LOS ANGELES | Transportation News & Discussion - Page 11

JDRCRASH · #**201** Posted **Sep 18, 2009, 5:03 AM**

^Unfortunately, a certain political party doesn't believe in planning ahead...which is truly sad...

And speaking of the Orange Line, some form of connection to the Gold Line could really help, too. Maybe build a BRT or LRT line from the Downtown Connector to Burbank Metrolink Station, and extend it to the Red Line North Hollywood station via Chandler, and then build an East connection through Eagle Rock via Colorado to the Gold Line.

202_Cyclist · #**202** Posted **Sep 18, 2009, 4:26 PM**

L.A. to expand Zipcar vehicle-sharing program around UCLA, USC

Hsu, Tiffany
Los Angeles Times
09/18/09

The city plans to add 12 hybrids and SmartWay-rated vehicles to the existing fleet. For a fee, students and residents can use the cars to get around.

Zipcar: the leaner, greener solution to the Los Angeles traffic tarantula?

City officials seem to think so. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and City Council members have paired with the Massachusetts company to expand an existing car-sharing program around UCLA and USC.

Adding 12 hybrids and SmartWay-rated vehicles to the 14 Zipcars already at UCLA and the 16 at USC could limit traffic congestion, cut back on exhaust fumes and emissions, and keep drivers from circling aimlessly while looking for parking spots.

The schools are among the five largest of the 130 campuses nationwide that host Zipcar.

The company says each Zipcar helps remove between 15 and 20 personally owned vehicles from the road. Customers say they drive 40% fewer miles, increasing public transportation use by nearly 20% and saving more than $600 per month on transportation costs.

Two new vehicles will be located at each of the following locations:

* 32nd Street and University Avenue
* West 29th Street and Orchard Avenue
* West Adams and Portland Street
* Midvale and Rochester avenues
* Roebling and Levering avenues
* Strathmore Drive and Landfair Avenue

Students ages 18 and older and Los Angeles residents 21 and older can pay $8 per hour or $66 per day during the week, or $9 per hour or $72 per weekend day, to go shopping, pick up groceries, go on road trips and more. New members currently receive $50 worth of free driving in their first month.

Reservations can be made at www.zipcar.com/LA. The fee includes gas, insurance and roadside assistance.

City officials hope to expand the program to the rest of the region.

yeah215 · #**203** Posted **Sep 18, 2009, 5:30 PM**

Living now in Washington, DC, I love zipcar. I have had a membership for years and makes things so much easier.

I think it would be successful in Downtown, Hollywood, and Santa Monica: the places where you don't have to have a car for daily business. Then if you want/need to go to place that is inaccessible otherwise, you could just grab a zipcar. It make living in LA carless significantly more plausible--and not just for students.

202_Cyclist · #**204** Posted **Sep 18, 2009, 5:51 PM**

yeah215-- I also live in DC, although I have never used ZipCar. The current Director of the DC Department of Transportation was previously a manager of Zipcar.

Zipcar can help decrease vehicle miles traveled. If motorists have to pay by the hour for each trip, then people will more likely use other modes of transportation for trips where a vehicle is not necessary. If a person owns a car, on the other hand, they only pay the incremental costs of gas and vehicle wear for each additional mile. This encourages drivers to use a car for short trips. Zipcar's fleet is usually newer vehicles that get better fuel mileage than other cars. Additionally, as this article notes, Zipcar has dedicated parking, decreasing the need to cruise for parking, which leads to more fuel consumption and congestion (pointed out by Donald Shoup).

IconRPCV · #**205** Posted **Sep 18, 2009, 8:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmfarley

I was referring to your ignorant statement saying that the Trolley "...has languised into a system that is only used to attend baseball and football games..."

That was ignorant on your part.

And now you provide new ignorance... a new line IS planned in San Diego. It's called the Mid-Coast extension... Old Town to UTC.

On other parts.. I agree.

