It's About Time: Caltrans to Study Cost of Palm Springs area train service

It's long overdue, but Caltrans is to study the cost of Palm Springs local area rail service.

Caltrans to Study Cost of Palm Springs local rail service

It has been my hope that Metrolink commuter rail would eventually get extended to Palm Springs & the Coachella Valley.  Please read my previous blog post about what this would entail.

How do we bring light-rail to the San Fernando Valley?

On my previous blog post, Please combine the Sepulveda and Van Nuys transit projects into one rail project between Sylmar and LAX, Thomas Piland asked a very important question, "How do we get onboard and get this approved?"


I'd like to expand this discussion to not just have a north-south light rail line between Sylmar and LAX, but an east-west light-rail line between Warner Center or CSUN and Pasadena as well.  So how do we encourage Metro to not just dump lesser busways on the San Fernando Valley while the rest of the county gets Metrorail extensions?


Anyone, such as me, can post on their blog a suggested rail alignment for Metro.  However, that is not as effective as collection.   What needs to happen is organized action.  The San Fernando Valley transit advocates who want (at least) two light-rail lines of their own need to not just lobby Metro themselves, but lobby the San Fernando Valley powers that be to lobby Metro themselves.

Let's take these one by one:

First, you want to contact Metro regarding the Sepulveda Pass transit corridor and the Van Nuys transit corridor and state your comment that you want these to be a joined together as light rail project.  You may do that here:

Sepulveda Pass corridor  -  berlinr@metro.net  (Renee Berlin, Executive Officer, TDI)
Van Nuys corridor - Vannuys@metro.net  (Walter Davis, Project Manager)

You may also contact the Metro Board of Directors and let them know you want Metrorail for the San Fernando Valley.

boardsecretary@metro.net   (Metro Board of Directors)

If you want not just a north-south light-rail between Sylmar and LAX, but an east-west light-rail to, the most obvious candidate is upgrading the Orange Line busway to light-rail, which I discuss in this this blog post, What about upgrading the Orange Line to light-rail?.  The idea is catching on elsewhere too:  Orange Line Conversion to Light Rail: It Can Happen and Orange Line Bridges: Are they strong enough for light rail?

Even if the Alternative Analysis finds there is an even better east-west alignment, we still want the OPTION of upgrading the Orange Line.  For that to happen the Robbins Bill needs to be repealed.  The misguided actions of a corrupt State Senator and a bunch of NIMBYs twenty years ago shouldn't stand forever.  There is an election coming up next year.  So ask every candidate for the State Senate and State Assembly in the Valley to pledge to seek repeal of the Robbins bill that bans light-rail on the Orange Line corridor.  Also contact your state legislators currently in office, which may be found here:

California State Assembly
California State Senate

Let the currently serving legislators and candidates for election know that you consider expanding Metrorail into the San Fernando Valley is a priority.

Then get involved with your Neighborhood Council and encourage them to support a resolution calling for expanding Metrorail in the San Fernando Valley.  The San Fernando Valley Neighborhood Councils may be found here:

empowerLA Roster of Neighborhood Councils

Write your Los Angeles City Councilmember behind this as well as your Los Angeles County Supervisor, all of whom sit on Metro's Authority.

Write our U.S. Senators and Congressmembers to support Mayor Villaraigosa's 30-10 Plan.  The sooner Measure R projects are underway, the sooner we can plan beyond Measure R.

Get the business community behind this idea too.  Contact the Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA) and ask them to use their influence to support an expansion of Metrorail, which can only help their businesses with the new economic activity this expansion would bring.

Please consider joining a transit advocacy group.  Southern California Transit Advocates and The Transit Coalition are groups that both support expanding light-rail into the San Fernando Valley.

Just because the San Fernando Valley is late to the game, doesn't mean it is too late for Metrorail.

NOTE:  While I live in West Hollywood now, I lived in North Hollywood for six years and still care about the transit welfare of the San Fernando Valley.  And, as I believe these two light-rail lines would benefit the entire region, I think it is important for ALL of us in Los Angeles County to support this effort.  A rising transit tide lifts ALL boats because it increases connectivity.

Please combine the Sepulveda and Van Nuys Transit Projects into one rail project between Sylmar and LAX

Metro is currently studying two different transit corridors, the Sepulveda Pass and Van Nuys Blvd. as separate projects:

Sepulveda Pass Corridor                          Van Nuys Boulevard Corridor

Huh?  Two separate transit projects?  The Rapid 761 bus currently travels through both of these corridors.  The people suffering on the 405 Freeway don't see themselves as traveling through two separate corridors.

These two separate studies should be combined into one regional corridor study that looks into a light-rail project connecting Sylmar to LAX through the Valley, via the Sepulveda Pass, through the Westside.  One only needs to look at the always clogged 405 Freeway to see the potential ridership of this project.

Here are some maps of what that project might look like, as suggested by the Transit Coalition:

Beyond the simple regional benefit of this project, there is another reason for transit advocates, politicians and the business community in the San Fernando Valley to enthusiastically get behind combining these two transit corridors to study a Valley-Westside rail project.  The San Fernando Valley just isn't getting its fair share of Metrorail.  The San Gabriel Valley will be getting at least two Gold Line light-rail extensions.

Gold Line Foothill Extension                     Gold Line Eastside Extension

Why this disparity?  Because the San Gabriel Valley communities, its politicians, business leaders and transit advocates are enthusiastically lined up to get these extensions.  Unfortunately, the San Fernando Valley political structure is not as organized or lined up the same manner.

The real danger here for the San Fernando Valley and the region is that Metro will "go cheap" and build two separate discordant bus projects, one on Van Nuys Blvd. and one through the Sepulveda Pass,  leaving and countless people commuting between the Valley and Westside with no viable rail alternative.

The issue of financing a rail project always comes up, as it should.  Measure R provides limited money for these two studies.  However, Measure R as wonderful as it is should not be considered the end of transit expansion in Los Angeles County.  We need to plan beyond Measure R too, and think it terms of financing beyond Measure R.

The east-west Orange Line busway was thwarted in the attempts to create a light-rail project initially because of the actions of a corrupt State Senator and a bunch of NIMBYs.  (Note: The Orange Line bridges are safe enough for light-rail should this corridor be converted to light-rail as it should have been built in the first place.)  

However, those actions from twenty years ago shouldn't condemn the San Fernando Valley and its stakeholders for having to settle for measly and inadequate bus projects while the rest of Los Angeles County gets the option of possibly expanding and hooking into Metrorail.

So if you commute in, through, to, from the Valley and/or Westside, and want to ride Metrorail somewhere  between Sylmar and LAX, now is the time to get busy before you have two separate bus projects dumped on you while Metro gets busy expanding rail elsewhere.

ACTION ITEM:

Let Metro know that you want the Sepulved and Van Nuys corridor connected between Sylmar and LAX via RAIL.

berlinr@metro.net      Renee Berlin, Executive Officer, TDI
vannuys@metro.net    Walter Davis, Project Manager
boardsecretary@metro.net   Metro Board of Directors

Why the Occupy Movement Deserves the Full Support of the LGBT Community

This past Saturday I went to a LGBT rally and march in West Hollywood where we marched down Santa Monica Blvd. and chanted "We are the 99%!", "What Do We Want?  Equal Rights!  When do we want them?  Now!".

