L.A. Metro Area Transit: What's Next?

[202_Cyclist]

Why are Orange County transportation officials so reluctant to invest in transit? Other conservative, sprawling, regions such as Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Dallas have successfully built light rail lines. Increasingly, Orange County has the residential and employment density to support a light rail system.



Counties diverge on plan to widen the 405 Freeway

Officials in L.A. County prefer to have focus transit dollars on rail projects. In Orange County, freeway and surface street improvements get top priority.

By Tami Abdollah
November 17, 2009
LA Times


Orange County's plan to widen a traffic-clogged stretch of the 405 Freeway is facing unexpected opposition from some residents along the route and has generated new debate over the divergent transportation priorities of L.A. and Orange counties.

The plan targets one of the region's biggest traffic trouble spots, where 300,000 cars travel each day between Irvine and the L.A. County border. Without the improvement, Orange County transportation officials said maximum commute times during peak hours will continue to increase.

But critics say the project is a prime example of a lack of regional coordination between Orange and Los Angeles counties. L.A. County officials have no plans to widen their portion of the 405 beyond the county line, and some worry about creating a bottleneck near where the 405, 605 and 22 freeways merge.

Such a bottleneck developed a few years ago, when Orange County widened the 5 Freeway through Buena Park and L.A. County didn't follow suit. Now, traffic regularly backs up at the county line.

The situation underscores a basic philosophical difference between the counties. L.A. has focused its transportation money on opening new rail lines: the Gold Line Eastside extension, which opened over the weekend, and the Expo Line from downtown to Culver City, which is under construction. Orange County doesn't have light rail and has focused its resources largely on improving freeways and surface streets.

"L.A. is more transit-oriented; Orange County is more freeway-oriented," said Peter Buffa, chairman of the Orange County Transportation Authority. But as congestion mounts, that attitude will probably change, he believes.

"Ultimately, because of the pressure -- with the growing population, environmental impacts -- ultimately people will say, 'We get it, we can't get around one person to a car, that's not going to work.' In Orange County, quite frankly, we're not there yet," he said.

Buffa said many of the major differences in the transportation approaches are because of the counties' differing populations. Rail customers in Orange County usually have cars and take the train to avoid congestion or to save money on gas. In Los Angeles County, however, there are more people without cars who must rely on the bus or rails.

L.A. County has "more people, but also denser areas where trying to sell a rail line that goes down the middle of the street is a little easier than in some kind of wide open, very suburban, south Orange County city. . . . It's a political fight," Buffa said.

The disputes surrounding the plan to widen the 405 could be the first signs of the sort of political change that Buffa forecasts.

One hotbed of opposition to the widening is Westminster, a suburb of 90,000 that straddles both the 405 and 22 freeways. There, critics have been fighting over the 405 widening for years, saying OCTA could better spend the money on other transportation needs like street improvement, more buses and perhaps even a rail system.

"They're adding two lanes and putting everyone through this, and then they'll turn around and 10 years from now, we've got to expand four more lanes," said Paul Martorella, 51, a Westminster resident. "It's impractical to keep pouring cement."

In the last two decades, various Orange County entities have opened toll lanes on the 91 Freeway, built three toll roads and added miles of carpool lanes. The 405 is just the latest major project.

Up to two lanes would be added on each side of the roughly 14-mile stretch of the 405 between the 73 Freeway and the 605. Bridges would also be rebuilt, some homes would be taken under eminent domain and the carpool buffer would shrink.

"We're not just talking about adding lanes to the 405, we're talking about improving . . . ramps and connectors to the local streets," said Rose Casey, project program manager for OCTA. "Communities will see a benefit to their local traffic circulation."

OCTA says it's taken steps to prevent the kind of bottleneck that exists on the 5. For example, the project would branch off four lanes for vehicles moving from the 405 to the 605 and 22. Officials say this design would improve traffic flow at the busy junction and smooth out traffic flow for commuters going between L.A. and Orange counties on the 405. They believe this design will prevent bottlenecks even if L.A. County does not widen its side of the 405, which it is unlikely to do soon.

OCTA first approached residents in 2005 with an array of possible options to reduce congestion. Among them was adding a rail line, but the agency found it too expensive. At first, the widening called for the removal of 100 homes; later plans reduced that number to 11.

