May 2007 Archives

The typical household in the Los Angeles area spent almost $11,000 annually on transportation, with only a small fraction going to mass transit. Transportation costs amounted to almost one-fifth of total household expenses there, reports the New York Times.

For New Yorkers, annual transportation costs were $7,581, less than one-seventh of all spending. The typical Chicago household spent $8,875, one-sixth of its total expenditures, on transportation.

Read the story HERE.

How much does transportation cost you? Tell our blog!

San Fernando Valley residents seeking relief from the summer sizzle can hop on board the Topanga Canyon Summer Beach Bus and hit the shores of Topanga, Santa Monica and Will Rogers State Beach.

Service runs from Monday, June 25 to Monday, Sept. 3. Adults and kids ride for 50 cents each way. People with disabilities or those at least 62 years old pay 25 cents.

This year a new stop was added in Warner Center at the western terminus of the Metro Orange Line.

Passengers can also board at:
-- Topanga Canyon and Ventura boulevards
-- in front of Woodland Park Mobil Estates
-- Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Viewridge Road
-- in front of Topanga Elementary School
-- General Store parking lot

For more information call (888) 769-1122 or check out www.LaGoBus.info

The grand unveiling of a $3.6 million flood control project at Tuxford Street and San Fernando Road in Sun Valley happens at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 31.

During past rainy seasons, motorists have slogged through stormwater as they drove through the intersection. But now engineers from the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works have installed a flood control system that drives rain under the intersection, preserving some water to irrigate new landscaping installed as part of the project.

By the end of the decade, the Federal Highway Trust Fund is expect to be depleted and running a deficit. Because it funds nearly half of all of the nation's highway construction, Congress is going to be faced with making an unpalatable choice: either increase the tax or allow the country's backlog of road and bridge needs to grow even longer, REPORTS The Ledger, a newspaper based in Lakeland, Fla.

Without a hike in the 18.4-cent-per-gallon federal gas tax - which hasn't been increased since 1993 when gasoline cost about $1.10 a gallon - the Congressional Budget Office is predicting the highway fund will run $8 billion in the red by 2010, when Congress is set to rewrite the highway initiative.

At the same time, gas prices are spiking and consumers are choosing fuel-efficient cars over the old gas guzzlers.

Is it time to raise the federal gas tax? Do politicians have the nerve to do this?
If gas is no longer the best item to tax for money to build roads, then what is? Where should the money come from?
Tell our blog!

Fed up with Westside traffic, about 40 residents last week gathered for a community meeting to build support for a subway in their area.

Although Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has long championed a "subway to the sea" down Wilshire Boulevard, Metro officials call the idea the Westside Corridor Extension because they don't know exactly where it will go on the Westside. Next month, Metro staff will ask the board for approval to hire consulants and explore the Westside's transit needs and conclude what kind of transportation will best serve the area.

More meetings are planned this summer through Southern California Transit Advocates, a nonprofit that is using a $4,000 grant to teach residents how to lobby their government. The group plans to mobilize residents and call on them to fire off letters to legislatures for federal and state money for the project.

Get the story HERE.

What are your thoughts about traffic on the Westside? What will serve the region best? Tell our blog!

Traveling in California this holiday weekend, it certainly would be convenient, even fun, to step aboard a 200-mph bullet train and zip around in quiet comfort, but the long-dreamed-of bullet train keeps encountering difficulty leaving the station, writes the Los Angeles Times.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is trying to sidetrack it, offering a medley of rationales for his efforts to again delay a $9.9-billion rail bond proposal slated for the November 2008 ballot. The governor and Legislature already have twice postponed the bond vote — the last time, in 2006, because it would have competed with their $37-billion public works package.

Get the story HERE.

What are your thoughts on the bullet train? Would you vote for it at the polls? What will help California's chronic traffic problems? Tell our blog!

U.S. motorists are flocking to gas pumps south of the border to save 25% or more on the cost of a fill-up — courtesy of the Mexican government, REPORTS the Los Angeles Times.