Why should this matter to the LGBT Community?  Because we are just as affected by broader social-economic trends as everyone else.

One of the lies that anti-gay bigots repeatedly say about the LGBT community is that we are spoiled, pampered hedonists with more than enough disposable income to influence politicians with campaign money that "hard working 'Christian' families" cannot afford to give.

The truth is that the LGBT is just as likely to be poor as anyone else.

LGBT youths who have been cut off from their families are less likely to receive financial support to pay for college and get a higher education than their straight counterparts.

HIV positive men can tell you what negotiating our for-profit health care non-system has done to their finances.

Because of DOMA, we do not receive any of the federal benefits of marriage, meaning gay and lesbian couples are poorer than their straight counterparts.  

Anti-gay bigots want to pretend we do not raise children and want no government recognition of our families, and our children are poorer for it -- and not just theoretically.

LGBT around the world depend upon an American government that believes that our human rights are important all over the world, at home and abroad.

Also, the Koch Brothers and other far right-wingers buy and sell politicians to implement economic policies to not only to create a "rigged market" that transfers ever-increasing wealth to the top 1% and their decendants, but also helps to elect anti-gay politicians who will use their time in office to pursue anti-LGBT legislation.  Getting special interest money out of politics matters, especially from the bottomless pockets of corporations and the superwealthy who give money to anti-gay politicians, if the LGBT community is to see its inalienable right to legal equality become manifest in America.

While it is true that there are some gay activists who seem to care more about their "access" to the top 1% than actual "progress" for our community and believe we should ONLY focus on overtly "gay issues" like marriage equality.  In my opinion, this is a very myopic look at the world.  The countries with the greatest social justice (and marriage equality) for the LGBT community (Scandinavia, Canada, Netherlands, etc.) also have the greatest economic justice for ALL their citizens.  Martin Luther King, Jr. knew this all too well.  Social justice and economic justice go hand in hand -- which is why the success of the Occupy movement should matter to all of us, LGBT and our allies, and deserves our full support.

As the Occupy movement moves from having stationary camps to more organized activism, I implore you to get involved with a progressive movement in rescuing American politics from Fox "News" and the corporate-financed "tea party".   The coalition building this encourages will make LGBT equality MORE likely in the future.

Local #7 Big Blue Bus Service worse than ever

After the shiny new Rapid 7 bus service debuted, the Big Blue Bus cut its popular Local 7 bus service.  They said that this would not affect rush hour service, but that has proven to be nonsense.

Local 7 buses are stuffed like sardines during rush hour in a manner far worse than before, when they actually come, and when they actually stop.  This morning 20 people were left standing at Pico/Fairfax because a nearly full Local 7 bus decided not to stop and pick anybody up.  The last two weeks, the Local 7 eastbound service that used to arrive around 5:20-5:25 pm at Pico/Roxbury didn't show up at all.  The next buses that finally showed up 15-20 mintues later were stuffed beyond capacity.

Calls for the Big Blue Bus to DO something about this have clearly gone unheard as the Big Blue Bus probably just hopes that those pesky Local 7 bus riders simply wear themselves out and accept their fate.

This is not to say that the Rapid 7 service isn't a success.  It clearly is.  The shiny new articulated Rapid 7 buses carrying passengers from Santa Monica to the Wilshire/Western Purple Line station are full.   Like a shiny new toy, this service is getting attention from Big Blue Bus, while the boring, sad, old, lonely toy of the Local 7 gets ignored.  

I'm not suggesting cutting the new Rapid 7 service.  In fact, I support it fully.  I wish the buses went to Vermont/Wilshire to allow a one-seat transfer to from the Red Line too.  However, what would be helpful is if Big Blue Bus just admitted the truth about the Local 7.  They've clearly cut rush hour Local 7 service in favor of the Rapid 7 service and are hoping Local 7 riders either keep quiet or go away.

Cutting Local 7 service during rush hour if the local ridership had declined would make sense.  That ridership has not declined.  Therefore, I call upon the Big Blue Bus to please, please, please, restore the obviously cut rush hour service on this corridor or at least run articulated Local 7s so that local service passengers can at least get on the bus when it finally arrives.

Halloween's Scary Traffic in West Hollywood and your Transit Alternative

The Source, Metro's great blog, has a great rundown of traffic snarls due to West Hollywood's annual Halloween celebration, so click here.

For public transit modifications for tonight, click here.

Won't it be great when you will be able to take Metrorail directly to West Hollywood for the Halloween Carnival (as well as the Gay Pride Festival and New Year's Eve)?  Keep thinking positively that this can and will happen sooner than we ever thought possible.

Happy Halloween!

Has the Big Blue Bus Local #7 been thrown "under the bus"?

Has anyone else noticed a sharp decline in the Local 7 service on the Big Blue Bus since the extended and increased Rapid 7 service to the Wilshire/Western Purple Line station was instituted?

Buses come less frequently and are far more crowded. Yesterday, four #7 buses came at once. One woman stated she had waited an hour for a Local #7 bus.

This is not a criticism of the new Rapid 7 service, which seems very popular. I just wish the Rapid 7 now went all the way to the Wilshire/Vermont station so there could be a one-seat transfer to the Red Line as well.

However, as inconvenient as bus stacking is, to have FOUR buses approach Pico and Beverly around the same time last night tells me that something is off operationally. The Big Blue Bus normally runs a stellar service with clean, on-time buses, so this is not an overall criticism of them.

What is your experience on the Local 7 during the last two weeks?

UPDATE:

Things are getting ugly on the Local 7 Big Blue Bus.

On Friday morning, I was riding the Local 7 to work, stuffed to capacity, when an angry older gentleman started saying very loudly to anyone who would hear:

- "They are treating us like animals making us stand. My rapid stop (Beverly/Pico) has been eliminated and now I am twenty minutes late for work every day. I called the Big Blue Bus and no one can tell me why. We all need to write the Mayor of Santa Monica!"

- Another woman said loudly back to him, "they've written off this corridor."

They both complained about the Rapids getting the longer buses while they were standing.

This Monday morning, the Local 7 was LATE, and stuffed to capacity. People were denied entry because the bus was so full, meaning they'd be even later having to wait for the next one. The same elder gentleman from Friday. who was pressed up against the front of the bus was shouting, "We are taxpayers! We are not animals. We don't have to be treated this way. Write a letter, make a phone call."

Now I am a big fan of the Big Blue Bus and the normally stellar service it offers, but the Big Blue Bus needs to do something. If people can no longer board a bus or get to work on time, that is their bread and butter.

Please put articulated Local 7s and/or just plain more Local 7s on Pico during rush hour.   I do not believe the Rapids are to blame and they are just as crowded as the Locals.

Maybe we should think big about this corridor and consider rush hour bus-only lanes on Pico.

If you would like to contact Big Blue Bus yourself, you may click here.

The Crenshaw / LAX Line final document has been released (Yes, this matters to you.)

The Source, Metro's award-winning blog, has a post you should read entiled:  The Crenshaw/LAX Line final environmental document has been released

Yes, this matters to you who live, work and play north of the Expo Line.

The best chance to connect West Hollywood and mid-city Los Angeles to Metrorail currently seems to me to be as part of a northern extension of the Crenshaw/LAX line which has as its initial northern terminus as the Expo Line, likely to be extended to Hollywood/Highland in the future, and quite possibly via West Hollywood (as San Vicente and Santa Monica both has rail service  for decades). 

