August 2007 Archives

All traffic heading into Mexico through the nation’s busiest border crossing was blocked Friday by the California Highway Patrol ahead of expected protests in Tijuana about pension laws, reports the Daily News wires.

Four CHP vehicles loaded with riot gear were parked across an empty southbound Golden State (5) Freeway at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, with no protesters immediately in sight.

Traffic heading south for Labor Day weekend is being diverted to a nearby border checkpoint at Otay Mesa, about 10 miles east, said to CHP Officer Terry Brollini.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials have urged travelers to avoid the border crossings during the demonstration, because Mexican news reports that traffic could be snarled in both directions for up to six hours at San Ysidro.

About 30,000 pedestrians, 35,000 vehicles and 250 buses enter the U.S. each day at San Ysidro, making it the country’s busiest crossing by far.

One passenger onboard the Orange Line and its bus operator were taken to the hospital this morning with complaints of neck and back pain following a crash with an SUV, authorities said.

The accident happened around 9:30 a.m. in the 6000 block of N. Woodman Avenue when the SUV collided with the bus that was heading east, said D'lisa Davies, Los Angeles City Fire Department spokeswoman.

Five people were on the bus when the accident happened, Davies said.

About 3.1 million SoCal residents will leave town this weekend with 80 percent of them traveling by car, reports the Automobile Club of Southern California.

Still, the number of people packing up and getting out of here is a less than one percent increase from last year.

And where are they headed?
The top five Labor Day travel destinations are:*:
1. San Diego
2. Las Vegas
3. Grand Canyon
4. Northern California (including San Francisco, Monterey and Lake Tahoe)
5. Baja Mexico cruises

*AAA Auto Club Travel agents

At the unveiling Monday of a new 65-foot bus on the Orange Line, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa commented on the extra-long vehicle and how its size matters to transit before he jumped on board, drawing a herd of camera crews, reporters and public officials along with him. Who wouldn't want to take a spin on the super-sized bus??

But after posing for some pictures in the aisle, Villaraigosa stepped off the vehicle right before it took off from the North Hollywood station. He slid inside his black SUV and zoomed away.

Bewildered news crews then exited the bus wondering what the heck just happened. And then other public officials got off the bus too.

Moral? Size doesn't matter.

About $1.2 billion was pulled from public transportation programs in the state's $145-billion budget to help reduce the multi-billion dollar deficit.

Transit agencies across the state will likely see delays in some roadway and transit projects along with cuts to service, says California Public Interest Research Group.

The agency and other transit officials are now asking what the cuts mean to infrastructure in the state that is set for a population explosion. By 2050, California's population is project to balloon to 60 million, according to the State Department of Finance. About 33.8 million reside in the state today.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to sign off on the budget by Friday.

Another public hearing takes place this evening for the $950-million expansion project for the northbound San Diego (405) Freeway. The widening adds a 10-mile carpool lane from the Ventura (10) Freeway to the Santa Monica (10) Freeway.

This meeting includes a new design proposal for the freeway widening and would spare 30 properties in Brentwood Glen and the Village Church that are at risk of being taken through eminent domain under another plan already on the table. The new proposal also includes plans for a hook-ramp design exit at Sherman Oaks Avenue that could take four residential properties on Sepulveda Boulevard. Seven Sherman Oaks homes could also be razed under plans.

Final decision on the project is expected this fall.

Tonight's meeting takes place from 5 to 9 p.m. at Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, 90049. Residents can ask Caltrans employees questions about the proposals. The hearing of public comments begins at 6:30 p.m.

Thoughts? Tell our blog!

All southbound lanes of the San Diego (405) Freeway will be closed from Santa Monica Boulevard to the Santa Monica (10) Freeway from midnight to 4 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 22.

Caltrans is installing underground sensors, apparently part of the $50 million project to extend the carpool lane on the southbound 405 Freeway from Sunset Boulevard to the Santa Monica (10) Freeway.

Detour signs will be posted. Best to avoid the whole mess altogether.

Hot off the wires: California lawmakers have ended the nation’s longest budget impasse, agreeing to a $145 billion spending plan that eliminates the state’s persistent deficit.

