LOS ANGELES | Transportation News & Discussion

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Originally Posted by 202_Cyclist

I realize that California's population has declined slightly in recent years but that is not always going to be the situation. California's population is likely to grow again. The travel times for vehicle trips mentioned above are current travels times. Brightline will provide service for at least the next four or five decades. Over this time, unless more capacity is added to I-15 (at considerable expense) travel times are only likely to increase (perhaps substantially) for automobile trips.

Additionally, over the past two decades, much of the population growth in Southern California has been in the Inland Empire, closer to the Rancho Cucamonga station than elsewhere in Southern California.

Based on new numbers the will be released in May, CAs population grew once again in 2023

[FromSD]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Not necessarily. German ICE tech (which Siemens is proposing for their American Pioneer trainsets) can handle pretty big grades up to 4.5%. There are a few sections of I-15 that exceed this, I think at Cajon Pass and Mountain Pass.

In those locations the rail line will need to exit the median to follow a different alignment and profile, or they may widen the freeway or do retaining walls. But most of I-15 is sub-4.5% so they can follow the same profile.

My understanding is that Brightline West will stay in the median of I-15 along the entire route, except in Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga and where it has to deviate to accommodate one of the intermediate stations. By doing this Brightline West saves money even though speeds will have to slow on the sections of I-15 with sharp uphill grades or tight turns. So Brightline West is not designed to as high a standard of high speed rail as CAHSR is in the Central Valley.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXF_g_aq8vc

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

Based on new numbers the will be released in May, CAs population grew once aydin in 2023

Yeah, according to this article (California’s population is on the rise. So much for the claims of the state’s demise), as of January 1st of this year, California's population has again climbed above 39 million people for the first time since the summer of 2022.

The new data will be released on May 1st.

[craigs]

AI-powered cameras installed on Metro buses to ticket illegally parked cars


AI-powered cameras are being installed on some Metro buses. (Los Angeles Times)

Colleen Shalby
Los Angeles Times
April 24, 2024

Artificial intelligence-powered cameras are being installed on Los Angeles Metro buses to help ticket cars parked in bus lanes.

Testing is planned for this summer and the program is expected to go live by the end of 2024, Metro said, after two months of community outreach to “ensure that the public is aware of the purpose, timing and impacts of this new program.”

“Once cameras are installed, there will be a 60-day warning period for drivers. During the first 60 days, warning citations will only be used as informational notices and will not result in any violations,” the agency said.

The program, designed by technology company Hayden AI, is meant to improve bus times, increase ridership and address mobility concerns. Metro’s Board of Directors approved an $11 million-contract with the company last year to roll out 100 camera systems. The agreement started in December and is supposed to last roughly five years.

The cameras will be mounted inside Metro bus windshields to monitor for parked vehicles in bus lanes and at bus stops, in order to help enforce new parking rules after L.A. City Council approved a fine last year for those who illegally park in bus lanes.
. . . .

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by craigs

AI-powered cameras installed on Metro buses to ticket illegally parked cars

Colleen Shalby
Los Angeles Times
April 24, 2024

Artificial intelligence-powered cameras are being installed on Los Angeles Metro buses to help ticket cars parked in bus lanes.

Testing is planned for this summer and the program is expected to go live by the end of 2024, Metro said, after two months of community outreach to “ensure that the public is aware of the purpose, timing and impacts of this new program.”

“Once cameras are installed, there will be a 60-day warning period for drivers. During the first 60 days, warning citations will only be used as informational notices and will not result in any violations,” the agency said.

The program, designed by technology company Hayden AI, is meant to improve bus times, increase ridership and address mobility concerns. Metro’s Board of Directors approved an $11 million-contract with the company last year to roll out 100 camera systems. The agreement started in December and is supposed to last roughly five years.

The cameras will be mounted inside Metro bus windshields to monitor for parked vehicles in bus lanes and at bus stops, in order to help enforce new parking rules after L.A. City Council approved a fine last year for those who illegally park in bus lanes.
. . . .

That's a good idea but I'm not sure why there's a 60-day warning period. I mean, it's already illegal to park in a bus lane isn't it? And couldn't doing so already result in a fine? It's not like a new law or penalty that people may not be aware of.

[Busy Bee]

Wow, an AI tech that's actually good for society!