The reduction seemed to satisfy some residents. Then in January, officials said lower-than-expected tax revenue and rising construction costs had forced them to make changes in the plan.

One idea has been particularly controversial: adding a regular lane and creating a two-lane "expressway" for carpoolers and drivers willing to pay a toll.

OCTA officials said revenue from the expressway would help pay for the project and potentially other freeway improvements.

"They'd better drop it, or fix it right," said Westminster Mayor Margie Rice. "Because we're not going to back off."

OCTA officials maintain that the 405 widening will be welcomed by commuters and plan to move forward.

And L.A. County officials have no immediate plans to widen their segment of the 405 in that area.

L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority chief Art Leahy, who headed OCTA for eight years, said one reason is that the L.A. County side has less space for expansion than Orange County does.

Leahy said this type of opposition is what L.A. County has had to deal with for decades because of its relative higher density. "Increasingly, Orange County is beginning to move toward the same kind of community resistance that is in Los Angeles," he said. "L.A. is about 30 or 40 years further along in the process of becoming a big city."

He believes that eventually population growth will force Orange County to invest more heavily in alternative transportation methods.

"The fact is, the traffic conditions are far worse in Southern California than in any other part of the country," Leahy said. "There's no doubt we have more in common, more to work together on, than apart."

[pesto]

OC has a point. If LA is not going to expand freeways to help traffic, then it should step up and put a metro station at the county line and build rail transit along 405. You can't just do nothing.

[mwadswor]

Originally Posted by pesto

OC has a point. If LA is not going to expand freeways to help traffic, then it should step up and put a metro station at the county line and build rail transit along 405. You can't just do nothing.

Why should LAC pay to build a line to OC before there has any promise by OC to extend the line? It's not like there aren't any rail alternatives provided, the metrolink runs to/through OC, and is arguably a more appropriate mode for that distance of travel than LRT.

[pesto]

The main point is that OC has no inclnation to build transit along 405. LA has interest in building it but not in building freeways. If you don't reach a settlement, the NIMBY's win. And the public officials come off as acting like children.

Every form of urban rail has to end at some point; from there people get to it by cars or some form of inter-urban rail. Few people would want to take LRT for 30-50 miles and I don't know of any HSR projects from Anaheim/Garden Grove to LB/LAX/SFV so I assume cars are going to be very important on this route for some time.

OC is not a prime place to be spending on mass transit at this time. Much of the 405 corridor in LA is. If LA (quite righly) prefers some form of mass transit along that route, it can probably build for 30 years and not run out of projects without every needing OC's buy-in. You don't literally have to build to the border; for example LA could extend some form of transit to the 405 in Long Beach and connect to other lines, while widening the 405 between there and the county line to match OC's efforts on their side.

It seems to me there are a lot of choices other than everyone taking their toys and going home.

[dragonsky]

710 Freeway tunnel would be feasible, Caltrans study finds
The preliminary survey examines five proposed underground areas for the final phase of the freeway and presents the challenges of each. Public hearings will be held before the report is finalized.
By Ari B. Bloomekatz
The Los Angeles Times
9:24 PM PST, November 17, 2009

A long-awaited geological study for a proposal to complete the 710 Freeway as a tunnel under either the San Gabriel Valley or northeast Los Angeles found that such a project would be scientifically feasible.

The findings mark a small step in what even supporters say is a long road for the tunnel idea, which was proposed by transportation officials and some politicians after residents fought for decades against completing the 710 as an above-ground freeway.

The tunnel has also generated opposition, and building it would be significantly more expensive than a regular freeway.

The 710 ends in Alhambra, just north of the 10 Freeway. Planners originally envisioned that it would go through South Pasadena and Pasadena to link with the 210 Freeway.

Transportation officials began studying areas in five directions from the end of the freeway in January of last year.

Those zones stretch east to the 605 Freeway, north to the 210 Freeway, and west to the 2 Freeway.

The study, which is still in draft form, will not be finalized until early 2010, after a series of public meetings are held, said officials with the California Department of Transportation.

Abdi Saghafi, the Caltrans project manager for the 710 corridor, said the study did not favor one particular zone over another, but rather presented issues, challenges and conditions of each.

It was based on the assumption that the tunnel would be about 200 feet below ground and about 50 feet in diameter.

