LOS ANGELES | Transportation News & Discussion

[bzcat]

Beverly Hills got the subway stations because it is on the way to Century City and Westwood. I recall it didn't generate as much ridership as the Downtown SM station but it made the cut because the ridership was high enough for a station on the way. Obviously if it were at the end of the line (like DTSM) or on a spur (like WEHO), the hurdle would be much higher. Hancock Park didn't made the cut for example despite being on the way to Century City.

I think upzoning SM or Brentwood for that matter is not necessary for subway extension to happen. The ridership modeling for D line extension EIR didn't take into full account the Sepulveda line. If we revisit the EIR after Sepulveda line data is complete, the extension to SM probably will score high enough to get Federal funding.

Let's wait until the EIR is completed for Sepulveda... I think there will be a push to finish the D line "subway to the sea" once data is available to show Sepulveda line will overwhelm buses on Wilshire, Santa Monica Blvd and Expo line.

[SFBruin]

I'm sure that LA will get the subway to Santa Monica eventually.

It just might take longer than expected.

[jmecklenborg]

Originally Posted by bzcat

Let's wait until the EIR is completed for Sepulveda... I think there will be a push to finish the D line "subway to the sea" once data is available to show Sepulveda line will overwhelm buses on Wilshire, Santa Monica Blvd and Expo line.

I didn't think of that.

There is also the odd matter of the UCLA station being one stop north of the Wilshire line. This means that until the purple line is extended, some bus riders (assuming that the current Santa Monica city buses are cut back) will be dropped off at the VA, ride the purple one stop, then transfer to the Sepulveda line for one stop.

[numble]

Originally Posted by SoCalKid

I've never really understood this position. Santa Monica is pretty damn dense by LA standards at ~10,000/sq mile, similar to most of the neighborhoods along the Purple Line and far more dense than Beverly Hills (6,000/sq mile), which has 2 stations. The neighborhoods surrounding the Downtown Santa Monica station are considerably more dense, I couldn't find the data but I'm guessing 15,000-20,0000/sq mile, which is easily in the top quartile of LA density. Then Downtown Santa Monica is also one of the most visited areas in all of Socal and is fairly jobs dense both in terms of office workers and retail/hospitality/service workers. On top of that, Downtown has ~1,500 more units entitled, which will be delivered in the next 5 years or so. The Downtown Specific Plan also allows for good mid-rise density. is It's very clear to me that it deserves a station.

Now the midtown Santa Monica station area is far less dense and definitely should be upzoned, but it's already decently dense (no single family in the area), and as is there are two hospitals that would be served.

So I guess my thought is, should the extension be used to pressure Santa Monica to upzone? Sure, but that's not going to be nearly as affective as things like the RHNA allocation. Should the extension be held if upzoning isn't happening fast enough? No way.

The proposed Invest in America Act does give a ratings boost for federal grant funding if the corridor gets upzoned for density. Probably something that would be passed under any variation of the multiple infrastructure bills being floated out there, because it doesn't really cost the federal government anything.

https://transportation.house.gov/imo...tion_Final.pdf

Sec. 2703. Affordable housing incentives in Capital Investment Grants. [49 USC 5309]Provides multiple incentives in the CIG ratings process if the project preserves or encourages higher density affordable housing near the project.

Metro hasn't been very successful in asking local cities to upzone, but this could be an incentive, especially if it can be somehow integrated with the 3% local city cost-sharing requirement. Metro has recently been successful in getting local cities to fund local pedestrian improvements around their stations because Metro allows that to be counted towards the 3% of costs that local cities are supposed to contribute to the portion of the project in their cities. I guess the way it would work is to create an EIFD on the corridor and the only way an EIFD could contribute enough money is if the corridor is upzoned.

[202_Cyclist]

This seems like good news. I wish MARC and VRE could reach a similar agreement in the DC-area.

Want to catch an Angels game? Go to Disneyland? Coaster service to extend its reach

BY PHIL DIEHL
JULY 25, 2021
San Diego Union Tribune

"The North County Transit District board approved a deal this week with Metrolink, the Orange County commuter rail system, that would allow Coaster trains to travel from San Diego to as far as Anaheim for special events such as major league baseball playoff games.

Coaster trains now only travel between San Diego and Oceanside, and Metrolink goes between Oceanside and Anaheim, the home of Disneyland and the Los Angeles Angels baseball team in Orange County. The tentative agreement would basically overlap the two agencies’ service routes between those cities.

“It would create more rides and maximize capacity,” said Karen Tucholski, in a presentation to the NCTD board on Thursday..."

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com...-to-l-a-county

[hughfb3]

I’m at LAX right now and am taking off from Bradley terminal. The plane was delayed coming in to LAX, so I had some extra time to go over and visit for the first time the MSC gates.

Might I say how disappointed I am that they chose not to install an airside people mover train system underground ala ATL. This walk is something serious!!! Way too long!!! I can’t believe they took the cheap way about this. Although the way the tunnel is structured in its placement, it looks like they left space for a future underground people mover system directly at the bottom of the MSC escalators/elevators.