We'll soon see how much is left for transportation. More to come...

A man was killed today in a traffic crash on the Hollywood (101) Freeway in the Cahuenga Pass, reports the Daily News.

The man died at the scene of the crash, which occurred about 6:30 a.m. north of Mulholland Drive, said California Highway Patrol Officer Francisco Villalobos.

All but one lane of traffic heading southbound on the freeway was closed for the investigation, causing traffic snarls for miles.

Were you caught in this? Tell our blog!

Riders on the Gold Line will experience delays of about 20 minutes today and tomorrow because an electrical problem has knocked one of the two tracks out of operation over a section of the line, reports the Daily News.

The problem, which first cropped up last night, involves overhead electrical lines that power the trains, said Jose Ubaldo, Metro spokesman.

Until the problem is resolved, Gold Line trains will use only one track in each direction between the Mission and Southwest Museum stations, he said.

To make sure the tsunami-sized population surge headed our way doesn't cripple the regional transportation system, Los Angeles County officials said Thursday we may have to start paying road tolls, higher gas and sales taxes and steeper transit fares.

With fewer transportation dollars coming from Sacramento and Washington, D.C., transit officials say the very motorists and passengers who will be clogging the system are a reliable source of money for new projects.

The bill? Officials said some $30 billion for transit and highway projects is needed by 2030 to address the county's congestion problems.

It could mean adding tolls, increasing regional sales and gas taxes, raising public transit fares and developing public-and-private partnerships to expand the transportation infrastructure. The projects will be needed to accommodate the the county's expanding population, expected to grow from 9.6 million to 13 million residents by 2050. Read the story HERE.

What are your thoughts? Tell our blog!

Alas I am not alone?

I have to be up at a 4:45 a.m. to catch a bus which will take me to North Hollywood from Reseda.

I hate the traffic, the crowded streets, and the stop-and-go ride that aggravates me to no end as I try to be on time for my 8 a.m. job. I stay home on my days off because it is no worth the trouble to try to get to the malls, theater or any place.

In the summer heat, the buses break down in the 105 degree weather and forces me to stand there suffering from heat exhaustion despite of the water I am carrying. There is no pleasure in having to endure endless commutes under duress.

I shop for groceries in my neighborhood, maintain telephone realtionships with friend, avoid LA's amusement spots etc..It's terrible and getting worse to get around LA especially the Valley.

-- Marina Perekrestoff

My friends and family who live outside California are amazed and overwhelmed by the amount of traffic here in L.A. They think I am out of my tree to spend an hour or more each way to and from work to only travel a distance of five or 10 miles.

Traffic has gotten so bad on the freeways that I have resorted to cutting through the canyons and residential neighborhoods to ease the commute time between the Valley and the Westside. And I'm sure the residents of these neighborhoods probably don't appreciate the increase of traffic due to commuters like myself looking for that ultimate shortcut to save a few extra minutes.

And the weekends, I have given up going anyplace because I'm too wiped out from commuting all week long.

-- Kira

RESEDA - Two Orange Line passengers with complaints of neck pain were transported to a local hospital Wednesday after the commuter bus and a car collided, authorities said.

The accident happened around 5:20 p.m. in the 6100 block of Tampa Avenue, said d'Lisa Davies, Los Angeles City Fire Department spokeswoman.

A car turning right off Topham Avenue crashed into the front of the bus heading west down the right-of-way at Tampa Avenue, said Helen Ortiz-Gilstrap, Metro spokeswoman.

Five others on the bus had some complaints of pain but decided to see their own doctors, said Ortiz-Gilstrap.

Tampa Avenue near Victory Boulevard is closed while authorities investigate the crash.

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously agreed Wednesday to apply for a $27 million federal grant, in partnership with the Metro, to help fund construction of a bus-only lane on Wilshire Boulevard.

If approved, the grant funding would be made available in October 2008 and require a 20 percent local match -- about $5.4 million -- from the city of Los Angeles.

The first phase of the project would involve repairing the curb lane between Fairfax and Western avenues; adding traffic signals and signage; widening Wilshire between Barrington and Federal avenues; and removing curbs between Selby Avenue and Westwood Boulevard and Selby and Comstock Avenue.

