To consolidate, disseminate, and gather information concerning the 710 expansion into our San Rafael neighborhood and into our surrounding neighborhoods. If you have an item that you would like posted on this blog, please e-mail the item to Peggy Drouet at pdrouet@earthlink.net
The big trend in U.S. transit bus service is to do more
with less—or, in some senses, to do something different with the same.
So we see cities like Houston and Omaha
redesigning their bus systems, at zero additional cost, into networks
that cover less territory than before but that run more frequently where
they do go. That crowd may soon get a high-profile new face: Los
Angeles.
At least that’s the service direction indicated by a series of recent
documents posted online by L.A. Metro’s Blue Ribbon Committee, a panel
tasked with suggesting a new transit vision for the city. Over thecourseoffivemeetings dating back to February, the committee has drafted a service plan
that centers around an expanded network of frequent bus—those running
at least every 15 minutes. Here’s the proposed map (spotted by Human Transit), with proposed expansions in red and purple:
A
draft map of frequent bus service in Los Angeles. Dark blue routes
already run every 15 minutes; those in red and purple are proposed
frequent network expansions. (LA Metro)The plan would give Angelinos something closer to reliable all-day transit service. That’s a great benefit
to any city: it reduces car reliance, promotes equitable mobility, and
ultimately increases transit ridership. It’s also a great thing for
riders, because it means they can more or less show up at a stop without
consulting a schedule and know a bus will come soon.
But that sort of flexibility comes with some costs. In this case, it
looks like there are three main ones (which appear to have emerged from a
network analysis conducted by the American Public Transportation
Association):
More crowded rush-hour buses. Right now L.A. buses
have an all-day “loading standard” of 1.3—meaning they allow 1.3
passengers for every seat. The new plan would up that standard to 1.4
during rush hour. The last thing any commuter wants is a more crowded
bus, but in reality we’re talking about a matter of four-to-six people
per bus, depending on its size. And the move would help keep down costs,
because it means Metro wouldn’t have to run as many peak buses. Fewer bus stops. The Metro draft plan also
considers consolidating bus stops—in other words, eliminating some that
currently exist. That will mean a bit of a longer walk to and from the
bus stop for some riders, but it also means a faster ride. So long as
the pedestrian infrastructure in a city keeps up with new walking
demands, getting rid of some bus stops can actually improve service for the system as a whole.
Less coverage to low-ridership corridors. Last but
not least, the draft plan also calls for service cuts on some of the bus
system’s lower-ridership routes. Again, that will result in lost or
worse service for some Angelinos, and likely some who rely on transit to
get around. But in the absence of new bus funding it’s the surest way
to balance out the money going toward the increased frequency on other
parts of the system.
So there it is: a faster network in exchange for a slightly smaller
one. Some of the documents indicate the Blue Ribbon Committee has even
grander sights; in an earlier meeting, it presented a map
of an even more rapid system, complete with two tiers of bus-rapid
transit running every five minutes (below, in dark red and red). A
system this impressive would no doubt require an equally impressive
source of funding, but it’s an encouraging glimpse into Metro’s ideal
vision for the city:
A
proposed strategic bus network would have two tiers of BRT service
running every 5 minutes as part of a broad frequent service network. (LA
Metro)The Metro documents indicate the new draft policy will be taken to the Metro Board of Directors in July 2015.
Until then it remains subject to change, and of course it also remains
subject to rejection. But if nothing else it shows the city is trying to
do a bit better with what it’s been given.
A new survey from HNTB Corp. finds many Southern California residents
hungry for a more efficient multimodal transportation system, including
better scheduling and improved transferability from one mode to
another.
“California is the most populated state in the nation, and we love our cars, so it’s no wonder our roads are extremely crowded,” said Michael Palacios, HNTB Southern California district leader.
According to the HNTB survey, 91 percent of Southern California
residents drive on freeways, highways or toll roads, on average, four
days a week. Looking back at the unofficial start of the summer travel,
AAA expected 2.31 million people in Southern California would hit the
road Memorial Day weekend, and 37 million Americans would do so overall.