Metro Study to extend Crenshaw/LAX Line

While this would not have provide a one-seat rail ride to the beach as studied for the West Hollywood transit corridor as part of the Westside Subway Extension project, it would provide a one-seat ride to/from LAX, which is more than a even trade in my opinion.

So yes, this project matters to you if you live north of Crenshaw and Exposition.

Let's extend Metrolink to Palm Springs & the Coachella Valley

Believe it or not, I look to London for inspiration for Los Angeles County transporation improvements.  If you ever want to know what a world class transit system looks like, go to the Transport For London (TfL) website.

While there is the "City of London", the sprawling Greater London region is a multi-modal, mutli-centered transporation wonderland with the Tube underground, the new overground rail network, light-rail, streetcar trams, a comprehensive 24-hour bus network with transit-only lanes and ferries, and, of coruse, dozens of commuter rail lines carrying people from the suburbs into the center of London. Imagine not just one Union Station, but several Union Stations (Paddington, Victoria, Charing Cross, Liverpool Street, etc.). In the future, commuter rail is going to continue to grow in popularity, especially after the Westside subway extension, regional connector and other Measure R rail projects are constructure.


The Southern California region currently has the Metrolink commuter rail network. Metrolink Trains

Many of you are are aware that Metrolink will soon be extended to Perris Valley. Click Perris Valley Metrolink extension for more details.  But there are currently no Metrolink options for Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley.

What about Amtrak?  From WikiTravel's Palm Springs page:

• Amtrak Station, 300 North Indian Canyon Drive (.6 mi south of Interstate 10), 1-800-USA-RAIL (872-7245), Amtrak's Sunset Limited route connects Palm Springs with Los Angeles and with Arizona and points eastward with three westbound and three eastbound trains per week (arriving Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday). Amtrak also provides Palm Springs with connections to and from the San Joaquins trains, which run up California's Central Valley to the Bay Area and Sacramento, via multiple daily Amtrak Thruway motorcoach runs to and from Bakersfield. Be aware that there are no rental car agencies that provide shuttles to the Amtrak station in Palm Springs and there is no public transportation available there. The "station" is really just an open platform without any building. Taxis from the Palm Springs Amtrak to the Palm Springs airport (where the rental cars are available) is about $30 (2008).

Not no car agencies, shuttles or public transporation from the non-amentiy Amtrak station?  Not encouraging.

Amtrak currently has a Palm Springs Amtrak Thruway Bus Station (Route 19b) between Bakersfield and Indio.  Here's a map of connecting Amtrak Rail Lines and Thruway Bus Routes in California.

I could also fly into the Palm Springs International Airport or take Greyhound Bus Lines.  (While the Palm Springs Airport at least connects with shuttle bus service, Greyhound drops you off at the non-amenity Rail Station with no public transportation connetions.)  But I prefer rail travel when possible.

How more ideally should Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley be connected by passenger rail?

From a Riverside Press-Enterprise news article in 2008 on this topic:

Officials agree Palm Springs and other desert destinations need connections to the coast. The debate is whether Palm Springs needs Amtrak or Metrolink service.

"There is very limited service in that direction, and given the distance of the Coachella Valley from western Riverside County, it fits more in the intercity category rather than as a commuter service," explained Riverside County Transportation Commission Deputy Director John Standiford.

Others, like Rail Passenger Association of California and Nevada Executive Director Richard Silver, argue Metrolink makes more sense because commuter trains are more efficient for moving people in a region like Southern California, while Amtrak works better for long distances. "I think it will be easier to get it out there," Silver said of Metrolink service to Palm Springs.

I am not the only person thinking about this. From the Riverside County Tranportation Commision webpage on Coachella Valley Rail Service:

Currently the only passenger service in the Coachella Valley is a thrice-weekly long distance train operated by Amtrak between Los Angeles and Florida. This train is known as the "Sunset Limited". The Sunset Limited train operates through this area in the very early hours of the morning in both directions and primarily serves the leisure and tourism market.

RCTC and the State of California have been evaluating the feasibility of establishing an intercity passenger rail route between the following cities: Los Angeles, Fullerton, Riverside, Palm Springs, and Indio.

The Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) continues its firm opposition to any new passenger service on its tracks through this area. Notwithstanding this opposition, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) continues to propose such service in the California State Rail Plan.

Caltrans has no unilateral powers to compel the UPRR to permit the operation of this train. Nevertheless, for intercity trains (as opposed to a commuter or Metrolink train), there are certain federal processes in place that can ultimately lead to an order compelling the railroad to operate the service.

The public agencies requesting the intercity service may be required to invest large sums in the physical infrastructure of the railroad. Some estimates place the capital investment requirement at a minimum of $500 million for a new set of tracks.

RCTC is working closely with the Coachella Valley and the Pass Areas on this issue and supports the expansion of rail service to additional areas of Riverside County.

Here is an action item for your to-do list. If you want to see more regular passenger rail service between Los Angeles and Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley, and since this may involve adjusting "federal processes", why not contact both Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack and the Railroad Policy and Development Team of Federal Railroad Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation to let them know you'd like them to prioritize this.

Two of my favorite transit organizations here in Los Angeles County and Southern California region are Southern California Transit Advocates and The Transit Coalition. 

The Transit Coalition has certainly given this a lot of thought:  Coachella Valley Trains

From the Transit Coalition's online discussion forum, I found the following comments on this topic very interesting:

One forum member stated the following:

For what it's worth, I looked it up, and the current Amtrak station location is apparently not the one that the Southern Pacific used (the one in the photo Nick posted). In fact, the current station is further east and a tad closer to P.S. than the old one. It's a bit surprising that the S.P. never built a spur or something to serve the area better. It seems to me, for Palm Springs Metrolink to be effective, you would need to show that there was a core body of Palm Springs commuters headed for either Riverside or some other area on a day-to-day weekday basis. With Amtrak, you could aim it for the Palm Springs/Palm Desert golf/art vacation folks, and use Surfliner-ish equipment. I remember in the '80s, Amtrak was aiming the San Diegan squarely at Disneyland/beach/vacation travelers, and it was something of a surprise that commuters would take the morning train into Los Angeles. The same thing could be tried with Palm Springs.

Another member of the forum stated the following:

In the past for the Coachella Music Festival, Amtrak ran special service called the Coachella Express that connected to a shuttle bus (kinda like Metrolink's Del Mar horseracing train). Outside the Sunset Limited, that would have been the only other time passenger train service rolled through the Coachella Valley in recent memory.

A third member of the forum had this interesting idea:

I think that this would be a great stop on a future high speed rail line between LA and Phoenix. LA-Phoenix is the 27th busiest air route in the world and would easily sustain frequent high speed rail service with a local stop at Palm Springs and/or Indio on the way. I think the travel times and frequencies for LA-Palm Springs on a high speed line would be much more appropriate than Metrolink. However, Metrolink has a marginal chance of actually being implemented in the next decade or two. LA-Phoenix high speed rail could be built as an extension eastward from the Riverside branch of phase 2 California high speed rail.

Of course, however we would eventually get to Palm Springs or the Coachella Valley by passenger rail, once you get there, how do you get around without a car? Well, that's for another blog post. In the meantime, you can check current bus services with the SunLine Transit Agency.