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Not necessarily. German ICE tech (which Siemens is proposing for their American Pioneer trainsets) can handle pretty big grades up to 4.5%. There are a few sections of I-15 that exceed this, I think at Cajon Pass and Mountain Pass.

In those locations the rail line will need to exit the median to follow a different alignment and profile, or they may widen the freeway or do retaining walls. But most of I-15 is sub-4.5% so they can follow the same profile.

It's only going to average around 100 mph. It will have to slow down for curves and grades like any other HSR, but it should still be able to hit some impressive speeds in the straightaways.

[ardecila]

Excessive grades are not a "slow down" type of situation for trains, they are a hard limit. Trains simply cannot operate safely if they don't have enough adhesion with the rail.

Some special trains are capable of steeper grades, but certainly not a modern high speed trainset - as I said, those max out at 4.5% with the best tech available. So where the freeway is steeper than 4.5%, they will need to do a lot of earthmoving to give the rail line a shallower grade.

"Vertical curvature" is also an issue - the transition from a steep slope to a gentler slope needs to be very gradual, or it will feel like a roller coaster. Not great for the guy sipping a cup of beer in the lounge car.

You are correct that they value-engineered the line heavily. Like Brightline's new line in Florida, it will be mostly single-track with a few passing sidings, and yes, the horizontal curves will be sharper than what is ideal.

[sopas ej]

From Pasadena Now:

LA Metro Touts Continued Ridership Growth in March

CITY NEWS SERVICE
Published on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 | 5:23 am



Los Angeles Metro Tuesday reported a 9.4% increase in ridership on its bus and rail services in March compared to the same time last year with nearly 26 million boardings.

Average weekday rail ridership grew to 205,320 from 193,025 in March 2023, representing a 6.4% increase while average weekday bus ridership grew to 750,598 from 642,468 from the same period last year, or a 16.8% increase.

The agency noted that combined the total bus and rail average weekday ridership grow more than 14% since March 2023.

March 2024 marked the 16th consecutive month of year-over-year ridership growth, according to the transit agency.

In March, Metro had a total of 25,880,698 boardings on its bus and rail systems. An average of 955,918 rides were taken each weekday with Saturday boardings averaging 606,255 and Sunday boardings averaging 555,029.

Metro’s March total bus and rail ridership combined stood at 81.5% of its March 2019 pre-pandemic level. Total weekend ridership in March was 89.2% of pre-pandemic levels and total March weekday ridership was 79.5% of pre- pandemic level.

The reconfigured A (Blue) and E (Gold) Lines were up 25.6% on weekdays and 26.3% on weekends.

In March, the A Line saw 1,412,523 total weekday boardings and surpassed the subway B Line, which saw 1,385,496 boardings. The C Line average weekday ridership was up 22.2% and the K Line saw a 6.5% increase in average weekday ridership.

Total March rail boardings were 5,717,630 with 4,311,720 trips taken on weekdays.

Bus ridership in March saw a 11.3% year-over-year increase over March 2023.

More than 20 million rides were taken on Metro buses, with total bus ridership in March at 85.6% of its pre-pandemic level. Metro recorded an average of 750,598 bus boardings on weekdays in March, an average of 460,779 boardings on Saturdays and an average of 419,323 boardings on Sunday.

The agency says the strongest ridership recovery as leisure travelers are turning to Metro for travel to activities throughout the county. Average boardings on bus and rail combined on Saturdays reached 85.5% and on Sundays during the month average combined boardings reached 93.7% of March 2019 pre- pandemic levels.

[...]

[Swede]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

[...]
The reconfigured A (Blue) and E (Gold) Lines were up 25.6% on weekdays and 26.3% on weekends.
[...]

How do those numbers compare to the numbers from all three pre-reconfiguration lines?

[citywatch]

• Video Link

[Busy Bee]

Extenstion

[craigs]

Via Streetsblog LA, here is Metro's ridership report showing April with 967,548 average daily weekday riders, a post-COVID peak:



Also via Streetsblog LA, here is Metro's approved fiscal year 2024/2025 budget:

[LAsam]

Using Metro's online ridership tool, it looks like average weekday rail ridership was 306,424 in April 2019 vs 204,737 in April 2024, so still a long ways to go to get back to a comparable pre-pandemic period. Not to mention that the K line and Downtown Connector weren't open in 2019. Regardless, I'm happy to see the ridership trending in the right direction.