Worried about inflation, Mexican officials are keeping a lid on retail prices at the state-owned petroleum company Pemex. Regular-grade gasoline in this border town is selling for about $2.60 a gallon. Prices in California average $3.43 a gallon and top $4 at some stations.

Thoughts? Tell our blog!

Provisions to delay a White House plan, giving trucks from Mexico unrestricted access to U.S. highways, is in the $120 billion Iraq spending bill that President Bush signed Friday, reports the Associated Press.

The legislation also includes several requirements, such as a certification from the Department of Transportation inspector general verifying safety and inspection requirements before the Mexican truck pilot can start.

The Bush administration wanted to start a one-year pilot this year, and if successful, fully open the border to Mexican trucks.

Teamsters President James Hoffa praised Congress for restricting "the Bush administration's reckless plan to throw open our borders to unsafe Mexican trucks" and "for acting quickly to keep our roads safe."

In addition to questioning whether Mexican trucks and drivers can meet U.S. safety standards, lawmakers are concerned about the program eliminating jobs for American truckers.

Rafael Laveaga, communication director at the Mexican Embassy in Washington, Friday declined to comment beyond remarks he made earlier this month about the provisions. Citing the North American Free Trade Agreement, he said then the House's action raised questions "about the commitment of most of its members to comply with international trade obligations."

Get the story HERE. What are your thoughts? Tell our blog!

Two upcoming roadway projects through the Sepulveda Pass have residents on edge that their lives will be disrupted and some homes uprooted as transit agencies pave the way for more traffic.

Projects include widening the 405 Freeway with a northbound carpool lane from the 10 to the 101 freeways and creating a reversible lane through the three lane Sepulveda tunnel. The reversible lane would direct traffic southbound in the morning and north at night, giving motorists two lanes to drive in during rush hour.

However, some are outraged that some plans for the 405 Freeway expansion would demolish homes; they are anxiously waiting for Caltrans officials to decide what course of action to take. Final approval of the project is expected this fall. Construction on the four-year freeway project could start in 2009.

Under the most controversial plan, 30 homes between Santa Monica Boulevard and Waterford Street in Brentwood Glen, plus a Lutheran church, could be razed, along with seven houses in Sherman Oaks around Valley Vista Boulevard and two commercial buildings in Westwood near Ovada Place.

A second plan under consideration spares the Brentwood homes and church but could still level the Sherman Oaks homes and Westwood commercial buildings, according to the EIR.

Others living near the Sepulveda Pass fear the project will drive more traffic into their neighborhoods as drivers seek shortcuts through construction.

Get the story HERE!

What are your thoughts? Tell our blog!

Fare increases passed this week are expected to generate about $30 million next year - less than what Metro officials hoped for and now leaves them wondering about the future of some transit projects, REPORTS the Los Angeles Times.

The agency is in the midst of building two more rail lines at a combined cost of $1.5 billion: a downtown-to-Culver City route known as the Expo Line and an extension of the Gold Line from downtown to East L.A.

MTA Chief Executive Officer Roger Snoble offered a sober assessment Friday of what comes next.

Although he believes the agency can afford to complete and operate the Culver City and East L.A. lines, he said other transit projects now being considered, including one busway extension, could face significant delays.

"There has been a big expectation that we will get it done sooner than is financially possible," Snoble said. "This whole experience shows we need to be realistic about our expectations…. It may delay some projects."

Among them:

• The Expo Line extension from Culver City to Santa Monica, where officials have already purchased property around the Sears department store near City Hall and plan to convert the store's auto center building into a transit center.

• The Gold Line extension that would run from Pasadena to Montclair, in San Bernardino County, with a possible link ending at LA/Ontario International Airport. The line has been pushed aggressively by officials in the San Gabriel Valley, who have long complained that their region has no light rail service.

• The Green Line extension from its Aviation station near El Segundo to Los Angeles International Airport.

• The Orange Line extension from Woodland Hills to Chatsworth.

• The much-discussed $4.8-billion "Subway to the Sea" under Wilshire Boulevard that Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa made a top priority when elected.