-- Daily News wire services

Glad to see I'm not alone. I traverse the 101 from Woodland Hills to the Miracle Mile every weekday. I can't bear the thought of getting on the freeway on the weekends.

My extended family in the OC hasn't seen me in weeks. At least now I can share the article for better understanding by all.

-- Bill

I constantly skip fun things I have done in the past due to traffic. Sharapova vs Dimentieva tennis? Sounds awsome! ... oh wait.... the 405 on a Friday evening? No Thanks.

Used to attend 10 Dodger games each summer, lately I barely make it to one game per season.

Family gathering in Marina Del Rey...hmmm.. I'll stay home and watch tv.

Some weekends I don't even start my car - I've had enuogh driving Mon-Fri from Calabasas to Hollywood. Malibu is really the only place I visit on weekends (15 min down the canyon).

-- David Stratemeyer

Our biggest "challenge" is getting to LAX. The freeways impact our decisions about when to fly. This is a bigger factor than price when choosing flights. We don't want to depart LAX at 9 a.m., which would mean checking in by 7a.m., and leaving the house at 5:30-6 a.m., in horrible commute traffic.

Conversely, we never want to land at LAX between 4 - 6 p.m., since the 405 is a parking lot.

Our last trip in July necessitated taking a flight leaving LAX at 9:20 a.m. We opted to stay at an airport hotel the night before so we could drive down at our leisure and just simply take the hotel shuttle to the airport at a reasonable time the next morning with the peace of mind knowing we would get to the airport in plenty of time to check in and go through security. (of course, our flight got cancelled, and we ended up killing time at LAX for 12, count 'em, 12 hours before we were able to fly out)(that is another story).

So, the congested freeways certainly influence the times we choose to fly. It can be a long, tedious drive otherwise.

-Janet Ballin

One solution to our traffic problem is to schedule "truck traffic" to off peak hour just the way we did it during the successful Olympic Games in 1984.

-- Miguel

I work in Calabasas and commute from Van Nuys. Traffic both ways is a nightmare, as you can imagine.

On weekends, I worry not only about travel time, but also parking. I will not go certain places if I have to valet or park on the street. This has definitely placed a damper on my social life.

Going to the beach on weekends is a nightmare. You start out in the early morning, which includes getting gas the night before, and you are still stuck in traffic. I believe this is as a result that most rational people want to start early as well, so traffic congestion starts even earlier.

-- Matthew Miller

I used to stay after school to do some paper work and help students.

Now I leave right after the bell rings to avoid the rush hour traffic.

I don't go to many functions after school because of the traffic.

-- Miguel Luna

I feel like these people do. Might just as well stay home and visit the world on TV and the Internet.

The alternative (let's say to visit Disneyland) is to fill up your gas tank at $3 per gallon, risk your life on the road with insane drivers or fools in monster trucks, then find yourself barely moving in traffic because all the rubberneckers have a sick need to have a look at the broken down on the freeway, then reach your destination and pay $15 for parking, then stand in line and pay $60 for a ticket, then wait an hour in line for each ride, then pay $20 for a greasy burger and fries ... then try to find your car in the monster parking lot and do the reverse to get home.

The alternative is be safe, sound, and comfy at home and save the money.

-- Truth Must Be Told

I too am stuck in traffic almost four hours a day -- one and a half hours in the morning and two hours at night.

My 35-mile drive from Santa Clarita to Santa Monica is a nightmare and I catch myself not going anywhere when I get home. (to get back into a car us a dreadful thought)

I have turned into a "hermit" - which I don't like. I do my food shopping and chores in the early morning hours on Saturday just so I don't get stuck in traffic. It's very stressful.

-- Judy Jenson

I recently received a better job offer in Downey, however I live in Valley Village. I turned down the promotion after taking a few trips out to Downey and spending time in traffic.

It just made me realize how good it is to have a four-mile commute to work everyday. I also feel sorry for those who commute in heavy traffic everyday.

-- Valley resident

My wife and I visit close friends in West L.A. once a month. That is the only time we now venture "over the hill." I am retired and I feel sorry for those young people who have to commute in this traffic mess every day.