Other news. The elevated landside people mover structure is coming along nicely and new head houses are opening up. Like T1.5. Looks and feels good. Open, spacious, modern… although lacking personality. Will post pictures when I return to Los Angeles

[craigs]

Metro greenlights pre-development work on Sepulveda Transit Corridor

L.A. Metro officials have signed an agreement with Bechtel to develop its proposed heavy rail transit concept for the mega project and L.A. SkyRail Express to move forward with developing its proposed monorail concept.

Olga Grigoryants
Los Angeles Daily News
August 3, 2021



Two private companies have received a green light from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority for pre-development work on concepts for the $9.5-billion Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project that will link the San Fernando Valley communities with the Westside and LAX, according to Metro officials.

Metro officials have signed an agreement with Bechtel to develop its proposed heavy rail transit concept for the mega project and L.A. SkyRail Express to move forward with developing its proposed monorail concept.

“With our partner teams now able to begin refining their concepts, Metro can begin preparing for the environmental phase — the first step in delivering a project that will address our notorious traffic problems in the Sepulveda Pass, 405 and neighboring communities,” said Metro Board Chair and Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Hilda L. Solis in a statement. “This project will offer a tremendous alternative to driving in the region and will bring new transit opportunities to a car-centric region that places transit riders at the forefront.”

This fall, Metro is set to launch its environmental review process for the project. Members of the public will have a chance to comment and provide feedback on the project’s alternatives, according to Metro.

The concepts developed by two companies will eventually go to the Metro Board and if selected, they may have an opportunity to submit a proposal to build and potentially help finance the project.

“With all the agreements now in place, we are confident we will succeed in supporting a process that will benefit future transit riders in this crucial corridor,” said Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins in a statement. “We will be customer-focused and committed to public transparency and inclusion during every step of this process.”

Earlier this year, the Metro Board approved a $69.9-million contract to Sepulveda Transit Corridor Partners – Bechtel and a $63.6-million contract to L.A. SkyRail Express.

The mega transit project is funded in part by Measure M, the transportation sales tax approved by 71 percent of Los Angeles County voters in 2016.

[LAsam]

Why does monorail keep getting thrown around as a viable alternative? Isn't it basically a foregone conclusion that light/heavy rail will win out over it ever time... especially when you're looking a very high traffic corridor?

[Busy Bee]

Could that headline be any more clunky?

[craigs]

Originally Posted by LAsam

Why does monorail keep getting thrown around as a viable alternative? Isn't it basically a foregone conclusion that light/heavy rail will win out over it ever time... especially when you're looking a very high traffic corridor?

I would be very surprised if the monorail option gets approved and built, because it couldn't possibly carry as many passengers as a heavy rail subway (the other option). But who knows, maybe Metro wants to study an elevated rail option in addition to a subway.

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Could that headline be any more clunky?

Yeah, I had three articles to choose from, and the one I posted was the most clear and concise. Alas, the headline was not.

[craigs]

Metrolink aims for more frequent service on Ventura County and Antelope Valley lines

New segments of double track are planned as part of the $10-billion SCORE program

Steven Sharp
Urbanize LA
August 4, 2021



In 2017, the Southern California Regional Rail Agency - also known as Metrolink - announced its $10-billion SCORE program, a modernization effort which would bring faster, more frequent rail commuter rail service to Los Angeles County in advance of the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. An action taken last month by the agency's Board of Directors moves the more than 500-mile passenger rail network one step closer to that goal.

On July 23rd, the Board certified a final environmental impact report for a new double tracking project which would upgrade capacity on the Ventura County Line, which shuttles passengers along a 76.6-mile corridor between Union Station and Ventura County. The improvements are to be focused on a roughly 2.2-mile stretch in the City of Simi Valley between Sequoia Avenue and Hidden Ranch Drive, and would be accompanied by safety enhancements at five street-level crossings and the addition of a new underpass at Simi Valley Station.

Construction of the new double track is expected to begin in Spring 2024 and conclude by Spring 2025.

The project is part of the initial phase of the SCORE program, which will add new sidings, signal improvements, and double-track segments at various locations in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Orange Counties with the goal of offering 15-to-30-minute headways on all lines.

Metrolink has also launched the environmental study period for a second double-track project slated for the Antelope Valley Line, which runs between Union Station and the suburban cities of Palmdale and Lancaster. The range of improvements, which are expected to enable 30-minute bi-directional service as far as Santa Clarita and 60-minute bi-directional service to Lancaster, calls for the construction of:

• 1.2 miles of new double track between Balboa Boulevard and Sierra Highway;

• 1.6 miles of new double track between Soledad Canyon Road and Golden Oak Road in Santa Clarita;

• A second side-platform and a crossover track at Santa Clarita Station; and

• expanded storage tracks at Lancaster Terminal.