The study researched issues such as faults and seismic activity, groundwater conditions and the presence of hazardous materials, among others.

Some of the findings for each zone, according to the study, are:

Zone 1 (Northeast L.A.): There is one Superfund site in the northwest portion of the zone which could be a source of contaminated soil and groundwater in the tunnel.

There is also a possibility of encountering naturally occurring gases such as methane and hydrogen sulfide.

There are no active faults in the zone.

Zone 2 (Northeast L.A.): The active Raymond fault crosses the zone and there is also the potential of encountering naturally occurring gases.

Some soil and groundwater contamination could result in hazardous materials being encountered.

Zone 3 (South Pasadena/Pasadena): The Raymond and San Rafael faults are groundwater barriers in this area, and there is one active and two potentially active faults in the area.

There are two places with minor soil contamination in the northern limits of the zone.

Zone 4 (San Marino/Pasadena): Active faults that cross the zone are the Raymond and Alhambra Wash faults.

There is one Superfund site in the southwestern end of the zone.

There are also six other sites with various levels of soil contamination.

Zone 5 (Alhambra/San Gabriel/Temple City): The active Alhambra Wash fault is in this zone and so are the perennial Rio Hondo and San Gabriel rivers.

There is one Superfund site in the south-central portion of the zone and seven other sites with various levels of soil and groundwater contamination.

[dragonsky]

405 widening project presentation now online
Posted by Steve Hymon on November 20, 2009 - 1:54 pm

A community meeting was held Thursday evening at the Skirball Center for the 405 widening project that will add an HOV-lane for 10 miles over the Sepulveda Pass. It’s a monster project with a billion-dollar pricetag that will soon begin construction and is scheduled to be complete in 2013.

Here’s a link to an 18-page presentation on the project that was shown to audience members at the meeting. For those who have been following the project, there’s nothing new here, but the presentation does provide a basic overview of the work to be done.

When the HOV lane is complete, there will be continuous carpool lanes on the 405’s entire journey through Los Angeles County. I posted Caltrans’ most recent map of the L.A. County HOV network after the jump.

http://thesource.metro-2.net/2009/11/20/405-widening-project-presentation-now-online/

[dragonsky]

Never Wait for a DASH Bus Again
Department of Transportation Introduces New Vehicle Tracking System
by Anna Scott, Staff Writer
Published: Thursday, November 19, 2009 4:22 PM PST
Los Angeles Downtown News

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Department of Transportation has launched a new system that allows passengers to obtain real-time schedule and route information on Downtown DASH buses. The program, said LADOT Head of Transit Operations Corinne Ralph, aims to cut down on the problem of “bunching,” which happens when several buses arrive at a stop at once, followed by a long lag time before the next bus.

“We have tried various things over the years including adding staff and checks to make sure the buses were spaced out,” said Ralph. “We are already getting feedback from the public indicating that this is a very useful addition.”

Downtown DASH riders can access bus arrival times in one of three ways: by looking online at dtdash.com; by calling (213) 785-3858 and, when prompted, inputting the bus stop number on the bus stop pole; or texting “dtdash ####” to 41411 (with #### standing for the stop number). Meanwhile, Ralph said, bus contractors and LADOT officials will have access to the same information to track vehicles and identify problem areas.

[dragonsky]

From east to west, steel rails pull L.A. together
Building a web of rail lines will make the Eastside and Westside more accessible and our vast metropolis smaller.
Hector Tobar
The Los Angeles Times
November 24, 2009

You may not feel it yet, but one day you will.

Los Angeles is shrinking.

So much so that one day it will be possible to speed without the use of a car from Westwood to East L.A. for a squash blossom quesadilla fix at noon -- and still make it back to the Westside for a 2 p.m. meeting.

That day's still far off. But it got a little closer this month, thanks to the opening of the first Metro stations on the east side of the L.A. River.

Until recently, getting to an Eastside community like Boyle Heights without driving required Zen-like patience. You had to take a jostling ride on one of the three bus lines that run through the neighborhood's congested, narrow thoroughfares.

Nathan Baird, 30, a graduate student and urban explorer from Pasadena, got to know those buses well.

"They were always crowded and moved really slow," he told me. One night, he and his girlfriend waited for one for two hours on a Boyle Heights street corner.