As an gay man who is no longer twenty-something, I may find myself in Palm Springs more often as I get older and will keep you posted of transit improvements both there and in Southern California.

Here's a map of Los Angeles Public Transit in 1928.

"1928 Los Angeles Streetcar Map"

Just imagine if we had improved the system with transit-only lanes and select grade-separation.

Very sad.  Oh, well.  At least GM sold more cars and goodyear sold more tires.

Vote YES for a California Public Health Insurance Option!

While most of the issues I discuss on this blog are related to public transportation issues, I also like to discuss and mention other issues dear to my heart.

Many of us who support single-payer health care, otherwise known as Medicare-for-All, supported a compromise during the health care reform debate called the "public option".  The public health insurance option would have been opened to everyone.  Unfortunately, the corporations who have a stranglehold on our nation's politics managed to scuttle even that.  What we have left with the Affordable Health Care Act (called "Obamacare" or "Romneycare" by its detractors) is a mandate to buy private insurance and a tax penalty if we don't beginning in 2014, without even the choice of a public health insurance option.

There is a group seeking to change this.  California and many states will have a new health insurance exchange beginning in 2014.  Consumer Watchdog, the group behind legendary Proposition 103 in 1988 that called for a 20% rollback in auto insurance rates and created an elected State Insurance Commissioner, is seeking a new proposition for November 2012 to (1) roll back health insurance rates 20%; (2) allow the State Insurance Commissioner to reject unjustified health insurance rate increases; (3) create a new statewide, open-to-everyone public health insurance option on our state's exchange.

Here's a link to Consumer Watchdog's post on this:  "Health-care-measure-seeks-public-option-rollbacks"

Sign me up.

By the way, the Affordable Health Care Act gives state's great latitude to pursue stronger health care systems in their states.  Vermont is going for single-payer health care.  "Vermont Governor Signs Single-Payer Health Care Bill into Law"

So why isn't California?  The state legislature passed single-payer health care when Gov. Schwarzenegger was in office, which he vetoed.  Why don't they pass it now with Gov. Jerry Brown in office?  Did they only pass it because they knew it wouldnt' be signed?

Here is State Senator Mark Leno's bill to bring single-payer health care in California

SB810 Fact Sheet

Call your Democratic legislators and ask them.

Articulated Rapid 7 buses debut!

I am happy to report that the Big Blue Bus now has articulated Rapid 7 buses running on Pico, now extended east to Western/Wilshire and the Purple Line subway.  That's just great.  (Why not extend them to Vermont/Wilshire so that Red Line riders from the Valley only need one transfer to/from the Rapid 7 instead of two -- but then I am always asking for more.)

Note:  While I was waiting for my Local #7 Big Blue Bus, I notice that the Rapids were stuffed to capacity.

UPDATE:  Maybe what is REALLY needed for Pico, as I rarely see a Rapid 7 pass a Local 7 because of the traffic through Pico-Robertson are transit-only lanes during rush hour.  Since I am not running for office, I can readily suggest taking away a lane of traffic in each direction so that buses may run faster.  Cars can switch to Olympic or the 10 Freeway (as Venice should have its own transit-only lanes with streetcars running in them).

Great singer/guitarist at Palms Thai Restaurant

Last night I went to Palms Thai Restaurant in Hollywood.

While dining, for our music pleasure a young Thai girl of about 25 named Nong, wearing a French Beret, was playing the guitar and singing songs like The Eagles' "Hotel California" and Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi" and Dolly Parton's "Jolene".

This is the America I believe in. 

My Latest Discovery -- nextbus.com

I was standing on the corner of La Cienega & Pico awaiting a bus to West Hollywood when a handsome blonde gentleman named Erik struck up a conversation with me.   He wanted me to know about this website http://nextbus.com/ which by using GPS technology and some mathematical algorithm I couldn't even begin to understand states when the next in-service buses would be arriving around a particular location.

I used the web browser on my smart phone to access the site.  Sure enough, the next buses came exactly when the nextbus.com said it would.  Has everyone else in transitland known about this site and I was just in the dark?  As we know, the buses do not always run on schedule and when waiting it would be good to know when the bus will actually be arriving, especially on days when the weather in less than California sublime.

Try this site yourself and report back to see if it works consistently for you.  If so, the transit riding world should know (if it doesn't already and I was the clueless one left in the dark).

West Hollywood City Council retains pro-transit majority

The results of the West Hollywood City Council election are in and I am delighted to report that the West Hollywood City Council retains a pro-transit majority.

Appointed Councilmember Lindsey Horvath is leaving the City Council, but I wish her all the success in the world in her future endeavors.  Ms. Horvath took an active interest in West Hollywood's public transit issues and had already been lobbying for more money in D.C. for transit in West Hollywood. 

We know that re-elected Councilmembers Heilman and Land are pro-transit from their records.

Councilmember-elect John D'Amico has assured me via the phone that he supports continuing efforts to bring Metrorail to West Hollywood, which is great.

While I am sorry to see Councilmember Horvath go, I am relieved that it was not Steve Martin who replaced her, after his uninformed, anti-subway rant in the WeHo News.

However we voted, let's all come together now to improve public transit to/from and within West Hollywood and throughout Southern California.

Metro Staff recommends that Line 704 truncation at Alvarado be removed from the recommended program of service cuts.

Take a look at Metro's Staff recommendation on the proposal to truncate the Eastern end of Line 704 at Alvarado instead of Union Station.

http://www.metro.net/board/Items/2011/03_March/20110324RBMItem20.pdf

Inside the document, scroll down to "Attachment A", and look at the Line 2/Line 704 proposal.

It says "Remove from the Program".  I am hoping this means that the proposal for eastern truncation of Line 704 at Alvarado instead of Union Station has been shelved after public comment.

I recommended that Metro study rerouting Line 704 to go into the heart of downtown as the old Limited 304 bus used to do, perhaps even ending up at LA Live.  When I used to work downtown in the 1990s, I would ride the old Limited 304 from downtown after work and it was always standing room only.

It's a shame that Union Station doesn't have "destination" ridership the way that Grand Central Station and Penn Station in New York, or Victoria Station, Charing Cross Station or Liverpool Street Station in New York.  However, this is good news for riders on this corridor. 

City Council Candidate Scott Schmidt responds to our West Hollywood Public Transit Questionnaire

Here is West Hollywood Council Candidate Scott Schmidt's reply to our Public Transit Questionnaire. (We thank him and all the candidates who take time out of their busy schedules to address these issues):

(1) Do you support continuing efforts to bring Metrorail to West Hollywood, and if so, with what alignment?


I was an early and ardent advocate of the West Hollywood line for the subway to the sea and hope we get a chance to re-evaluate it when the second phase of construction comes back. I believe we can be competitive with a Santa Monica extension, but we have to make our case. West Hollywood gave the highest support of any city to Measure R--which is funding the subway--and yet we are getting little in return since the incumbents on the City Council dropped the ball on the Subway.


(2) Do you support extending the proposed Crenshaw/LAX light rail line up San Vicente and then on Santa Monica Blvd. to the Red Line in Hollywood? (Note: This could potentially be a light-rail subway and would provide West Hollywood with a one-seat ride to LAX.)


