LOS ANGELES | Transportation News & Discussion

[SoCalKid]

Originally Posted by WrightCONCEPT

To fix most of the signal pre-emption now, requires LADOT to stop pussyfooting around and put their General Manager in charge of LADOT Laura Rubio Cornejo to the fire to implement the signal priority.

However the larger items the cost of these projects are going to be very expensive, will require an EIR AND there are other projects already in the queue for completion such as;

• South Bay K Line Extension to Torrance
• Southeast Gateway Corridor
• E Line extension to Whittier
• K Line Northern Extension
• Sepulveda Pass Transit Corridor

These projects like the grade separation, Pico Station upgrades and Washington/Flower junction will require significant funds and an environmental impact review to complete. Where it has to obtain those $$$ while not leapfrogging other projects that the voters supported and passed.

However the fixes you are suggesting if they are simple like for the signal preemption that can work.

I generally agree with you with one caveat -with AB 2503 passing (assuming the Governor signs it), these projects should all be CEQA exempt. But understood that they still would take time and $$$.

If I were in charge though, I'd do whatever it took to find that money (enhanced infrastructure finance district, money from Prop A/C, etc.) and make it a top priority, honestly even ahead of the light rail Measure M projects (without using Measure M money to avoid that legal issue). Making our existing light rail system work like a real rapid transit system should be more important than building more light rail.

[WrightCONCEPT]

Originally Posted by SoCalKid

I generally agree with you with one caveat -with AB 2503 passing (assuming the Governor signs it), these projects should all be CEQA exempt. But understood that they still would take time and $$$.

If I were in charge though, I'd do whatever it took to find that money (enhanced infrastructure finance district, money from Prop A/C, etc.) and make it a top priority, honestly even ahead of the light rail Measure M projects (without using Measure M money to avoid that legal issue). Making our existing light rail system work like a real rapid transit system should be more important than building more light rail.

The key caveat with that CEQA exemption, if it requires ANY Federal $$$, then the project requires an EIR for NEPA National Environmental Protection Act. Not saying it is not needed its about moving forward just realize the road ahead.

So moving money around to make it a priority also requires acceleration of some of the existing projects

[SoCalKid]

This was a timely conversation - Numble posted a motion from 5 City Council members calling for "dwell recall", signal priority, and preemption as part of a Transit First Policy that aims to "reduce transit signal delay to transit vehicles and reduce transit end to end times as much as possible above all other considerations, excepting safety." It also directs LADOT to "upgrade the type of signal prioritization or preemption that best meets the travel time goals of the policy".

https://x.com/numble/status/1843792454451073110

These are by far the strongest words I've seen coming out of the city on this issue, it seems like they're calling for full preemption wherever possible. How much do we think the E and A lines could be sped up? On trips from Downtown Santa Monica to 7th/Metro, it's seemed to me that cutting 5 minutes off of the scheduled ~46 minute trip should be doable. Maybe that trip can get under 40 minutes?? That'd make it competitive with car travel at most hours of the day.

[craigs]

Late night bus service for Anaheim resort workers gets federal backing

Travis Schlepp
KTLA
October 10, 2024

The Anaheim Transportation Network has been awarded federal funding that will allow it to begin late night bus service in some of the main tourism hubs in the city.

The ATN “Night Owl” service will provide bus service for employees in the Anaheim Resort neighborhood where Disneyland is located, and the Platinum Triangle area where Angel Stadium and the Honda Center can be found.

The bus service will operate between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., when other public transit options aren’t available.
. . . .

[LAsam]

Metro posted on their that the Aviation/Century Station will open Nov 3rd AND the C/K lines will be realigned that day as well. K will run from Redondo to Expo/Crenshaw and C from Aviation/Century Station to Norwalk.

Changes are coming soon to the C and K Lines as we open the new Aviation/Century Station

https://thesource.metro.net/changes-...&utm_campaign=

[craigs]

Good news from Metro:

Ridership surpasses 1 million mark on weekdays in September — 22nd straight month of growth

Steve Hymon
The Source
October 14, 2024

We have some very good ridership news to share now that our most recent numbers are available: we had more than one million average weekday boardings in September for the first time since the pandemic! Specifically, we had 1,023,399 average weekday boardings last month.

A few highlights:

•September was our 22nd consecutive month of year-over-year ridership gains.

•Average weekday bus ridership in September was more than 800,000 — the first time we surpassed 800K since the pandemic.

•Our combined bus and rail ridership in September was 86.4% of September 2019 ridership prior to pandemic.

•Across the U.S. transit agencies are averaging about 76% of what their ridership was pre-pandemic.

•In September, our weekend rail ridership reached 99.4% of pre-pandemic levels. Weekends continue to show strong numbers with more riders using Metro to reach events and leisure activities.
. . . .

[SoCalKid]

I rode the E line from 7th/Metro to Downtown Santa Monica this week and noticed a big improvement. 7th/Metro had people actively cleaning and a police/security presence. The station, while looking dated, was clean. The train was relatively clean, and there were no disturbances on it. I'm hoping all of this is a sign of where things are headed - if so I think we'll see continued ridership growth.

[craigs]

Originally Posted by SoCalKid

I rode the E line from 7th/Metro to Downtown Santa Monica this week and noticed a big improvement. 7th/Metro had people actively cleaning and a police/security presence. The station, while looking dated, was clean. The train was relatively clean, and there were no disturbances on it. I'm hoping all of this is a sign of where things are headed - if so I think we'll see continued ridership growth.

I've heard similar accounts recently. It may be that the line is less appealing to bums now that Metro requires everyone to "tap out" at downtown Santa Monica.

[SoCalKid]

Originally Posted by craigs

I've heard similar accounts recently. It may be that the line is less appealing to bums now that Metro requires everyone to "tap out" at downtown Santa Monica.

I think that definitely helps, although there were cops AND security at the Santa Monica station doing nothing as a few people just squeezed through the gates and didn't tap out. But I did hear one guy who hadn't tapped stressing about it, so it's clearly at least a partial deterrent! We need tall faregates ASAP!

But another part of it was the staffing - Metro is clearly investing in 7th/Metro and that presence was felt. Hopefully the clean train wasn't a fluke and represents a trend resulting from increased cleaning staff.

To me, the formula for turning the system around is so simple:

- Tall faregates and hard fare enforcement + expanding tap-in/tap-out to all stations.
- A Metro police department (LAPD/LASD are trash) with a heavy presence (no sitting in patrol cars) that actively enforces code of conduct. No sleeping or antisocial behavior. It is NOT Metro's job to fix the homelessness problem, but they do need to keep antisocial behavior off of the system.
- Lots of cleaning
- I'm a broken clock on this one, but FULL SIGNAL PREEMPTION on light rail except for pedestrian signals - let that signal finish then default to the train every time. This will fix tons of operational issues and speed up the trains.
- Better frequency, especially during off-peak hours and especially on the D/B lines
- Off-hours maintenance

The good news is that Metro seems to finally be talking about all of those (except off-hours maintenance). Let's hope they follow through and that LADOT cooperates on signaling for light rail. All of that combined with the planned system expansion could create an awesome system for our city.