MetroRiderLA

Jeff Kenworthy, co-author of Sustainability and Cities: Overcoming Automobile Dependence and professor of Sustainable Cities at Curtin University (Australia), will be speaking tomorrow (Wed. April 30th) at noon in the Metro Board Room at One Gateway Plaza (the Taj Mahal).

This special talk is sponsored by the L.A. Eco-Village, CRSP Institute for Urban Ecovillages, Sierra Club, Beverly-Vermont Community Land Trust, and So.CA.TA.

He’ll bring us up to date on all the latest research on rail in the major cities of North America, Australia, Europe and Asia comparing high, median and low rail cities with respect to a variety of quality of life issues, competitiveness with cars, comparative urban form, and economics. Lots of inspiring pictures on how to do things differently in Los Angeles. The presentation will help us see that urban rail systems are a critical element in building effective multi-modal public transport systems that create a ‘virtuous circle’ in public transport and compete more successfully with the car.

The talk also shows that cities that are more rail-oriented tend to develop better qualitative features of the urban environment such as more livable, attractive and congenial people-oriented public spaces.

This sounds like a very interesting event for those interested in urban planning, automobile dependency, and the future of rail in Los Angeles.

Elsewhere:

• The Ten Myths About Automobile Dependency by Peter Newman & Jeff Kenworthy [PDF]

Copied below is a letter from today’s Long Beach Press-Telegram:

Wrong kind of ticket

The Naples Boat Parade draws thousands of people into a confined area in a unique expression of yuletide spirit. We think it is unequaled in Southern California.

Over the years the Long Beach Police Department has tacitly waived the usual parking restrictions as a practical expression of reality in allowing these families a chance to witness the holiday celebration. After all, it’s only one night a year. This year, however, the LBPD saw fit to reverse this welcoming gesture by issuing parking tickets. As a resident of Naples for many years, I consider these actions shameful. What about next year? Has this wonderful event turned into just another revenue opportunity?

Kristine Zirretta

Long Beach

What’s wrong here?
1) She thought that because she got away with parking illegally before, she had a right to do it again.
2) She never considered the fact that Naples is served by 3 bus lines (A, D, and 131, with the 171 close by, a bike path (class 3), and a ferry (the AquaLink).
3) But maybe public transit makes no sense, because no line takes her from her home to the parade. Why? Because she’s a resident of Naples. That’s right–she already lives at the destination, and still took her car. If you’ve been to Naples, you’d know that this is a micro-sized neighborhood. It’s a tiny island, and the Boat Parade encircles the damn thing. There is no point on the island more than a quarter mile from the shore. And it’s extremely pedestrian friendly, as far as neighborhoods go.

This morning on NPR, Morning Edition, they weighed in on Turnstilemania, the hubub about the MTA installing turnstiles and fare gates on our heavy and/or light rail lines. I was going to coin the whole controversy as Turnstilegate, but then, that would be redundant. HA! Anyway, here’s a link to the story. They do cover both sides of the issue, in what seems like a pretty balanced report. They also indicate that the final decision won’t be made until January.

Link

Me personal: I don’t want ‘em. Don’t want distance-based fares either. My personal preference. I intend to go to the MTA Board meeting and gripe about it.

So, per Dan’s suggestion in the earlier post, I bring you - the LAX-specific post! Use to discuss any bright ideas for making getting to LAX slightly less painful.

Personally, I’d like to see teleportation devices put in the Theme Building. I mean, it looks like a spaceship anyhow.

In order to keep some basic order here, I’m suggesting that we relocate the discussion from below regarding the feasability and desireability of a Green Line extension, which appears to be the hot topic of the month, and to do so, I’m basically re-posting my last comment from below to kick-start things. (more…)

The LA Times ran an article today about extending the super-congested 57 freeway over the Santa Ana riverbed from the 5 to the 405.

Pardon my editorializing, but this is the kind of transit planning that makes me spit nails.

The Santa Ana River is the largest river in Southern California–larger than the LA and San Gabriel Rivers combined. Rivers (and all water bodies) are an extremely scarce resource in this region. And what do we do with our natural heritage? We encase it in concrete. We’ve already paved it on three sides, and now we want to pave over the top too.

Similar proposals have been voiced for the LA River, but so far they have been shot down.

Who the f@ck thinks it’s a good idea to take a unique, irreplaceable resource and turn it into a freeway? Maybe it’s the same people that think it’s wise to build mansions on eroding coastal bluffs or major housing developments in floodplains below a levee.

We have talked a bit about the financial subsidies given to cars. But here we are sacrificing major natural capital.

If OC had built its Center Line, we could be talking about restoring the river instead of entombing it.

This picture of the Santa Ana River was taken in Fairview Park in Costa Mesa. It’s a bit south of the proposed 57 extension, so it wouldn’t be directly affected. I don’t have a pic of the region, but it happens to run right by my office!