About a year ago, I discussed this idea with Barbara Yaroslavsky while waiting for a plane to San Francisco, and to both of us, it was a new idea. I’m glad to see it being discussed, as it would link our City with both the Subway to the Sea and LAX. For any sections along Santa Monica Boulevard, I’d want to see it underground (even if it is just cut-and-cover) so as to minimize the impacts on pedestrians, bicyclists and traffic.

(3) As modern streetcars are coming to downtown Los Angeles by 2015, would you support bringing modern streetcars to West Hollywood on Santa Monica Blvd, Sunset Blvd. and/or San Vicente Blvd?

West Hollywood has made major investments in Santa Monica and Sunset Boulevard over the last decade. Unless any project were grade-separated, I would have reservations about the impacts that would have on pedestrians, bicycles and traffic.

(4) Do you support transit-only lanes on Santa Monica Blvd.?

No. There is not enough capacity for the cars on the street as it is.

(5) What are your proposals for improving bus service in West Hollywood, including Metro, DASH and West Hollywood's City Line?

First, I’d ask the City of LA how much it would cost to bring back the DASH West Hollywood line and find a way to write them a check.

Second, I would work with Metro to improve their iPhone application to incorporate the technology of Seattle’s “One Bus Away” app so people can know when the next bus is coming, using real-time data. Not knowing whether waiting for the bus will take longer than walking is a large impediment for shorter trips.

(6) What is your platform for bicycles in West Hollywood?

As a West Hollywood Transportation Commissioner, I worked to forge a compromise that would allow bicyclists to share the sidewalks in parts of the City where bike lanes were not available, provided the operated in a safe and reasonable manner and yielded to pedestrians. I believe that Abbe Land and Lindsey Horvath’s Bicycle Task Force is a cynical political ploy. When I chaired the Transportation Commission and we had three meetings cancelled in the last year for lack of staff or agenda items. Why create a Task Force when you have a Commission but to send out a press release and make 20 political appointments right before the election? Spend the $15,000 the Task Force will cost us on real improvements to make West Hollywood safer for bicyclists instead.

(7) What is your platform for pedestrians in West Hollywood?

I’m an ardent supporter of a pedestrian lifestyle and support efforts to make West Hollywood a place where people can live, work and play. This means supporting a pedestrian orientation and human scale for new developments, and encouraging workforce housing so people can live in West Hollywood and walk to work. Tantamount to any pedestrian platform is pedestrian safety. We’ve seen too many tragic vehicle versus pedestrian accidents in West Hollywood and we need to look at crosswalk signalization not as a liability for the City but as a necessary enhancement along out major boulevards.

(8) Have you read Donald Shoup's, "The High Cost of Free Parking", and what do you think about it?

I have not read the book but am familiar with the hypothesis. Up to 28% of trips that begin and end in West Hollywood are spent looking for affordable parking. However, I have concerns about putting the cart before the horse. We need viable public transit options and strong workforce housing programs before we can move to act on the theory.

(9) How would you pursue additional funding for public transit in West Hollywood?

I would ask Congressman Waxman to add an amendment to any 30/10 enabling legislation that requires a mass transit option to serve West Hollywood. I’d also consider creative funding solutions--such as exploring a DUI abatement zone with a fee-per-cocktail to fund mass transit expansion into West Hollywood.
(10) What else is in your public transit platform that would you like the voters and everyone else who lives, works and plays in West Hollywood to know?


I believe that it is possible to live in Southern California without a car. I know it is possible because I do it.

-----------------------

Blogger's Note:  I really appreciate this. 

I believe that it is possible to live in Southern California without a car. I know it is possible because I do it.

Thank you, Scott.  :)

City Councilmember Lindsey Horvath responds to our West Hollywood Public Transit Questionnaire

Here is West Hollywood City Councilmember Lindsey Horvath's reply to our Public Transit Questionnaire. (We thank her and all the candidates who take time out of their busy schedules to address these issues):

(1) Do you support continuing efforts to bring Metrorail to West Hollywood,and if so, with what alignment?

Yes, I absolutely support continuing these efforts. I am disappointed that we were not successful in bringing an extension to West Hollywood at this time, but we were successful in ensuring that the MTA will fund a study of various routes through West Hollywood for future projects. I know this is how the Gold Line extension got started, and I am willing to do the work necessary to see this process through. Our residents and visitors deserve nothing less than a steadfast commitment to better public transit. I would like to hear more input from all parties involved--the MTA, residents, our business community, and all others concerned--before advocating for a particular alignment that would best accomplish these objectives. Until we see that extension come to West Hollywood, we need to explore opportunities to connect our City to the line that will be developed. Perhaps a shuttling system, a zip car program, or a shared bicycle operation can connect people who live, work, and play in West Hollywood to the subway.

(2) Do you support extending the proposed Crenshaw/LAX light rail line up San Vicente and then on Santa Monica Blvd. to the Red Line in Hollywood? (Note: This could potentially be a light-rail subway and would provide West Hollywood with a one-seat ride to LAX.)

I am 100% in support of ensuring that LAX gets connected to our existing subway/light rail network, especially if it provides West Hollywood residents with a far easier option to get to the airport than what is currently available.

(3) As modern streetcars are coming to downtown Los Angeles by 2015, would you support bringing modern streetcars to West Hollywood on Santa Monica Blvd, Sunset Blvd. and/or San Vicente Blvd?

This is an intriguing idea, but one whose effectiveness I would like to explore in greater detail before committing to supporting it. I am excited to see how the downtown Los Angeles streetcar network changes the community, and am always in support of effective ways to make our City more pedestrian-friendly and less dependent on the automobile. The example of San Francisco certainly indicates that street cars have the ability to not only improve transportation access and reduce dependence on cars, but also add character to the areas they serve.

(4) Do you support transit-only lanes on Santa Monica Blvd.?

I'm willing to explore all possible solutions to help our traffic issues and increase our use of mass transit. However, I would need to be convinced that transit-only lanes will mitigate the problem of traffic and not make it worse through reducing the number of lanes available to private vehicles. I would further need to see what new construction would need to occur and how it would affect the look and feel of a street that essentially defines the character of our City.

(5) What are your proposals for improving bus service in West Hollywood, including Metro, DASH and West Hollywood's City Line?

The first thing we need to do is prevent our current access from being degraded due to budgetary shortfalls in communities outside our City. This is especially the case with DASH lines, which are dependent on funding from our neighbors in Los Angeles. I worked with LA City Councilmembers to save access to one of the DASH lines that suffered a cutback on account of Los Angeles' budget shortfall and worked to mitigate those effects through a re-routing of our City Line service. In October last year, I also met with the Department of Transportation in Washington DC to discuss the unique issues facing West Hollywood and what potential support and solutions they could offer. New funding is always important to make sure we have the infrastructure available to support successful transit, but I believe we can use our existing resources - City Line, Dial-a-Ride, etc - to provide even better transportation within the City.

(6) What is your platform for bicycles in West Hollywood?

I strongly believe in encouraging cycling as a safe and reliable mode of transportation within the City, especially through the development of bike lanes. This will not only make the roads safer for cyclists, but will also make the sidewalks safer for pedestrians. I am proud to have created the Bicycle Task Force with Councilmember Abbe Land, which will explore the possibilities that not only create the infrastructure but help to shift the community mindset about using bikes as a real form of transportation.