No longer. Boyle Heights is now served by a 21st-century subway.

Half a century after the city tore up the last of the Pacific Electric Railway's Red Car lines, you can glide on steel to East L.A. once again.

I decided to celebrate this landmark of L.A. transportation history with a historic ride of my own -- a solo crossing of the city aided only by public transit and my weary, middle-aged feet.

I left Westwood Village late on a weekday afternoon heading for Boyle Heights and a popular sidewalk eatery, where I would meet up with Baird.

It was a journey across the many geographic and social divides that separate our East from our West, through the L.A. that was and the L.A. that will be.

Half of this trip took place on bus and half on rail. Guess which was faster?

I jumped on a so-called Metro Rapid bus at the corner of Westwood and Wilshire boulevards, and squeezed into a seat next to a kindly transient who was chewing on a hot dog. He offered me some of his chips.

"No thanks," I said, with an eager smile. "I'm going to East L.A. for dinner!"

The Metro Rapid bus that I was on was actually two buses, the halves connected by a sort of bellows like an accordion. The ride over Wilshire was surprisingly bumpy. And slow, especially as we passed Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.

Outside the bus windows, I saw several exquisite examples of architecture from L.A.'s glory days, including the old May Co. and Saks Fifth Avenue department stores.

As we rolled though the Miracle Mile, I felt momentarily transported to the 1950s and '60s, that era when L.A. embraced gasoline-powered chariots as the solution to its growing transportation needs. The last of the Red Cars stopped running in 1958, and pretty soon not even the widest freeways could accommodate the surging traffic.

My bus passed the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and its garden filled with bronze Rodin sculptures. Finally, we arrived at Western Avenue, and I checked the time -- it had taken me 40 minutes to travel eight miles.

As I scrambled onto the sidewalk, past the jade-colored tower of the Wiltern Theater, I remembered visiting a dentist's office there in the early 1970s. About the same time, L.A. voters rejected an initiative for a 1-cent sales tax to fund mass transit.

Now, three decades later, I was rushing into an actual subway station, where I hopped onto the Purple Line for a smooth ride under the city. At Union Station, I switched to the Gold Line, gliding on rails high above the bumper-to-bumper 101 Freeway. Seated by a window, I watched the sky turn orange behind the Civic Center.

When I arrived at the Mariachi Plaza station, I found three mariachis sitting on a bench outside. I had completed the six-mile rail portion of my journey in just 23 minutes.

In all, including some walking and waiting, my crosstown jaunt had taken 1 hour and 12 minutes. If and when the Subway to the Sea is ever built, the same trip should take about 40 minutes, according to MTA planners.

I walked quickly past Mariachi Plaza's old concrete gazebo, which would fit right into any rural Mexican town. Soon I was standing with Baird on a stretch of sidewalk occupied by Salvador Ortega and members of his extended family. The Ortegas work over a portable stove and steaming pots filled with sauces.

Ortega's been running his Antojitos Carmen food business at various Boyle Heights street corners for nearly two decades.

"With this food," Ortega told me, "I raised my family."

Until recently, they were located along with many other vendors at what came to be known as the Breed Street Food Fair, an informal market that was a favorite of food critic Jonathan Gold. Then, about the same time the nearby subway opened, police cleared the illegal vendors out.

"It got too popular," Ortega said.

Antojitos Carmen was forced to move to another location, though Baird and other loyal customers have been able to follow them to their new digs via Twitter.

"They cater to the tastes of native people and not to American tastes," said Baird, who's also a self-described foodie.

Ortega offered us a squash-blossom quesadilla and also pambazos and tacos de huitlacoche (corn-fungus tacos). As I bit into these exotic and quintessentially Mexican dishes I thought: I sure am far from Westwood now.

Baird lives in Pasadena but routinely takes public transit to Boyle Heights, and not just for the Mexican food. There's a legendary sushi joint near the Soto Street station and challah for sale in some local markets.

"The whole world is here," he told me.

It will cost a few billion dollars more to extend the subway to the ocean. But doing so will make our sprawling city smaller. Like the transcontinental railroad, it's a grand project that will unite a diverse people. Working people will get to their jobs faster, and you won't have to be an urban adventurer like Baird to explore new corners of the city.

