MetroRiderLA

Watch out BRU!

I just discovered the Rail Riders Union and added their site to the Links Index. According to the site, the Rail Riders Union (RRU) is a non-profit mutual benefit corporation that was formed this year to promote rail transportation solutions for Los Angeles. Their tagline, “Dream with us, Los Angeles”, implies a visionary organization with sights set on the future.

The RRU’s mission is concise, “let’s build a safe, reliable network of mass transit which connects people with the places they want to go“.

Issues like the Long Range Transportation Plan, the Westside Corridor, and transit safety are top on the RRU’s priority list. Under the category of transit safety they promote barrier gates as a necessity in order to fight terrorism and to ensure that rail riders pay, a concept that many Los Angeles rail advocates might disagree with. I certainly do.

The website appears to be in its infancy, with links to how to join and contribute still under construction. It will be interesting to see if the RRU can pull together and become a real force for change in Los Angeles transportation. I’m also interested in what color shirt they choose for their membership. Yellow is obviously taken by that other union representing that other mode.

In a stunning attempt to steal MetroRiderLA’s thunder as the coolest transit blog in town, East Coast transplant and Street Heat blogger Damien Newton has brought Streetsblog to Los Angeles.  Yes, Streetsblog LA is open and accepting comments.  Streetsblog has done an amazing job covering what they call the “streets renaissance” in New York City with daily coverage that is unmatched.  Here’s what Damien has to say about Streetsblog LA:

“Streetsblog seeks to cover the news about life on L.A.’s streets in a way that emphasizes that our roads are a public good, not a means to moving as many cars through a community as quickly as possible.  L.A.’s transportation planning has revolved around its car culture for decades, but now that a streets revolution is coming, Streetsblog will be here to chronicle it all.”

Sounds excellent. I say the more transit oriented blogs in L.A., the better.

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.

(more…)

[tags]expo line, fixexpo.org, dorsey high school, mid city, metro, los angeles, light rail[/tags]

Damien Goodmon, dedicated transit advocate and founder of GetLaMoving.com and FixExpo.org, has come under fire recently from his fellow transit advocates for his FixExpo initiative that aims to increase the safety of the Expo Line through grade separation. There has been heated debate on MetroRiderLA as well as in the Transit Coalition’s forums as to the purpose and timing of FixExpo, with a number of advocates finding themselves (myself included) in opposition to the creator of the well known and much admired Metro “dream map”.

Agree or disagree, Damien is unquestionably passionate, informed, and dedicated to his ideals, and thus he has written an open letter to his fellow transit advocate explaining and defending his position on the Exposition Line.

You can read his letter in its entirety after the jump…

(more…)

[tags]flexcar, los angeles, car sharing, ladot, car-free, parking[/tags]

As usual, this is a little late, but there’s still time to write a letter or even attend the meeting if you are free. The following is straight from Flexcar.

On Wednesday, October 24, 2007, at 5 pm, the LA City Council Transportation Committee will begin consideration of a pilot on-street car-sharing program. This pilot program, which would designate specific on-street parking spaces for car-sharing, is a small but important step by the City to promote and expand car-sharing in Los Angeles.

In order for the committee to move forward with this proposal, the City needs to hear from Flexcar members who use the service and see the benefits of car-sharing for the City of Los Angeles. We are urging you to come to the meeting and voice your opinion.

Date: Wednesday October 24, 2007
Time: 5 – 7 pm
Place: West LA Municipal Building
1645 Corinth Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90025

The LADOT report, indexed under Council File #: 05-2017, is available online.

If you can’t attend in person, please consider politely emailing your opinion to Adam Lid, the Committee’s Legislative Assistant (adam.lid@lacity.org) with a cc: to the Transportation Chair, Wendy Greuel (councilmember.greuel@lacity.org). If you do send an email, please refer to Council File #: 05-2017: On-Street Car-Sharing Program in the subject heading.

Since the meeting is basically going on right now, the email option is probably the best way to get your voice heard, you can read my letter after the jump…

(more…)

[tags]los angeles, transit coalition, downtown los angeles, transit advocacy[/tags]

The Transit Coalition holds its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. It meets at Philippe The Original near Union Station.

RSVP with Bart Reed by calling (818) 367-1661 or via e-mail.

Transit access: Metro Red/Purple and Gold Lines, Rapid lines 704, 740 and 745, express lines in the 400-499 series except 450 and 460, most local and limited-stop services to downtown Los Angeles; all Metrolink trains except Inland Empire/Orange County Line, Amtrak; FlyAway; Foothill Transit Silver Streak and Busway lines 493, 495, 497, 498, 499 and 699; AVTA Line 785; LADOT DASH Downtown Line D and Lincoln Heights/Chinatown; Santa Clarita Transit lines 794 and 799; Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus Line 10; and Torrance Transit lines 1 and 2.

Yelp has Philippe The Original rated.