MetroRiderLA

Metro San Fernando Valley Sector Council member Kymberleigh Richards is known for her outspoken defense of Metro when it comes to criticism about bus stops and the lack of comfortable benches/shelters. Kymberleigh makes it clear that since Metro doesn’t own the shelters, benches, or anything else at a bus stop other than the signs, they have no control over the comfort level of the stop. In a recent rant, inspired by a Daily News article about revenue loss due to residents fighting against new bus shelters (provided by an advertising company) that they claim would bring blight to their neighborhoods, Kymberleigh draws the line between improved bus stop conditions and advertising. In the current reality, the two are correlated and you can’t have one without the other. So which is it going to be, comfier bus stops and more money for the city’s dwindling coffers, or neighborhoods free of corporate noise? Kymberleigh sides towards the former, and offers this bit of advice for those on her side:

I am offering a bit of advice to everyone who has ever wanted a shelter placed at their favorite bus stop: Write your elected member of the City Council. Tell him or her that you disagree with the perception that these shelters are advertising blight and should be restricted. And then make an official request for your favorite corner to receive a shelter.

Read Kymberleigh’s entire rant here.

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”.