lanes on the Garden Grove 22 Freeway!  The new lanes will allow drivers to shave a whopping 15-20 minutes from their commute.

The project was implemented with a new style of public works development called “design-build” where the same contractor designs and builds the project allowing construction to begin before the design is complete.  Thankfully rail construction hasn’t been able to grasp this concept and is woefully behind, which makes me wonder, is it really even worth including in the transportation bill at all?  Why are we throwing away $4 billion dollars on this silly rail idea when we can add it to the $11.3 billion slated for highway/road improvement for a grand total of $15.3 billion!  And really, there’s no good reason to not skim another billion from those absurd earthquake safety improvements and $2.2 billion slated to retrofit and replace school buses.  After those simple number moves highway and local road improvements would have grand total of $18.5 billion, almost enough to build of the freeway of all our dreams: a double-decker interstate 101!