What does this mean for the future of L.A.'s transportation system? Will it ever develop a subway system similar to ones that serve other major cities? What needs to be done? Tell our blog!

The Metro board on Thursday voted to raise bus and train fares by an average 72 percent over the next four years - a move decried by critics as a blow to poor and ethnic communities that depend on public transportation the most, REPORTS the Daily News.

The plan gradually increases fares every two years beginning July 1, when day passes rise to $5 from $3, weekly passes jump to $17 from $14 and monthly passes spike to $62 from $52.

One-way fare hikes won't come until July 1, 2009, when they increase from the current $1.25 to $1.50.

"No one wanted to see a fare increase, and it's probably true that we'll probably lose some riders," said county Supervisor Gloria Molina, who co-authored the plan with Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. "But I think in the long run, we owe to this community a stable organization."

The fare hikes are designed to level the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's stubborn structural deficit in up to eight years. Metro faces a $1.8 billion deficit over the next 10 years.

But the Bus Riders Union, representing poor and minority passengers, called the hikes "racist" and threatened lawsuits to revoke the increases.

What are your thoughts on the fare increases? What about the Bus Riders Union? Tell our blog!

It's been a 20-year battle fraught with court challenges and millions in legal bills, but California drivers should emerge victorious in a contentious battle for fair auto insurance rates by August 2008.

By then, insurance companies have to be in compliance with state rules that say your driving history matters more than where you live when determining rates.

We're nearing the conclusion of the long, drawn-out battle over Proposition 103, which was approved by voters in 1988 and imposed stringent regulations on the insurance industry.

"I was only 37 when I wrote this, and I'll be 55 next year," said Harvey Rosenfield, author of Proposition 103 and founder of the Santa Monica-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights. "In a way, I'll tell you, it reflects very poorly on our government and judicial system."

Get the whole story HERE.

How do you feel about your car insurance rates? What do you think about Proposition 103? Tell our blog!

African American leaders URGED local politicans Monday to vote against Metro's proposal to increase bus fares, reports CBS News.

Metro's board of directors votes Thursday on the proposal.

Cleveland High School's student body will rally today at 12:30 p.m. against Metro's proposal to raise fares on its buses and rail lines.

A significant proportion of students at the school come from outside the immediate community and rely on public transportation to get to class. School officials say the fare hikes will put a significant financial burden on students and their families.

Metro's board of directors vote Thursday on the proposed two-tier fare increases that could take effect this summer and again in 2009.

For high school students, the fares could spike from $20 for a monthly pass today to $45 this summer and $72 by 2009 under the proposal by Metro's staff.

The Automobile Club of Southern California reports this morning that gasoline prices in the Southland dropped slightly this week after increasing for 14 consecutive weeks.

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular unleaded now stands at $3.46 in Los Angeles County. That’s two cents less than last week but 15 cents more than last month. Overall, it's six cents more than at this time last year.

In Orange County the average price of regular unleaded now stands at $3.45 cents a gallon, which is two-and-a- half cents more than last week.

The Auto Club says it’s too early to say if this could be the start of a downward trend in prices.

--City News Service

Looking to gather community support for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's desire to build a subway to the sea, a nonprofit transit group is sponsoring a series of outreach meetings that begin Tuesday, May 22.

Southern California Transit Advocates will hold its first meeting to begin advocacy for an extension of the Purple Line from 6-8 p.m. at Westwood Presbyterian Church, 10822 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood.

At this time, Metro does not have any definite plans for the subway, but the nonprofit wants to raise awareness of the possible project and to begin mobilizing residents to support it, said Kymberleigh Richards, public and legislative affairs director of the Los Angeles-based nonprofit.

The group will play host to four additional outreach meetings planned for Hancock Park, Miracle Mile, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica plus an informational meeting this fall at UCLA. Dates for those meetings have not yet been scheduled.

Using a $4,000 grant from the American Public Transportation Assn., the group is teaching residents about advocacy and public lobbying for public transit.