[craigs]

Originally Posted by LAsam

Using Metro's online ridership tool, it looks like average weekday rail ridership was 306,424 in April 2019 vs 204,737 in April 2024, so still a long ways to go to get back to a comparable pre-pandemic period. Not to mention that the K line and Downtown Connector weren't open in 2019. Regardless, I'm happy to see the ridership trending in the right direction.

The rail network is especially focused on downtown. All but one rail line goes through the CBD. Thus, the trains are especially dependent on downtown office workers. Alas, as long as working from home is widespread, even if just for two or three days a week, rail ridership will remain below pre-COVID levels.

[Easy]

Originally Posted by LAsam

Using Metro's online ridership tool, it looks like average weekday rail ridership was 306,424 in April 2019 vs 204,737 in April 2024, so still a long ways to go to get back to a comparable pre-pandemic period. Not to mention that the K line and Downtown Connector weren't open in 2019. Regardless, I'm happy to see the ridership trending in the right direction.

Also half of the Blue line was closed in 2019 for maintenance. 2019 probably had the lowest rail ridership pre-pandemic since Expo was opened.

I think that rail ridership will come back at some point. Besides WFH the biggest problem is that only the transit dependent are currently riding. Everyone with access to a car or a ride from a friend has left due to safety and ride quality concerns. Anecdotally many rail riders have also opted for the bus for the same reasons.

[SoCalKid]

Oof, this is a pretty damning portrait of Metro's leadership and Stephanie Wiggins in particular. If this is all true, Wiggins needs to be fired immediately. It sounds like the former head of security Gina Osborn correctly identified that police and sheriff's deputies just stand around and don't do anything to increase safety, but Wiggins didn't want confrontation and didn't push those departments to do their jobs. What a waste of resources. An in-house Metro police department can't come soon enough. We need security and cops that care about the system and don't think that patrolling platforms, buses and trains is beneath them.

https://www.latimes.com/california/s...man-at-station

[TowerDude]

Is there anything the State of California and the US DOT can do to force Metro's hand on accelerating electrification efforts?

[craigs]

Originally Posted by TowerDude

Is there anything the State of California and the US DOT can do to force Metro's hand on accelerating electrification efforts?

Do you mean Metrolink?

[sopas ej]

From the Los Angeles Times:

Metro rail is set to expand in the South Bay, and not everyone is happy
By Rachel Uranga
Staff Writer
May 23, 2024 9:40 AM PT


Metro has plans to connect more of the South Bay by extending light rail from the Redondo Beach (Marine) Station to the new Torrance Transit Center. (Metro)

Metro is poised to determine the route of a two-stop, 4.5-mile light rail extension of the C Line, a decision decades in the making that has divided South Bay cities and enraged some residents.

Estimated to cost roughly $2 billion to $3 billion, the project is one of several ambitious rail projects the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is undertaking in the coming years.

It has stirred an emotionally charged debate in the region over where rail lines should be, what it will mean to the communities they traverse and how Metro addresses residents’ concerns. The 13-member Metro board headed by Mayor Karen Bass is being asked to choose one of two proposed routes and some variants on those paths Thursday. If approved, the chosen route and design will go through more environmental analysis before it’s finalized.

“It’s just exhausting,” said Niki Negrete-Mitchell, who owns a Redondo Beach home along one of the proposed routes and has gone to dozens of meetings to voice her opposition. “It’s killing me. If this thing were to happen... I personally would need to be relocated.”

Negrete-Mitchell, 65, is one of hundreds of residents who live along a freight rail corridor Metro purchased in 1993 when the specter of rail expansion began to take shape. For years, she said, only one train a day would pass by. Neighbors would use the corridor to run dogs and take walks. There was even talk about making the land into a parkway. Many like Negrete-Mitchell, who bought her home 16 years ago, didn’t know or grasp Metro’s plan. When she went to her first community meeting, she was in disbelief.

Since then she has been part of a group of residents that have dogged the agency, arriving at public meetings pointing out that its own assessments don’t paint the full picture of the challenges the route poses behind homes. Instead, they say an elevated path down a median of Hawthorne Boulevard, a six-lane Caltrans-owned state highway — another route Metro is considering — is a better option.

[...]