-- Mike Wiener

I couldn't agree more that that article! I also plan my activities around the traffic patterns in and around Los Angeles. I'll only venture into L.A. on Sunday mornings. The rest of the time I'll head away from the city to the various cities in Ventura County.

-- Ron Russell

To go to work from Reseda to downtown L.A., I'd be on the freeway by 6 a.m.

It took us an hour and a half to Holy Cross Cemetery for a rosary on a rainy evening. We were late. For the funeral the next morning it was necessary to stay at a nearby motel.

-- John Curti

After braving the roads commuting to work, many Angelenos are sticking close to home on weekends because they can't deal with another minute of sitting in traffic. Get the story HERE.

Traffic problems keep people from visiting others living on another side of town. It can dictate where you work, what restaurants you choose, where you shop and even where you want to goof off.

How does congestion affect you? Tell our blog!

The Los Angeles City Council is expected to decide Wednesday whether to apply for a federal grant to help build a bus-only lane on traffic-crazy Wilshire Boulevard.

City officials say the project may be eligible for a $27 million dollar federal grant. If approved the money would be made available in October 2008 and requires the city to spend more than $5 million dollars toward construction of the lane.

Thoughts? Tell our blog!

Deaths and injuries from motorcycle crashes in the state rose by nearly 50 percent from 1998 to 2005, and most of those crashes involved another vehicle, according to an analysis of California Highway Patrol crash data by the Automobile Club of Southern California.

Motorcycle registration has also sharply increased since 1998. Some have bought motorcycles within the last few years to save money on their commutes as prices at the pump have soared.

A man’s body was found Tuesday on the San Gabriel River (605) Freeway in Irwindale, prompting the closure of all southbound lanes for about four hours while an investigation was conducted, authorities said.

The man was identified as Paul Ted Compton, 55, said Craig Harvey of the coroner's office. Investigators are determining whether the Arcadia man jumped or fell from a nearby overcrossing.

Compton's body was discovered at 3:57 a.m. just north of Live Oak Avenue.

All southbound lanes were closed at Arrow Highway until shortly after 8 a.m., said CHP Officer Francisco Villalobos.

--Daily News wire services

A man was seriously injured Monday after being shot in the face by another motorist while driving on a freeway, police said.

The victim, whose name was not released, was driving on the 110 Freeway south of downtown at around 3:50 a.m. when the gunman — possibly in a black SUV — fired at him, said Kevin Maiberger, Los Angeles Police Department spokesman.

The victim was struck in the jaw and taken to California Hospital Medical Center in serious condition. A passenger in the vehicle was not hit.

Officials believe road rage may have been the motive for the shooting, which remains under investigation.
--Daily News wire services

The developers of a 5,800-home transit utopia proposed for the Newhall Pass want Metrolink trains to serve residents on already built railroad tracks sitting 100 yards below the San Gabriel Mountains.

Palmer Investments would shoulder the entire cost of the station that they want to be served by Metrolink's Antelope Valley line for the new development planned for northern Los Angeles County. Transit experts estimate the price tag at "zillions" of dollars for the station that would be difficult to construct.

Get the story HERE.

North county residents have often complained about a lack of mass transit to serve the area. Thoughts? Tell our blog!

Ground broke Friday for major construction of the Expo Line, a light rail project reaching from downtown Los Angeles to the Westside that should be ready to roll in 2010.

The contractor for the Exposition Construction Authority on Friday began excavation of a trench near the USC/Expo Park area, considered a major milestone for the project. Ground first broke for the project in September 2006.

The $640 million light rail project includes 10 new stations along the Exposition right-of-way from downtown Los Angeles to Washington/National in Culver City, about an 8.5 mile stretch. However Metro's board of directors envisions the line extending into Santa Monica.

Did you know that LAPD's Web site for Valley traffic has a list of the most wanted people who've dodged police after being suspected of traffic-related crimes?

From vehicular manslaughter to defrauding the Department of Motor Vehicles, the most wanted list has photos and crime information about suspects on the lam. Check it out HERE.