These numbers were the highest estimates since 2005 as consumer
confidence is buoyed by an improved economy and lower gas prices.
“Rising congestion has put up a number of roadblocks to the Golden
State’s love affair with the automobile,” said Palacios. “It’s to the
point that we must address, particularly in Southern California, our
historical public transportation deficit.”
In recent years, Los Angeles has been doing just that, insisting on
better bus service and expanding its transit network – including the
Crenshaw/LAX, Purple Line Extension and Regional Connector projects –
through Measure R, a half-cent sales tax that took effect in July 2009.
Southern California residents want a more accessible and efficient
local transit system. The HNTB survey showed more than 4 in 5 (84
percent) would like to have greater access to local transportation
options.
Today, just more than half (51 percent) of Southern California residents
use local public transportation. Sixty percent of those who use public
transportation use it at least once a week. Still, residents are hoping
for more ways to get around, such as walkways (37 percent), bike paths
(36 percent) and highways (29 percent).
“It’s about choice,” Palacios said. “We can’t necessarily build our
way out of congestion any more. But we can make the most of the systems
we do have by getting them to work better together.”
Southern California residents ages 18-54 are more likely than those
55 and older to desire greater access to public transit (52 percent
versus 39 percent), rails (42 percent versus 31 percent), walkways (40
percent versus 28 percent), bike paths (43 percent versus 21 percent)
and highways (33 percent versus 20 percent).
More residents in urban areas than those in suburbs would like
additional access to rail (42 percent versus 35 percent) and bike paths
(39 percent versus 32 percent).
Three in 4 (75 percent) Southern Californians would fork over their
own money to have a better travel experience. “In fact, we found if
local multimodal mobility choices were smoother, traffic congestion
might be reduced, as many said they would switch to public transit,”
Palacios said. More than one-third (34 percent) of this group would be
most willing to spend more to use rail for this reason, while buses come
in second (15 percent).
More than 8 in 10 (83 percent) Southern California residents think
local modes of transportation need to be improved in order to run more
efficiently. Among those residents, better scheduling (62 percent),
easier access and transferability from one mode of transportation to
another (59 percent) and more frequent arrival and departure times (58
percent) top the list of improvements. Nearly half (49 percent) say a
more cohesive single payment system would help. Palacios said Southern
California might be able to leverage lessons being learned in the San
Francisco Bay Area, which is moving toward such a system with Clipper®, a
renewable, stored-value transit card designed to encourage intermodal
travel and incentivize ridership.
Seamless local mobility would result in nearly 9 in 10 (87 percent)
Southern Californians changing their transportation behaviors. More than
half (55 percent) of those who would change their behavior predicted
they would go more places. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) would reduce
their driving, some would hop onto public transportation (63 percent) or
walk (55 percent) more often. And 26 percent would even encourage more
people to visit.
“We have much to look forward to,” Palacios said. “With the
transportation and transit projects now in the pipeline, Southern
Californians will see a more connected transportation system in their
future.”
HNTB is currently working on or has completed a variety of
transportation projects in Southern California designed to improve the
multimodal system, including the Alameda Corridor-East San Gabriel
Trench grade separation; the Interstate 405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements
Project; the Caltrain Jerrold Avenue Bridge Replacement; the Sixth
Street Viaduct Replacement; and the Kraemer Boulevard railroad grade
separation project. It also serves as lead designer to Walsh/Shea
Corridor Constructors for the planned Crenshaw/LAX Line will connect the
existing L.A. Metro Green Line with the Expo Line and integrate Los
Angeles International Airport into the regional rail network.
More than one-third (35 percent) of Southern California residents
believe they will be using local public transportation more often in the
next five years. Southern Californians also think they will be driving
vehicles (40 percent) more in the next five years, while some think they
will walk (30 percent) and ride bikes (22 percent) more to their
destinations.
There may be a boost in carpooling or ride-sharing as well, as 17
percent think they will do so more often. And 1 in 10 (10 percent)
thinks he or she will take advantage of car sharing more often.