Approximately 25 people attended the third of the seven planned community meetings on the 2008 Draft Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) Thursday, April 3 at 6 p.m. in Carson. Cara Rice, City of Carson transportation manager, suggested some ideas for funding transportation projects. Approximately 10 people provided verbal comments. Many of the comments dealt with support for expanding rail to serve more areas in the South Bay, San Pedro and Long Beach.
Several people voiced support for connecting the Green Line to LAX. Other speakers suggested ways to relieve goods movement-related traffic at the ports and on the regions' freeways. Suggestions included extending the Green Line to the east, improving mobility between Los Angeles and Orange counties, augmenting customer service, adjusting the Metro fare structure and improving transit options and travel times in the South Bay region.
The next LRTP Community Meeting is scheduled for April 8 in Rosemead.
Metro wants to know what you imagine. Tell us what you think of LA County’s transportation future by clicking the COMMENTS link below.
15 comments:
I imagine a "green-line" type of train going up the center of the 405 freeway from at least Mission Viejo, through to LAX. The 405 freeway is terrible most of the time. Get rid of the NB and SB carpool lanes and stick in a NB/SB train. I know it would not be easy, but I think that is the worst freeway in general in Socal. Do not "add" any more lanes!
We should have a system of congestion pricing, which can be employed by using sensors throughout the L.A. area. In addition companies should be required to offer commuting allowances instead of free or reduced parking, which would encourage more car pooling and use of transit. The money raised could reduce our high sales tax. We should allow for private companies to be able to offer transit services. Instead of the subway to the sea, turning Wilshire Blvd. into a high speed busway using synchronized lights and limiting automobile traffic would be more cost effective. The proposed Culver City rail line will be a major waste of money, as I believe very few people will use it. The 437 bus currently serves much of the proposed route, and the times I have ridden the bus, it is far from being full.
I think in addition to extending the Green Line to LAX there should be some kind of subway/light rail that went go from Hollywood to LAX, possibly along Fairfax. There needs to be an effecient way to get to LAX from Hollywood/West LA.
We need more trains that actually go where people atually work. The freeways arn't working anymore it's time for a change.
We really need a more intricate and effective system. I would definitely use the metro system more often if I knew I could easily get to anywhere in Southern Cal. I live in Long Beach and work in San Pedro and the only way to get to work is over the Vincent Thomas bridge which has been closed a lot lately. Not only that it takes almost two hours for me to get to work on the buses when I can get there in less than twenty minutes in a car.
Imagine actually fixing roads, widening roads, even double- decking roads where widening is not practical, to cope with our increasing population.
Imagine getting rid of the stupid carpool lanes, and let all the traffic use the extra space, for a better traffic flow. Carpool lanes are highly discriminatory in favor of people who work for large companies with ride sharing programs, or those who can afford a hybrid car. They are not fair to service workers who travel solitare, and people working for small companies, sales people, etc.
Imagine using more non-polluting buses to take people where they need to go, instead of wasting billions on rail lines that rarely go where people actually need to go.
Imagine people coming to grips with the reality that just about everyone who uses LA's rail transit to commute to work was already or would otherwise have been using public bus transportation. The small percentage of people who have stopped driving their cars to take the train hardly justifies the billions spent.
Imagine making sure that people who ride the Blue Line, for example, actually pay for their ticket. I've heard that most riders are never checked, and I've seen many get on board without having bought a ticket.
Imagine facing reality, and stopping the wasteful nonsense. I love trains and think Amtrak is great for long trips. But in an area as de-centralized as Los Angeles, rail systems don't make much sense, since you'd have to be jumping from train to bus and back anyway. Most people need the freedom of movement afforded by their own vehicle, especially in a diverse and spread-out area like Los Angeles.
And if you really care about overcrowding and traffic, (not to mention the high cost of housing), stop promoting illegal immegration. If you really want to see total gridlock, keep up the "sanctuary city" policies and, what the hell, give drivers' licenses to all non-citizens too. Then hardly anyone will use public transportation, except the very poorest.