So people can be less reliant on cars, housing should be built near jobs, shopping and public transit, says Sen. Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, who has introduced a bill asking agencies that prepare regional transportation plans to build around those strategies, reports the North County Times.

Get the story on SB 375 HERE.

Steinberg's measure is also an idea that Los Angeles transit and city officials have been pushing for a while to help clear up the region's traffic choked roads.

As Metro's subway system develops, apartments and condominiums are popping up along station stops in Hollywood and along Wilshire Boulevard, giving residents convenient alternatives to driving. North Hollywood is also transforming itself with new development because of the Orange and Red Lines.

And now some rental advertisements boast of their dwelling's proximity to mass transit as a perk -- something new in the city where car is king.

Thoughts? Tell our blog!

NEWARK, N.J. — A tire importer said Thursday it would recall 255,000 Chinese-made tires it claims were defective because they lack a safety feature that prevents tread separation, reports the Associated Press.

The recall involves half the number of tires that the importer, Foreign Tire Sales Inc., had identified in June as possibly posing a risk.

The models involved are steel-belted radial replacement tires for pickups, vans and sport utility vehicles that consumers bought from early 2004 through mid-2006, Foreign Tire Sales said.

The small company, based in Union, estimated the recall would cost it $20 million, spokesman Andrew D. Frank said. It was ordered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in June to recall as many as 450,000 tires that it bought from Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. since 2002.

Information on the tire recall was to be posted at Foreign Tire Sale’s Web site, foreigntire.com. Consumers can also call a toll-free number, 888-899-9293.

A Buick Regal and a big rig collided today on the eastbound Ventura (101) Freeway, leaving the car wedged beneath the truck and one person with moderate injuries, authorities said.

The accident occurred at 1:33 a.m. just east of De Soto Avenue in the Woodland Hills area, said California Highway Patrol Officer Alex Gonzalez.

What caused the crash was not immediately determined, he said.

One person suffered moderate injuries. The vehicles had been pulled apart and the wreckage cleared by 2:07 a.m., he said.

-- Daily News Wire Services

It may be the city of cars, but Los Angeles is the land for cheap parking when compared to other major cities, according to a new study by Colliers International USA, a Boston-based real estate firm.

Angelenos pay an average of $192 for monthly parking, which is still higher than the nationwide average of $150, according to the report.

But it's far lower than the stinging $630 that Midtown New Yorkers can pay each month and the $460 that Bostonians fork out. In San Francisco, drivers pay about $350 and in Philly it's $298 on average a month while Chicago residents cough up $285.

With development in downtown the buzz word these days, it's doubtful Los Angeles will see this same parking deal for long. What are your thoughts? Tell our blog!

There have been 537 arrests, 578 citations issued and 246 car impoundments related to bandit taxi cab drivers from January through June, LAPD and city officials announced Wednesday.

The city has cracked down on these drivers who operate cabs without taxi licenses and often without driver's licenses let alone car insurance. It's estimated that the city loses about $2 million annually on these unlicensed cabs that do not pay the $90 a month franchise fees that regulated cabs do.

Heavily operating in immigrant communities, these drivers often provide rides to people without cars and can help with running errands. But at the same time, they can be a menace to passengers and others on the road, since no one is watching them and, well, anything could happen. In other cases, taxi drivers licensed to work in some parts of town come in to other areas where they're not licensed and work anyway. In the end, they all take away work from regulated cab drivers who follow the rules.

The northbound San Diego (405) Freeway will be closed from Ventura Boulevard to the Ventura (101) Freeway connector between 1-5 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 9 and from 2-7 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 12.

It's shutting down for more work on that San Diego Freeway and Ventura Freeway interchange project, expected to be done sometime in September.

Whether you want to ride your bike to work, take the train or find a vanpool, you can find solid information about commuting around SoCal on commutesmart.info.

The Web site offers free information for those looking for commuting alternatives, whether its cheaper, easier or whatever.

It even offers traffic information, showing freeway maps that blink in areas where there's trouble or bottlenecks.

Check it out! Tell us what you think!

The first Megabus rolls out of town Wednesday morning, promising to whisk passengers to places like San Diego, Las Vegas and Oakland on the cheap.