Keep tunneling. Pour the concrete and lay the rails. I like gliding through my city on steel. Because you never know what you'll find at the next station.

[espalorius]

this is extremely off topic but i didn't want to start a new thread...

are there any plans to extend the eastern end of the 105freeway to the 5?

[LAdude]

I doubt they would extend the 105 any further east due to extreme community opposition. There are plans however to extend the Green Line light rail about 1-2 miles east to connect with the Norwalk/Sante Fe Springs Metrolink(and future High Speed Rail) station. The Green Line runs in the center of the 105 freeway save for a few segments. Hopefully that project happens soon.

[mwadswor]

Originally Posted by LAdude

I doubt they would extend the 105 any further east due to extreme community opposition. There are plans however to extend the Green Line light rail about 1-2 miles east to connect with the Norwalk/Sante Fe Springs Metrolink(and future High Speed Rail) station. The Green Line runs in the center of the 105 freeway save for a few segments. Hopefully that project happens soon.

That would be great if it actually happens. I know the idea's been discussed, but I was unaware that there were any concrete plans. If this happens, do you know if the plan is to elevate the green line the rest of the way so that it is still entirely grade separated? Or would it be at grade from the end of the 105 to the Metrolink station?

[JDRCRASH]

Probably grade-seperated. Saftey NIMBY's will cry like babies it wasn't.

[dragonsky]

L.A. City Council wants bullet train officials to weigh two options for Union Station
December 2, 2009 | 2:39 pm

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously urged officials at the California High Speed Rail Authority today to consider two proposed alternatives for the bullet train stop at Union Station downtown.

Councilman Ed Reyes said the alternatives were crucial to protecting the residents in East Los Angeles as planners determine the route for the 800-mile bullet train between Northern California and San Diego. Proponents say the train would carry passengers from Los Angeles to San Francisco in about 21/2 hours.

The two alternatives are:

* An aerial stop at Union Station where the bullet train would be stacked above Metrolink tracks, or
* A stop on the east side of Patsaouras Transit Plaza, along Vignes Street.

A city planner said the second option could minimize intrusions into communities north and south.

Voters approved a $10-billion bond measure for the bullet train in 2008 and the state is seeking additional federal money in the hope of beginning construction on a first phase between Anaheim and L.A. as early as 2011. Reyes is concerned that the likely route north from Union Station along the Los Angeles River would destroy the city’s plans to rehabilitate the river as well as disrupt the lives of residents in communities including Lincoln Heights, Cypress Park and Elysian Valley.

Reyes cited Chicago’s Millennium Park, which was built above railroad tracks and parking, as an example of the opportunities that lie ahead for Los Angeles as the project advances.

“We should be opening our eyes to what could be,” Reyes said. “…In your hands lies a unique opportunity to create a facility that should last the next 100 years. But let’s do it with the understanding that we can create relief and improvements.”

He said the project “can create a grand Union Station for the state of California without having the communities [have] to bear the burdens on their backs.”

Reyes demanded a public commitment that rail authority officials would consider both options, which he said could determine the path of the train as it heads north from the station.

Valerie Martinez, Southern California communications director for the High Speed Rail Authority, assured Reyes that the draft environmental impact report would include a second alternative. “There will be two options that your community will be able to look at and determine how each of those impacts the communities,” she said.

-- Maeve Reston at L.A. City Hall

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/20...-two-options-for-union-station.html#more

[JDRCRASH]

Actually it's 3 alternatives. See Page 80:

http://cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/images/chsr/20090611110104_20090602162631AgendaItem9.pdf

I would also recommend seeing Page 20. It gives us some idea of how it will cross the 101.

[dragonsky]

Meet the Silver Line
New line will have frequent direct connections to downtown landmarks
By SCOTT WEBER
NBC Los Angeles
Updated 4:00 PM PST, Thu, Dec 3, 2009

Gold, purple, blue, and now silver.

The Silver Line, a new bus service connecting the San Gabriel Valley and South Bay via downtown Los Angeles, will begin operating later this month, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Thursday.

Starting Dec. 13, the Silver Line will operate between the El Monte Station and the Artesia Transit Center via the Harbor Transitway on the Harbor (110) Freeway and the El Monte Busway on the San Bernardino (10) Freeway.