Design options could also include new pedestrian undercrossings at both Lancaster and Santa Clarita stations.


. . .

[plutonicpanda]

What a fucking disaster it will be if Metro chooses the monorail. They even seem to be buttering it up by saying the company who is proposing it might extend it to the airport in one project as if that trade off is worth it. It isn't.

[kittyhawk28]

Originally Posted by plutonicpanda

What a fucking disaster it will be if Metro chooses the monorail. They even seem to be buttering it up by saying the company who is proposing it might extend it to the airport in one project as if that trade off is worth it. It isn't.

I don't think the Sepulveda Pass transit line will be built as a monorail, mainly since the transit line depends on alot of federal funding. BYD, the company proposing the monorail, is a Chinese company, and there's probably an existing rule that prevents federally-funded infrastructure projects from using Chinese contractors. If such rule doesn't exist, though, we could just lobby senators and local representatives to impose a federal ban on using Chinese contractors like BYD for federally-funded transit projects. Bechtel should doa negative PR campaign against BYD exploring this connection to further drive opposition to the monorail proposal.

[mrnyc]

just got back from a long leisurely visit out there and was very impressed to see all the rail transit construction. crenshaw/lax people mover airtrain, wilshire purp line extension, dtla connector work, all that.

[LineDrive]

Originally Posted by mrnyc

just got back from a long leisurely visit out there and was very impressed to see all the rail transit construction. crenshaw/lax people mover airtrain, wilshire purp line extension, dtla connector work, all that.

The next couple years is going to be make or break for LA as a city. If it goes HRT for Sepulveda. Goes HRT for Vermont. Gets Crenshaw North built, connects SoFi to Metro, puts Flower St underground

I think LA is going to become an even more attractive destination as the traffic will become less of an issue. You’ll see Adobe vertical development surrounding these transit stations.

Or if LA butchers this by going monorail, BRT on Vermont and making poor choice after poor choice (including dreadful transfers) then LA will be used as an example for why investing billions in mass transit rail is a mistake.

[mrnyc]

^ thx for that. absolutely high stakes for doing it right. the current big three i saw are doing it right that is for sure. but those were obvious expansion choices and you are most certainly on point, what is coming along next and how is critical. not to mention commuter rail projects.

[kittyhawk28]

New Nandert video on Long-Range LA Metro Plans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caskG8S8qww

Under LA's 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan, the LA Metro Rail Network will more than double from its existing length to 240 miles and over 200 stations by full long-term buildout.

[Quixote]

^ Great news at the end of the video for those who don't want to watch the whole thing:

The Purple Line Arts District extension to 6th Street has secured funding thanks to leftover Measure M funds, with Nick speculating a 2024 or 2025 opening. Huge for the Arts District (which has lots of new development planned) and lays the groundwork for a future extension along Whittier.

[craigs]

LA Metro completes electrification of G Line buses

No more gas powered buses on the Valley's workhorse busway

Steven Sharp
Urbanize LA
October 14, 2021



The days of gas-powered buses on the San Fernando Valley's G Line busway are over.

As of this past summer, Metro has transitioned to all-electric buses on the G Line, which travels 18 miles on a former rail right-of-way between Chatsworth and North Hollywood. Prior to the pandemic, more than 22,000 passengers used the service on weekdays.

“Transportation is not just the largest source of air pollution in our state — it’s one of our greatest opportunities to realize our vision of cleaner air, lower emissions, and healthier communities,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in prepared remarks. “If we’re going to act this decade to save our planet, we need to see solutions on our streets today — and watching these zero-emission buses roll down our roads brings us one step closer to turning the tides of the climate crisis.”

Metro's rollout of zero-emission buses on the G Line began in July 2020 and was completed roughly one year later. The electrification project, which cost $80 million, includes 40 buses, each with a range of 150 miles on a single charger, as well as charging equipment and other supporting infrastructure.

“Today we are working tirelessly to create a more environmentally sustainable, equitable and resilient public transportation system for all our customers,” said Metro chief executive officer Stephanie N. Wiggins in a statement. “Our zero-emission bus goals are an important part of our overall strategy to reduce our agency’s carbon footprint and become carbon neutral. We continue as a transit leader in our march towards a more sustainable and resilient transportation system that will benefit our customers, our industry, and our planet.”

Metro, which has set a goal of achieving a zero-emission fleet by the year 2030, will next turn to its second active bus rapid transit line - the J Line which travels between El Monte and San Pedro. The $50-million electrification project is expected to be completed within two years.

Zero-emission fleet or not, electrification in some form was inevitable for the G Line, which is slated to be converted into a light rail line in the decades to come using funding approved by Los Angeles County voters in 2016. In the interim, Metro is slated to add grade separation and four-quadrant crossing gates to speed travel times on the bus rapid transit corridor.

[SFBruin]

Out of curiosity, why did they decide to use battery-powered buses, rather than trolley-buses, given that the corridor is fixed?