(7) What is your platform for pedestrians in West Hollywood?

We have a beautiful city, and walking is a great way to experience it! A pedestrian-friendly city is a critical component to a sustainable city. West Hollywood is very dense and very walkable, and our urban planning should incorporate ways of making our neighborhoods even more pedestrian-friendly through concepts such as mixed-use development.

(8) Have you read Donald Shoup's, "The High Cost of Free Parking", and what do you think about it?

I have not read this, but am happy to take your suggestion! The bottom line is that reducing our dependence on our cars will improve our overall quality of life, and urban planning ought to make that objective a priority. This is something I am committed to as a City Councilmember.

(9) How would you pursue additional funding for public transit in West Hollywood?

Through the same sound fiscal management that has allowed us to undertake other capital improvement projects, such as our new LibraryPark. The only way to ensure additional funding for public transit during times of economic difficulty is to maintain the discipline that has allowed us to maintain the highest-possible municipal bond rating--a genuine accomplishment, considering the fiscal state of other cities in the area. West Hollywood may not be able to depend on other public agencies to maintain their current commitments to public transit, and I am committed to ensuring that our City will have the resources to pick up the slack. As I said earlier, I personally met with representatives at the federal Department of Transportation to discuss our City's unique transit issues and what funding sources might be available to address them. While it will take time, I believe we have started to develop a relationship that will help us secure much-needed funds to create new modes of public transit.

(10) What else is in your public transit platform that would you like the voters and everyone else who lives, works and plays in West Hollywood to know?

I am dedicated to making West Hollywood more sustainable in all aspects, including by increasing access to and use of public transportation. Our motto here is "The Creative City" and I will consider all possible solutions that could make our City greener, alleviate traffic, and improve our transportation infrastructure. I am grateful that the Sierra Club and the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters have recognized this commitment through their endorsements of my campaign, and I hope that the voters will elect me to a full term in office so I can get to work on turning my vision for a sustainable West Hollywood into a reality. It's time to get West Hollywood moving!

----------------------

Blogger's Note: I was particularly happy to read the following:

"In October last year, I also met with the Department of Transportation in Washington DC to discuss the unique issues facing West Hollywood and what potential support and solutions they could offer."

Why I am voting to re-elect Abbe Land and am not voting for Steve Martin

When considering how to vote in an election, we all have the issues that matter most to us. As you know since you are reading my blog, my pet issue in local government is public transit. It is vital to me that candidates for elective office have a clear understanding of both the needs and opportunities for public transporation in West Hollywood and the rest of Los Angeles County and the whole state of California.

When I put sent my public transit questionnaire to all of the candidates for West Hollywood City Council, I did not know what if any response I would get.

A couple of candidates stated they would get back to me who never did. One candidate, Matt Gonzaga, who I introduced myself to live and in person told me he'd leave "public transit issues to someone else" wanting to focus solely on the needs of renters in his campaign. (If he doesn't think that "renters" in West Hollywood have needs with public transit than he really doesn't understand the issues of either, does he?) It's the lack of curiousity about this issue I found astonishing (and appalling). Any member of a City Council is going to have to focus on a whole range of issues, from land use, sanitation, libraries, budgeting, social services, not to mention transportation.

However, I certainly understand having a passion for a particular issue and politics needs advocates. I recommend instead of running for City Council, Mr. Gonzaga might better use his interests to form a West Hollywood equivalent to Santa Monica Renters Rights which has tremendous power and influence there.
Of the top candidates, Councilwoman Abbe Land answered my questionnaire with thoughtfulness and with a thorough understanding of the issues involved which you can read here.

As a contrast, in an clueless rant in WeHo News, former City Councilman Steve Martin says the following about the decision not to include the proposed Metrorail subway through West Hollywood as part of the current Westside Subway Extension project:

"Perhaps we should be grateful."

He further states,

"The city should stop hectoring our residents about automobile use..."

In other words, in his rant, Steve Martin has positioned himself as the anti-subway candidate. I guess we cannot expect his support in extending a light-rail subway through West Hollywood as is now being discussed in transit planning circles. Someone should let Mr. Martin know that 86% of West Hollywood voted yes on Measure R in no small hope to bring Metrorail to West Hollywood.

However, Mr. Martin's anti-subway rant is very shortsighted. He seems to believe that West Hollywood can plan transportation and development in a vaccum. Even if West Hollywood adpots a strict, zero-development policy, the surrounding areas of Los Angeles will not, and traffic will only continue to worsen in the years ahead no matter what West Hollywood does within its borders, reducing the ability of people to drive single-occupancy automobiles to and around West Hollywood and, without viable transit alternatives, live/work/play here.

Therefore, we cannot afford to have ANY member of the City Council who does not 100% support bringing Metrorail to West Hollywood. Mr. Martin's proposed "shuttle bus" to Wilshire or Hollywood Blvds. doesn't cut it.

Meanwhile, Councilwoman Land still sees the importance of seeking to bring Metrorail to West Hollywood perhaps through another alignment. There is much discussion now of extending the Crenshaw/LAX light-rail line north to Hollywood via West Hollywood, giving WeHo a one-seat ride to/from LAX.

Read Abbe Land's answer to my questionnaire and then read Steve Martin's anti-subway rant in the WeHo News and you'll see the difference between one candidate who gets and understands the needs and opportunities for public transit in West Hollywood and one who clearly doesn't and is even disdainful to our issues.

And just compare their tone when discussing transit issues:

Martin:

"If it is so important for all of us to live close to where we work or take public transportation than maybe Lindsay Horvath should move to Venice or take the bus to work." (As if it is an insult to take the bus.)

Land:

I believe we must find alternative transit options for people, not only because it is one of the best things we can do for our environment, but also that our focus on regional connectivity will enhance the quality of life for all who live, work and play in our region.

And that is why next Tuesday, I will be enthusiastically casting my vote for Abbe Land and not for Steve Martin.

I wish all the candidates good luck and don't forget to vote on March 8th!

Vote like an Academy Member for Best Picture!

On Huffington Post, Rob Richie has created an excellent demonstration what it called "ranked-choice voting (RCV)" or "instant runoff voting (IRV)" in America, or "alternative voting (AV)" in Britain or "preferential voting" in Australia and Ireland, using this year's Best Picture contest for the Oscar.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rob-richie/poll-oscars-irv_b_824246.html

The Motion Picture Academy now uses this ranked-choice voting system to vote for Best Picture, and this voting system has been adopted by an increasing number of municipalities in America, including San Francisco and Oakland here in California.

I am a big fan of ranked-choice voting. I am not a fan of they system we use in America often called "first past the post (FPTP)". "First past the post" has left us with two major parties both under the influence of the same campaign contributors and offers little chance for other parties or new parties to break through except in playing the media-designated role of "spoiler".

Wouldn't you love to vote for your first choice candidate or party without worrying that you might help elect your least choice candidate or party?

The way ranked-choice voting generally works is that if no candidate wins more than 50% of the votes ranked #1, the candidate with the least number of #1 votes is eliminated and those votes are distributed to the #2 choices for the non-eliminated candidates. (If a voter does not indicate a next preferred candidate, that vote does not get redistributed and is said to have "exhausted"). After this, if no candidate has 50% of the votes, the candidate with the next lowest non-exhausted vote total is eliminated and those votes are redistributed to the next preferred candidate. This is process is repeated until a candidate achieves over 50% of the vote. Since the voters rank the candidates on the same ballot, this process has acquired the name "instant runoff".