Imagine anyone riding the bus or train that didn't have to. But actually, the whole problem may be "solved" when gas gets so expensive that most non-essential driving will cease. If we reach the point where the trains are at full capacity, then maybe you should think about building some less expensive monorails.
We should instead of having carpool lanes build light rail lines such as the green line along many major freeways including the 405, 5, 10, 110, 60, 57, and many other freeways throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties. A large network of these lines would prov more useful in getting people places and we could start by taking carpool lane funds to build them. Carpool Lanes are getting even more full and we can't keep adding lanes on freeways.
Imagine a train where the robo announcer isn't blasting announcements repetitively in your ear at 3 times a decibel range necessary, "keep your feet, off the seat, don't eat, smoke drink, report any suspicious packages..."
"keep your feet, off the seat, don't eat, smoke drink, report any suspicious packages..."
"keep your feet, off the seat, don't eat, smoke drink, report any suspicious packages..."
"keep your feet, off the seat, don't eat, smoke drink, report any suspicious packages..."
What are we... 12?
Imagine that and you might find that people actually like taking your freakin train. Until then go suck a lemon.
Imagine... installing ticket scanners and turnstiles at all rail stations. It would be lovely if people used manners at bus stops and try to cheat by getting in the back door of the bus without paying.
I would love to see more north/south light rail.
and it would be really wonderful if the Sunset buses had a rapid line and consistent bus service.
I have a car and choose to ride the bus to work 3 days a week. with the posters on the buses it would be nice to have a list of good courtesy and manners.
24 hour 7 day a week service.
We need to focus more on the "real" city of Los Angeles, rather than the suburbs. Leave the cars to the suburbanites. In the hardcore urban parts of Los Angeles, we need to focus our efforts on public transit. Landuse policies are also something that must be dealt with. LA needs to come to the realization that it isn't this suburban city anymore. Most of it looks more like NYC, SF and Chicago, and we need to face that fact. We need more density in our city, so that we can use the rail and bus system more effectively.
Anyone that says we shouldn't have transit because no one uses it, must be prepare to live with congested road conditions and pay those high gas prices. For the people that say "I dont want to live in an LA that you describe". Well, maybe you should consider moving some where else, because these are the realities of our city. We need higher densities, so that we can walk and use transit. The folks that want to keep driving, will find that the added density makes traveling for things quicker. We need to have a more balanced transit system. A system where if you want to drive you can, and if you want to take transit you can.
If there was a train along the 605 I would use it everyday. Also the 10 west to 605 south interchange is a gauntlet. I'd be interested to see some data regarding accidents in that vicinity.
Also I don't see the effectiveness of carpool lanes. All they do is create congestion at the entrance and exit points. If anything they need to be policed better, often I see people in those lanes who are not carpooling and who cut in and out over the double yellow.
I imagine a bus network that helps passengers get to the places where Metro Rail does not go. LAX-Hollywood/Universal City, South Bay-SF Valley, LA-Disneyland/Anaheim (remember the days where there was EXPRESS SERVICE TO DISNEYLAND) Also, it is time to realize that not everyone wants to pass through Downtown Los Angeles to get to the destination.
What about using the old RR ROW that use to exist along Hawthorne Blvd. for light rail but is now used for excess parking?
What about doing what is done in N. Cal in some areas where they have "reversible lanes" that changes directions based on the amount of commuting traffic?
I live near Van Nuys and work in Santa Monica. As it is now, I spend 3 hours a day in my car, by myself on the 405 N/S. I looked into taking bus/light rail and found that if I chose public transit I would have to take 3 different buses and spend 5 hours a day commuting! FIVE HOURS/day. That is why I chose to take my car.
Better North/South transportation would be awesome.
I may be under-informed on this issue but I think the idea of closing the carpool lanes in favor of a Toll Lane is stupid, just plain stupid.
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