Well my ignorance will then again say the trolley goes nowhere to take anyone who has a car out of it except to go to a baseball or football game. I know full well about the mid-coast extension and wished it would get built but I have a feeling it will not get built in the forseeable future.

One last thought, you don't have to be rude, I wasn't dissing you, just our mass transit system, chill out.

geoking66 · #**206** Posted **Sep 20, 2009, 5:25 PM**

Considering the success of the Orange Line, it would seem appropriate to extend the Red Line from North Hollywood to at least Van Nuys or Sepulvida station. I'm sure that's been suggested, but I haven't seen it anywhere. And what was the Eastside original Red Line Eastside extension plan?

Quixote · #**207** Posted **Sep 20, 2009, 7:07 PM**

^ LRT would be more cost-effective, especially when the ROW is already there. Choosing this mode would also allow the route to be incorporated into the Burbank/Glendale or Yellow Line proposals (virtually unknown, but on the LRTP).

For an HRT extension, Ventura Blvd. is in the hearts and minds of many.

Quixote · #**208** Posted **Sep 20, 2009, 7:19 PM**

The original Red Line extension to East LA...

From Flickr, by jwalker64

sopas ej · #**209** Posted **Sep 20, 2009, 7:34 PM**

Oh wow, where did you find this map?

So the original subway was supposed to go down Whittier Blvd., huh? Makes sense... hehe though there wouldn't be a stop near the original King Taco, and it would be further down from East LA College.

bmfarley · #**210** Posted **Sep 20, 2009, 8:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by IconRPCV

Well my ignorance will then again say the trolley goes nowhere to take anyone who has a car out of it except to go to a baseball or football game. I know full well about the mid-coast extension and wished it would get built but I have a feeling it will not get built in the forseeable future.

One last thought, you don't have to be rude, I wasn't dissing you, just our mass transit system, chill out.

I presume you consider downtown San Diego 'nowhere' too?

Two lines go "to" or "through" downtown San Diego. Over 60,000 trips begin or end there. That does not take anyone anywhere? The Trolley has probably saved the public and private sector combined over $1 billion in not needing to provide parking for visitors and employees. That is no exageration and not chump change. All cities could learn from that lesson. LA certainly has.

Being rude... my bad. I found your statements .... oh nevermind, better to stop now.

geoking66 · #**211** Posted **Sep 20, 2009, 10:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmfarley

I presume you consider downtown San Diego 'nowhere' too?

Two lines go "to" or "through" downtown San Diego. Over 60,000 trips begin or end there. That does not take anyone anywhere? The Trolley has probably saved the public and private sector combined over $1 billion in not needing to provide parking for visitors and employees. That is no exageration and not chump change. All cities could learn from that lesson. LA certainly has.

Being rude... my bad. I found your statements .... oh nevermind, better to stop now.

I wouldn't say that LA fully has. Even the best of zoning changes still require a relatively large amount of parking, just reduced by 25% (as is the case in Pasadena if I remember correctly).

IconRPCV · #**212** Posted **Sep 20, 2009, 10:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmfarley

I presume you consider downtown San Diego 'nowhere' too?

Two lines go "to" or "through" downtown San Diego. Over 60,000 trips begin or end there. That does not take anyone anywhere? The Trolley has probably saved the public and private sector combined over $1 billion in not needing to provide parking for visitors and employees. That is no exageration and not chump change. All cities could learn from that lesson. LA certainly has.

Being rude... my bad. I found your statements .... oh nevermind, better to stop now.

I live downtown less than a block from a trolley station and I never take the trolley, if I am going anywhere downtown I walk, it is quicker.

I love the trolley and want it to criss-cross SD, so I can park my car and never use it unfortunately it doesn't and won't in the near future.

NThomas · #**213** Posted **Sep 21, 2009, 12:49 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westsidelife

^ And that's the difference between what LA is doing compared to Phoenix and Dallas. For them, it's just for looks. For LA, it's actually about lifestyle changes.

I'm not trying to be partial... but what is DART doing that makes the Dallas rail "just for looks?"