Ranked-choice reduces the number of rounds of voting to be paid for, reduces negative campaigning and leads to consensus winners. For example, if a candidate doesn't win a majority of the #1 ranked votes, he/she will want to be liked enough by the other candidates supporters to be their #2 choice.

In the recent Oakland Mayoral election we saw the establishment candidate not win because he did not receive as high a ranking of preferences as the eventual winner. Even though the establishment candidate won a little over a third of the first-choice votes, nowhere near a majority, what the preferences of the voters determined is that Oakland now has a Mayor with the highest preferred support of the majority.

http://www.acgov.org/rov/rcv/results/

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/11/11/919562/-IRV-Produces-Stunning-Results-in-Oakland-Mayoral-Race

http://www.fairvote.org/oakland-faq

Please go to the linked website and check out the ranked-choice voting system in action for yourself. This is the electoral reform I strongly believe we should adopt locally, statewide and nationally.

For more information about ranked-choice voting a.k.a. "instant runoff voting", please go to http://www.fairvote.org/instant-runoff-voting/.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant-runoff_voting

Move LA's 2nd Annual Valentine's Day Celebration

Whether you have a sweetheart or are "in-between" relationships, I hope you will consider attending MoveLA's 2nd Annual Valentine's Day Celebration tomorrow night.

Metro proposes truncating the Rapid 704 and Local 217 buses. Make your voice heard.

Warninig,

Metro is about to reduce service on the Rapid 704 by terminating the eastern end of the line at Sunset/Alvarado. So you if you were heading downtown on the 704, you would have a forced transfer to the Red Line at Santa Monica/Vermont. Line 2 would be rerouted to go to Union Station instead of the 704, so you'd have to transfer to a local 2 or local 4 to get to Echo Park or further stops downtown.

Here's a thought. Line 304 used to go into the heart of downtown and it used to be packed solid during rush hour. I know this, because I used to ride it. Perhaps the change that needed to be made here was simply switching the 2 and the 704 so that the 704 went into the heart of downtown. (Unfortunately, unlike Penn Station and Grand Central Station in New York and Liverpool Street Station and Charing Cross Station in London, there isn't much "destination" ridership to/from Union Station as it is pretty much used for transfers to/from trains only.

My comment to Metro is that the should simply switch the 2 and 704 routes east of Sunset/Alvarado and try that before truncating the service.

Another bus service truncation you need to know about is Metro's proposal to terminate all northern trips of the 217 at Hollywood/Vine station. This means if you are headed to East Hollywood or Los Feliz, Metro will force you to transfer onto the Local 180/ Rapid 780.

Forced transfers are so discouraging to potential transit riders.

Here are the details of all the proposed service "enhancements". (In bureaucratic language, a service reduction is still called an "enhancement".)

http://www.metro.net/around/service-enhancements/metro-service-enhancements-proposed/

If you have any comment about these proposals, please contact Metro at servicechanges@metro.net

Please send in your comments in and be heard.

City Councilmember Abbe Land responds to West Hollywood Public Transit Questionnaire

Here is West Hollywood City Councilmember Abbe Land's reply to our Public Transit Questionnaire. (We thank her and all the candidates who take time out of their busy schedules to address these issues:

1) Do you support continuing efforts to bring Metrorail to West

Hollywood, and if so, with what alignment?

Yes, any alignment that allows West Hollywood to connect to other lines

and provides our residents an easy way to get downtown and further

west. This would also ease traffic by making it easier for people who

work in West Hollywood to get here from other locations.

(2) Do you support extending the proposed Crenshaw/LAX light rail

line up San Vicente and then on Santa Monica Blvd. to the Red Line in

Hollywood? (Note:This could potentially be a light-rail subway and would provide West

Hollywood with a one-seat ride to LAX.)

Yes, absolutely.

3) As modern streetcars are coming to downtown Los Angeles by 2015,

would you support bringing modern streetcars to West Hollywood on Santa

Monica Blvd, Sunset Blvd. and/or San Vicente Blvd?

I support exploring all options that help connect West Hollywood with

other transit options, and that encourage people to use public transit

I would like to explore the modern streetcar for use on Sunset

Boulevard as well so we can determine best way to align with existing

options and maximize ridership.

(4) Do you support transit-only lanes on Santa Monica Blvd.?

I would want to see and understand the impact as we balance pedestrian

use and bike use for Santa Monica Boulevard.

(5) What are your proposals for improving bus service in West

Hollywood, including Metro, DASH and West Hollywood's City Line?

That we all continue to work together to ensure connectivity, as well

as potentially add lines to best accommodate where people really need to

go.

(6) What is your platform for bicycles in West Hollywood?

I was proud to initiate and co-sponsor the creation of our Bicycle Task

Force in West Hollywood. This is a group of people with varying fields

of expertise related to transportation, bicycling, urban planning and

public safety. I am looking forward to the results of their work, to

seeing what their recommendations to the City Council will be and how

we can best try to implement those. I would really like to see

bicycling become a more viable means of transportation (as well as

recreation) in our city and our region.

(7) What is your platform for pedestrians in West Hollywood?

The city undertook the renovations of Santa Monica and Sunset

Boulevards to improve pedestrian activity and ambiance, and I think the

quality and impact of that work is clear. Our General Plan that is

currently being updated will add more language about the need to

enhance and maintain a pedestrian modality for West Hollywood.

I am a supporter of mixed use, as part of an overall effort to get more

folks to enhance quality of life and give our residents and those who

work here real and safe options to enjoy their neighborhoods and our

iconic boulevards without having to drive/park their cars.

(8) Have you read Donald Shoup's, "The High Cost of Free Parking", and

what do you think about it?

I have not read his book, but if his philosophy is about looking at the

true impact of free parking -- i.e., more cars, higher cost to build

housing, less turnover for merchants -- then I share some of his concerns.

(9) How would you pursue additional funding for public transit in West

Hollywood?

West Hollywood voters overwhelming supported Measure R, which is

intended to fund public transit. I would like to look at

developer exaction fees and once we know there is a

feasible option (like light rail), I would be willing to talk with the

community about extra revenue options as well.

(10) What else is in your public transit platform that would you like

the voters and everyone else who lives, works and plays in West

Hollywood to know?

That I am a longtime supporter of alternative vehicles, Flex car and

bike rental/sharing programs; that I am interested in looking at

additional uses of CityLine so people could potentially utilize it for

nighttime use on Santa Monica and Sunset Boulevards.

I am a member of the Westside Cities Council of Governments (COG) and

co-chair of that group's Sustainability Committee. I believe we must

find alternative transit options for people, not only because it's one

of the best things we can do for our environment, but also that our

focus on regional connectivity will enhance the quality of life for all

those who live, work and play in our region.

----------------------------

Blogger's Note: Councilmember Land clearly "gets" it.

Martin Topp suspends his campaign

Martin Topp, a West Hollywood City Council candidate has decided to suspend his campaign. Here is the note he sent to me:

"Due to business time constraints, I have had to re-evaluate my candidacy for city council. I have had to suspend my campaign going forward."