It will have frequent, direct connections to downtown landmarks such as the Staples Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall, L.A. Convention Center, CalState Los Angeles, and more. L.A. Live, California Science Center, USC, L.A. Coliseum, and other work, school, shopping and dining centers.

It will operate every 5 to 15 minutes during rush hour. Base cash fare is $2.45 one way, $1.15 for senior/disabled cash fare during peak times, and $0.85 cents in off-peak times.

Metro Day Passes will be honored as base fare, and Metro weekly, monthly and EZ transit passes will be accepted with an additional $1.20 charge when boarding.

The Silver Line will replace the Metro Express Bus lines 444, 446/447, 484, and 490, which will be rerouted.

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local-beat/Meet-the-Silver-Line-78470017.html

line map:
http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/maps/images/Silver_Line_carcard.pdf

schedule and detailed map:
http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/910.pdf

[dragonsky]

Caltrans to share results of tunnel extension study
Pasadena Star-News
Posted: 01/07/2010 01:42:24 PM PST

Caltrans has completed its study of geological conditions if a tunnel is considered to extend the Long Beach (710) Freeway and will present a report to the public at a series of upcoming meetings.

Caltrans and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) initiated the State Route 710 Tunnel Study last year to determine if a tunnel is feasible to extend the 710 from the San Bernardino (10) Freeway. The study took place in the cities of Pasadena, Alhambra, South Pasadena, San Marino, La Ca ada Flintridge, Monterey Park, Glendale and several neighorhoods in Los Angeles/

Public meetings on Caltrans' report on its study will be held at these times and locations:

San Marino: From 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 26 at the San Marino Center, 1800 Huntington Drive;

San Gabriel: From 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 10 at Jefferson Middle School, 1372 E. Las Tunas Drive;

El Monte: From 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 24 at the El Monte Community Center, 3130 N. Tyler Ave.

SOUTH PASADENA

Informational meeting,

tours planned at school

South Pasadena Middle School, 1020 El Centro St., will hosts its monthly informational meeting and campus tour from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. today.

The monthly meetings, called "Community Coffees," offer parents and students a detailed description of school curriculum as well as a brief tour of the campus.

For more information, call 626-441-5830.

[dragonsky]

Chance of rain delays start of massive 405 Freeway project
January 12, 2010 | 10:42 am
Los Angeles Times

A chance of showers has delayed the start of the $1-billion project to widen the 405 Freeway through the Sepulveda Pass, which had been slated to start today.

Because of expected rain tonight and Wednesday, the start has been postponed until Wednesday evening, said MTA spokesman Dave Sotero. There is a 50% chance of showers tonight, and up to a quarter of an inch of rain could fall in the area, according to the National Weather Service.

When the 3-1/2-year project is complete, commute times are expected to be reduced significantly with the addition of a carpool lane. The project also will replace bridges at Skirball Center, Sunset Boulevard and Mulholland Drive and include 18 miles of new sound walls, widening of underpasses, realigning of on- and off-ramps and standardizing northbound freeway lanes to 12 feet wide.

The first leg of construction will include grinding down pavement on the freeway's far right lane, re-striping the lanes and setting up K-rail barriers to allow crews to work without further interrupting traffic.

Work will take place generally from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays and will involve temporarily closing some northbound freeway lanes, Sotero said. The project is expected to be finished in spring 2013.

-- Gerrick D. Kennedy

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/20...k-delayed-because-of-possible-rain-.html

[pesto]

OK, so we have a few years of traffic jams all night long, even worse traffic in the day, delays, the occasional screw-up which requires extra lane closings.

At the end there is a carpool lane and wider lanes. This isn't great, but it is something. Any hope for an express bus in the carpool lane? Or is it going to be jammed up most of the time anyway?

[dragonsky]

Caltrans uses lighting and signs to improve safety at the 110-5 freeway interchange
By creating 'dynamic lane' that allows more cars to get to the 5 from the 110 during peak afternoon hours, the agency hopes to reduce congestion and accidents.
By Ari B. Bloomekatz
The Los Angeles Times
January 18, 2010

With the state's fiscal woes making many major freeway improvements unlikely, and with severe geographic restraints limiting options, Caltrans was looking for an inexpensive way to reduce congestion and accidents on the notorious interchange of the 5 and 110 freeways near Dodger Stadium.