With this being Bike to Work Week, public transportation agencies are offering free rides for participants on Thursday, May 17. Just board with your bike or helmet and get a free ride from any of the following agencies:

-Beach Cities Transit
-Commerce Municipal Bus Lines
-LADOT Commuter Express
-Gardena Municipal Bus Lines
-Long Beach Transit
-Metro Bus and Metro Rail
-Montebello Bus Lines
-Norwalk Transit
-Santa Clarita Transit
-Torrance Transit
-Whittier Transit

Visit metro.net/riding_metro/bikes for Metro Rail bike restrictions.

The House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to delay a Bush administration plan to allow Mexican trucks full access to U.S. highways. The trucks would have to be declared safe first, the lawmakers said, and Mexico would have to give U.S. truckers the same access south of the border, reports the Associated Press.

The House voted 411-3 to approve a three-year Department of Transportation pilot program that would restrict opening the border to 100 carriers based in Mexico. They would be allowed to use a maximum of 1,000 vehicles under the pilot program.

Opponents argue that allowing trucks from Mexico to come over the border would take away jobs from American truck drivers.

The Teamsters, the Sierra Club, Public Citizen and the Environmental Law Foundation sued in federal court in April to block the pilot program, citing safety and environmental concerns.

Get the whole story HERE.

What are your thoughts? Please share them with our blog.
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Earlier in the month, the Arizona Republic reported that Mexican trucks crossed over the border 4.5 million times last year. In Arizona, the Nogales port of entry saw 288,000 of the state's 368,000 inbound crossings.

In addition, Joan Claybrook, president of Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, testified before the U.S. Senate two months ago that the U.S. truck safety agency is ill-equipped to regulate Mexican trucks.

She cited U.S. government reviews that show the agency inspected fewer than 2 percent of U.S. firms, that safety records on Mexican trucks were alarming and that 1 in 6 Mexican truck drivers has no logbook and 1 in 4 no valid driver's license.

Read it all HERE.

Union Station was evacuated Wednesday after a bag containing a fake explosive for a sheriff's drill disappeared, officials said.

The evacuation forced Metro to stop Gold and Red commuter trains before reaching the station early in the afternoon, said Metro spokesman Rick Jager. Trains were running again by 1:30 p.m.

Los Angeles police Sgt. Lee Sands said the theft of the dummy bomb did not appear to be part of the drill. He said no one had been arrested.

Sheriff's officials did not immediately return several messages left with receptionists. The Sheriff's Deparment handles security for Metro lines.

--Associated Press

Residents can speak out about Metro proposals to raise fares during a two-hour public hearing Saturday, May 19.

The hearing takes place downtown at Metro headquarters at Gateway Plaza. Metro's board members are not scheduled to attend.

Saturday's forum is in addition to a public hearing planned for Thursday, May 24 before the Metro board.

Metro staff have proposed raising fares in a two-tier step that could begin this summer and then again in 2009.

Read more HERE.

In an editorial to the Fresno Bee, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger supports a $40 billion high-speed rail line that could whisk residents from Los Angeles to Sacramento and elsewhere across the state in record time.

The futuristic rail line has searched for years for political support and earlier this year saw Schwarzenegger practically slash its future in his budget proposal. But after seeing a recent fire destroy a freeway in Northern California, Schwarzenegger is calling for alternative modes of transportation, including the high-speed rail.

Now that the question is -- who will pay for this?

Read the editorial HERE.

CalTrans and CHP today launched a two-month clean up to clear brush and litter that can contribute to fires.

Last year, the state spent more than $55 million to pick up trash scattered across California roadways.

Get the story HERE.

In an interview with U.S. News & World Report, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa says that the only way to break the pattern of gridlock in Los Angeles is to invest billions and billions in public transportation. But he says the political will is not there yet to make this happen.

Read his question and answers HERE.

What are your thoughts? Tell our blog.

Almost half of California cities and counties have failed a clean air test, according to a report by the American Lung Association.

Los Angeles tops the list of being the most polluted with Pittsburgh coming in second place followed by Bakersfield.

Get the whole story HERE.

Surprised by the news? Share your thoughts on this blog.