ProTram · #**214** Posted **Sep 21, 2009, 2:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NThomas

I'm not trying to be partial... but what is DART doing that makes the Dallas rail "just for looks?"

Good point, if Dallas was really trying to do it for "looks," they wouldn't have picked such ugly trains! No offense meant to a great and promising system.

Quixote · #**215** Posted **Sep 21, 2009, 4:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NThomas

I'm not trying to be partial... but what is DART doing that makes the Dallas rail "just for looks?"

More or less what IconRPCV touched upon. Don't get me wrong, I commend Dallas' ambitious transit expansion plans. I really do. But I'm just not convinced that these worthwhile efforts will produce even the slightest paradigm shift in the way Dallasites move about The Metroplex. In other words, I don't see new lines and extensions making a serious dent in ridership.

JDRCRASH · #**216** Posted **Sep 21, 2009, 4:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sopas ej

Oh wow, where did you find this map?

So the original subway was supposed to go down Whittier Blvd., huh? Makes sense... hehe though there wouldn't be a stop near the original King Taco, and it would be further down from East LA College.

I think that even if the Gold Line Phase II Whittier Extension happens, the Whittier Blvd Subway can still be built as an eastern extension of the Purple Line. Come to think of it, perhaps that's one reason why Washington Blvd is a favored alternative for the Gold Line. The Purple Line can branch off onto 6th st in Downtown and continue as it becomes Whittier Blvd all the way to Santa Fe/Whittier/Washington. Maybe from that point on, the Gold Line could take over on Whittier Blvd in a Phase III to Beach Blvd. Imagine, a subway from Santa Monica to Whittier.

sopas ej · #**217** Posted **Sep 21, 2009, 6:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

Imagine, a subway from Santa Monica to Whittier.

Wow, that would be a 30-mile subway line. I wonder what the ridership would be like if such a line existed.

geoking66 · #**218** Posted **Sep 21, 2009, 10:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

I think that even if the Gold Line Phase II Whittier Extension happens, the Whittier Blvd Subway can still be built as an eastern extension of the Purple Line. Come to think of it, perhaps that's one reason why Washington Blvd is a favored alternative for the Gold Line. The Purple Line can branch off onto 6th st in Downtown and continue as it becomes Whittier Blvd all the way to Santa Fe/Whittier/Washington. Maybe from that point on, the Gold Line could take over on Whittier Blvd in a Phase III to Beach Blvd. Imagine, a subway from Santa Monica to Whittier.

I agree on the Purple Line extension down Whittier (with a complementary Red extension to CSULA and up Garvey), but ideally the Gold Line should act as a feeder service to the Purple Line down the Whittier corridor.

Quixote · #**219** Posted **Sep 22, 2009, 3:06 PM**

According to Wright Concept, the de facto resident LA transit expert, an eastward HRT extension down Whittier is very much a possibility because the Beverly and Whittier options for the Gold Line East II have run out of steam. This time, the subway would branch off down 7th St. to serve the Historic Core before switching over to 6th St. and eventually Whittier Blvd.

Bootstrap Bill · #**220** Posted **Sep 23, 2009, 5:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

I think that even if the Gold Line Phase II Whittier Extension happens, the Whittier Blvd Subway can still be built as an eastern extension of the Purple Line. Come to think of it, perhaps that's one reason why Washington Blvd is a favored alternative for the Gold Line. The Purple Line can branch off onto 6th st in Downtown and continue as it becomes Whittier Blvd all the way to Santa Fe/Whittier/Washington. Maybe from that point on, the Gold Line could take over on Whittier Blvd in a Phase III to Beach Blvd. Imagine, a subway from Santa Monica to Whittier.

If it's going to Beach Blvd. then why not head south to Knott's Berry Farm and then south east to the Disneyland Resort area and then finally to John Wayne Airport?

Yes, it would be very long, so make the OC portion limited stop/express service. Stops only at Knott's, Disneyland and John Wayne Airport.

The hard part will be paying for it, but I think this could eventually happen.

To save money they could make most of the OC portion of the Purple Line an El....