The bus, a subsidiary of Coach USA, has a limited number of seats on every route for $1. After all $1 seats are sold, passengers pay competitive prices. So book reservations early at www.megabus.com. And let us know if you ever get one for a buck!

Already serving other major cities, the Megabus also shuttles Los Angeles residents to Phoenix, San Francisco and San Jose. It departs from behind the Amtrak terminal downtown, on the sidewalk between Union Station and the Metropolitan Water District building.

Be sure to avoid this headache when the southbound San Diego Freeway (the 405) closes from the Ventura Freeway (the 101) to just south of Sepulveda Boulevard from midnight to 4 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 10.

It's for that Caltrans project at the freeway interchange to extend a lane on the northbound San Diego Freeway past the Greenleaf off-ramp to the Ventura Freeway connector.

The project should be done by the end of this month, start of September-ish, Caltrans officials said.

Metro officials are considering changes to as many as 26 bus routes across Los Angeles as part of the transit agency's periodic restructuring efforts, reports the Daily News.

The changes, which would take effect in December, could include new or revised routes or even cancellation of some routes. Plans also call for operations to be scaled back on some traditional lines, with those service hours used to expand Rapid bus service.

Metro officials will hold public hearings next week on the proposed changes, which are not expected to result in monetary savings. Get the story HERE.

Here's the schedule:
Metro Gateway Cities Sector (2 Hearings)
* August 7, 2007; 7 p.m.: Norwalk Arts & Sports Center, 13200 Clarkdale Ave., Norwalk
* August 9, 2007; 5 p.m.: The Gas Company, 9240 Firestone Blvd., Downey

Metro Westside Central Sector
* August 8, 2007, 5 p.m.: La Cienega Tennis Center, 325 S. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills.

Metro San Gabriel Valley Sector
* August 13, 2007, 6 p.m.: San Gabriel Valley Sector Office, 3369 Santa Anita Ave., El Monte.

The 14-mile ride on Metro's Orange Line can take up to 45 minutes, and now transportation officials want to speed that up to entice motorists to leave their cars behind and hop on board.

A study being reviewed now for an express ride shaves up to five minutes off the commute from Woodland Hills to North Hollywood. It also skips some stops along the way and could leave passengers at those stops waiting even longer for the Orange Line - a move decried by some critics.

What would it take for you to leave your car behind and use the Orange Line? How could an express line for the bus way work? Tell our blog!

Southland gasoline prices fell for the 11th time in the past 12 weeks this week, dropping below $3 per gallon in Orange County, despite crude oil prices rising to a record high, the Automobile Club of Southern California reported Friday.

The average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded regular now stands at $3.015 in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area -- 5.6 cents less than last week, 11 cents less than last month and 23 cents less than at this time last year, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch survey of gas stations.

The average price dropped 3.9 cents from July 20-27 after a 1.1 cent increase from July 13-20 ended a streak of nine consecutive weekly declines.

Source: news wires

Where do you find the cheapest gas prices in Los Angeles? Tell our blog!

Targeting red-light runners, Metro and law enforcement officials are participating in week-long national campaign to draw attention to what can be a deadly problem.

The "Think Ahead Stop on Red" campaign starts Saturday and is aimed at changing drivers' behaviors.

Just last week, a Metro bus driver was killed on the job after a speeding car blew through a red light in Willowbrook and crashed into the bus, authorities said.

Have you been hit by a red-light runner? Where do you see this happening? Tell our blog.

A few years of surging prices at the pump have more people leaving their cars in their driveways and hopping on motorcycles for cheaper commutes.

About 1.2 million new motorcycles were sold in the United States last year - up 250 percent from just a decade earlier, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council.

"Certainly the spike in gas prices we've seen has caused a lot of people to think about motorcycling and the potential savings at the pump that they could experience," said Mike Mount, spokesman for the Irvine-based trade group.

Motorcycles, on average, get 40 to 50 miles per gallon, while scooters can get up to a staggering 80. Read the story HERE.

Have you traded in your car for a motorcycle? Thinking about a hybrid? What changes are you making in your life to save money at the pump? Write our blog!