So that is one less candidate.

A West Hollywood City Councilmember is not a full-time position, so we should be thankful to any candidate willing to spend all of their free time serving West Hollywood.

Dropping the Ball on New Year's Eve in West Hollywood?

At Tuesday evening's West Hollywood City Council meeting, Councilman John Duran spoke of how New York has the ball dropping in Times Square as its iconic New Year's Eve event and other cities have other events, but Southern California really doesn't.

He suggested that West Hollywood could not only be the nexus for Gay Pride weekend and Halloween, but for New Year's Eve (and Mardis Gras too).

This, of course, would be just one more reason to extend Metrorail to West Hollywood.

What should this iconic Southern California New Year's Eve stroke at midnight event in West Hollywood be?

Any suggestions?

West Hollywood's City Council candidates and the Public Transit Questions I Sent Them

According to the City of West Hollywood website, here are the ten "qualified candidates" for City Council in the March 8, 2011, General Municipal Election:

Mito Aviles

John D'Amico

Mark Gonzaga

Mayor John Heilman (incumbent)

Councilwoman Lindsey Horvath (incumbent)

Lucas John

Councilwoman Abbe Land (incumbent)

Steve Martin

Scott Schmidt

Martin Topp

Voters will be allowed to vote for no more than three (3) of these candidates. Incumbents have a natural advantage in most elections and fortunately all of the incumbents running for City Council are pro-transit and seem to "get" these issues. I hope their challengers do too. Below are the questions I sent all of the qualified City Council candidates. When I receive their answers, I will post them for your perusal. You, of course, will then be free to comment on and share any of their answers.

I would imagine most candidates for office in Southern California are asked questions about traffic, parking and the welfare of someone's single-occupancy automobile, so I imagine this might be a refreshing change for them. After all, this is a post-Measure R, 86% vote in favor, multi-modal transportation world in which we are now living, working and playing.

Let's hope as many as possible think about these issues seriously and give intelligent thoughtful answers. You, as citizens who live, work, play and/or vote in West Hollywood deserve nothing less.

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QUESTIONS FOR WEST HOLLYWOOD CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES ON PUBLIC TRANSIT ISSUES:

(1) Do you support continuing efforts to bring Metrorail to West Hollywood, and if so, with what alignment?

(2) Do you support extending the proposed Crenshaw/LAX light rail line up San Vicente and then on Santa Monica Blvd. to the Red Line in Hollywood? (Note: This could potentially be a light-rail subway and would provide West Hollywood with a one-seat ride to LAX.)

(3) As modern streetcars are coming to downtown Los Angeles by 2015, would you support bringing modern streetcars to West Hollywood on Santa Monica Blvd, Sunset Blvd. and/or San Vicente Blvd?

(4) Do you support transit-only lanes on Santa Monica Blvd.?

(5) What are your proposals for improving bus service in West Hollywood, including Metro, DASH and West Hollywood's City Line?

(6) What is your platform for bicycles in West Hollywood?

(7) What is your platform for pedestrians in West Hollywood?

(8) Have you read Donald Shoup's, "The High Cost of Free Parking", and what do you think about it?

(9) How would you pursue additional funding for public transit in West Hollywood?

(10) What else is in your public transit platform that would you like the voters and everyone else who lives, works and plays in West Hollywood to know?

Thank you!

What about the Beverly Hills right-of-way on Santa Monica Blvd.?

Anyone traveling on Santa Monica Blvd. through Beverly Hills notices the unused, Metro-owned right-of-way on the southern side of the street.

It seems a bit of a missed opportunity?

It seems any subway alignment that runs via Santa Monica Blvd. through West Hollywood will head south to the Beverly Center instead of through the low density back end of Beverly Hills.

There are two basic ideas of how to use this right-of-way to increase mobility.

(1) Turn the right-of-way into transit-only lanes. This would take buses off of Santa Monica Blvd. and allow them to move quickly through this area, adding to their appeal.

(2) Turn the right-of-way into a modern streetcar or light-rail route between Century City and West Hollywood that could then be extended east on Santa Monica Blvd. to Hollywood and beyond.

(3) Do both. In Seattle's downtown transit tunnel, both buses and the new light rail share the tunnel.

Yes, this would require redesigning parking structures and redesigning part of Beverly Hills Civic Center, but that could be a great opportunity. However, it would be worth it as a light-rail/streetcar stop at Beverly Hills Civic Center would allow even more people to get to/from Beverly Hills.

I don't believe those homeowners on the north side of Santa Monica Blvd. would mind a light-rail/streetcar on the south side, as it would be more attractive than what is there now, which is nothing.

Perhaps West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Century City, Hollywood and the rest of Los Angeles can work together to create something wonderful for the future on this unused right-of-way.

What do you think?

What Questions Should I Ask West Hollywood City Council Candidates?

I am inviting all West Hollywood City Council candidates to answer a few questions about their public transit and liveable streets platform and will share their answers with you on this blog.

Here are the questions I am considering asking all of the candidates for West Hollywood City Council. If you have any tweaks or additional suggestions, please add your comment.

(1) Do you support continuing efforts to bring Metrorail to West Hollywood, and if so, with what alignment?

(2) Do you support extending the proposed Crenshaw/LAX light rail line up San Vicente and then on Santa Monica Blvd. to the Red Line in Hollywood?

(3) Do you support bringing modern streetcars to West Hollywood on Santa Monica Blvd, Sunset Blvd. and/or San Vicente Blvd?

(4) Do you support transit-only lanes on Santa Monica Blvd.?

(5) What are your proposals for improving bus service in West Hollywood, including Metro, DASH and West Hollywood's City Line?

(6) What is your platform for bicycles in West Hollywood?

(7) What is your platform for pedestrians in West Hollywood?

(8) What else is in your public transit platform that would you like the voters in West Hollywood to know?

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What do you think?

Metro plans to reduce Rapid 704 service in upcoming cuts

You need to know that Metro plans cutting the Rapid 704 but making the eastern terminus at Alvarado/Sunset. (Line 2 would be rerouted to terminate at Union Station.)

Click here to see planned service reductions

Please make sure to comment at servicechanges@metro.net if you do not think this is a good idea.

I also wonder if Metro has considered alternate eastern terminals for the 704 other than Union Station. For example, what about 7th St Metro or Pershing Square stations more into the heart of downtown?

The Rapid 704 needs to be enhanced, especially to include late night service as does the 720. Many people travel on this corridor late at night to/from their service jobs and entertainment destinations.

Every Wednesday night when i get on the #4 bus at Bundy towards West Hollywood, it is standing room only. This corridor does not operate under traditional “rush hour” 9-5 workaday service.

At the very least bring back the articulated #4 after the 704 stops running.

There is no reason to force people to stand like packed sardines inside a crowded 40 foot bus during late night when there are articulated buses available. Simply turn the articulated #704 buses to #4 after the 704 stops running or run the #704 until 2:00 a.m.

I also wonder if Metro has considered alternate eastern terminals for the 704 other than Union Station. For example, what about 7th St Metro or Pershing Square stations more into the heart of downtown?

Another bus change you should be aware of is the extension of the 217 south to the Expo Line station opening next year. This makes sense. Unfortunately, it may mean you have a forced transfer onto the 180 at Hollywood/Vine if you are headed to Los Feliz.