The agency came up with fluorescent bluish-white lights and electronic warning signs.

Until recently, motorists crawling out of downtown Los Angeles on the 110 north queued up in the far left lane to transition to the 5 north. But beginning last week, cars have been able to use a second lane to get onto the 5 during the peak afternoon rush hour.

The new lane didn't involve any major construction. Rather, officials embedded bluish-white light beacons in the roadway and added new electronic signs that help guide motorists.

The signs direct motorists to the two far-left lanes of the 110 onto the 5. Normally, drivers use only one lane of the 110 to get to the two-lane connector to the 5, so this essentially doubles the capacity of the connector.

"It's almost like turning on the faucet when you need it and turning off the faucet when you don't," said Frank Quon, deputy district director for operations at the California Department of Transportation.

Transportation planners have high hopes for the so-called dynamic lane, which Caltrans officials said is the first in California.

If the project at that interchange works, planners hope to expand the idea to other jammed freeway interchanges at minimal cost. This project cost is $3.2 million, far less than most freeway improvement projects.

Officials have had the lighted beacons in the roadway for several months. Now that the signs are up and the dynamic lane is functioning, it will take some time for motorists to get used to it.

Some drivers said in recent days that the system is confusing and some motorists don't appear to realize there are now two lanes merging into the 5 north.

Angela Nordhagen, an insurance policy officer who has been commuting from Tujunga to downtown L.A. for more than 15 years, said she's is not sure what to make of the new lights and signs. Despite the new dynamic lane, some drivers last week were still swooping into the northbound 5 transition lanes at the last minute. Others, including her, were confused about whether they could use the second lane to merge.

"I don't know how defined the lights really are," Nordhagen said.

Caltrans says the California Highway Patrol officers will be watching the intersection to check on how drivers are adjusting.

"This is the forefront of technology in traffic management," said Hamid Bahadori, senior policy analyst for the Automobile Club of Southern California. "It's getting attention mostly because our system is pretty much at capacity all over the place, and any capacity enhancement is exponentially expensive."

Bahadori said the dynamic lane is an example of a larger national push toward "adaptive traffic-control systems" that are responsive to real-time data on freeways.

He said using this type of technology to reduce congestion is important because widening freeways is often prohibitively expensive and in some areas, as at the 110-5 interchange, there are severe geographical constraints.

The dynamic lane on the 110 is in operation only between 3 and 7 p.m. on weekdays, but Caltrans officials hope to soon be able to turn the lane on and off at other times when traffic and congestion dictate.

The 5-110 interchange is considered one of the most congested in the region.

In addition to lessened congestion, Caltrans hopes to see a reduction in accidents at the interchange. From January 2006 to December 2008 there were 73 accidents there, most of which were rear-enders and sideswipes. Caltrans considers that number high.

Some motorists say improving the merging of traffic onto the 5 north would make the interchange safer. Motorist Tony Perez, who is familiar with the intersection, said traffic merging onto the 5 can be barely moving while cars continuing on the 110 toward Pasadena "are doing 60."

Lyla Forlani, 35, who works for the L.A. Opera downtown, decided not to use the 110 to the 5 some time ago because of the traffic backups, taking surface streets instead.

But the Los Feliz resident is curious enough about the new system that she said she might try out the freeway again -- if the congestion eases.

Caltrans hopes to have numbers on traffic times in several months.

[202_Cyclist]

This is from the TransitRider OC blog.


Metrolink Service Expansion Program
1/18/09

http://www.transitrideroc.com/





These two photos display a before and after shot of crossovers and switches, just north of the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo train station, allowing flexibility for trains to move on or off the main line when Metrolink service expansion is implemented. A crossover allows a train to move from one track to another. A switch is the mechanism that moves the track to direct a train onto a different path.
Source: http://www.transitrideroc.com/

Despite the recently announced service reductions, Metrolink and OCTA are continuing to push forward on the service expansion program later this year.

The increased service will operate between the Fullerton and Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo train stations.

To increase trips along this rail corridor and provide the high quality, reliable service commuters expect from Orange County, a number of track and signal improvements are underway.

Construction started at the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo and Fullerton stations in fall 2009 and has included expanding passenger platforms and building additional train turnback facilities to allow the trains to turn around more efficiently.