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laist.com wrote A Streetcar Named Los Angeles
APRIL 18, 2008As mentioned yesterday, Eric Richardson of blogdowntown is visiting Portland on a Los Angeles delegation to study the Pacific Northwest city's public transit system, namely the streetcar system. One of the biggest concerns is construction -- the time it takes and how it affects traffic, both auto and pedestrian. One of the biggest opponents was Mike Powell, of Powell's Books fame. But after the construction came and went, he became a fan:
The timeline for streetcar construction? One block per week, with only the lane under construction taken out of service. Both the street and sidewalk remained open.
After becoming convinced himself, Powell became a salesman for the line. When he would encounter a property owner who brought up the disruption question, Powell would tell them one thing. "Go to the beach for one week, and when you come back your property will be worth 50% more." Yesterday he told the L.A. group that his statement wasn't correct. "I was wrong about the 50%. It ended up being 300%."
Previously, LAist had an idea of putting a streetcar system in the NoHo Arts District. Some dug it, some didn't. A posting on Richardson's Twitter yesterday said this: "One thing that keeps coming up is the value of the streetcar as a development driver. Planning a route for potential, not present." In regards to NoHo, the potential is there, growing and getting better everyday, but it's definitely not where it needs to be at present.
Columbus Underground Messageboard » General Columbus Discussion » Transportation
Los Angeles Streetcar, Subway & Light Rail News
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Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
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Posted 5 years ago # -
gramarye
In Exile
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Los Angeles has got to be one of the choicest targets for streetcar development, given the size of the city and the fact that at the moment it's got oodles of streets and few other options, so transit that can use existing street rights-of-way has a serious advantage coming out of the gate.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
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latimesblogs.latimes.com wrote
L.A. streetcar workshop May 22 at the OrpheumMay 08, 2008
If you live or work in downtown L.A., you've probably heard of Bringing Back Broadway, an initiative to revitalize the historic Broadway district. The backbone of Bringing Back Broadway is a plan to revive the L.A. streetcar -- a plan that's under study by the city, with the help of consultants from IBI Group.
Now Angelenos can learn all about the streetcar, because a streetcar workshop is coming to L.A. Based on the book "Street Smart: Streetcars and Cities in the 21st Century," the workshop is actually the last in a series of four national streetcar workshops. The previous one happened in the Pacific Northwest last month and was attended by a couple dozen streetcar-curious Angelenos -- including Eric Richardson of blogdowntown.
What do streetcars do for business? For Mike Powell of Portland bookstore Powell's Books, who spoke at the Portland workshop, getting a streetcar on his block meant just one week of disrupted business due to construction -- followed by a 300% rise in property values. So sign up for the workshop to learn how streetcars can stimulate the local economy and create walkable, vibrant, de-car'd neighborhoods around the U.S. -- because we may be seeing new ones in downtown L.A., as well as in Pasadena, Culver City, Beverly Hills and other SoCal cities.
Posted 5 years ago # -
Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
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LAist.com wrote Streetcar for Los Angeles 3-4 Years Away?
MAY 23, 2008
By Zach Behrens
After 50 years since the disappearance of streetcars in Los Angeles, it looks like they might be making a comeback. Curbed LA reports that the first line will "basically going from LA Live to the planned mixed-use Grand Avenue project via Broadway. Timeline: 3-4 years."
And while the focus for many is a streetcar in downtown, panels throughout the day showed that other local cities are planning the same, reported Eric Richardson of blogdowntown. Garden Grove, Pasadena, Irvine are all looking into the possibility already to implement the transit mode. Even the Red Car line in San Pedro, which is more of a tourist attraction these days, is being looked into for heavy expansion.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Columbusite
Minneapolis
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gramarye wrote Los Angeles has got to be one of the choicest targets for streetcar development, given the size of the city and the fact that at the moment it's got oodles of streets and few other options, so transit that can use existing street rights-of-way has a serious advantage coming out of the gate.
That and it had the most extensive streetcar system in the country. It'll certainly be awhile before that could happen again.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
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ladowntownnews.com wrote
Old Street, New Lifeby Anna Scott
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
Jessica Wethington McLean may be jumping into new territory, but she's taking her past with her.
After two years as director of Planning and Economic Development for 14th District City Councilman Jos/ Huizar, McLean last month was named executive director of the Bringing Back Broadway initiative, Huizar's ambitious plan to revitalize Downtown's historic but faded corridor. On Thursday, Aug. 14, she will help welcome community members to a public workshop on bringing the streetcar back to Broadway. The event will be held from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at the New LATC theater at 514 S. Spring St.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
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angelenic.com wrote
broadway streetcar workshop open for another round of inputby Stephen Friday on August 7, 2008
There can never be too much discussion when it comes to something so vital to Broadway’s revival, though the times they schedule for these workshops could be more convenient.
On Thursday, August 14 from 10:00am to 2:30pm, Councilmen Jose Huizar (along with the CRA/LA and IBI Group) is sponsoring the next interactive community workshop, furthering efforts to get a streetcar rolling down our city’s busiest pedestrian corridor as part of the larger Bringing Back Broadway initiative.
The event will be held at 5th and Spring inside the Los Angeles Theatre Center.
Topics of discussion include integration of the streetcar to existing and future transit routes throughout Downtown, pedestrian walkways between Broadway and adjacent streets, and ideas for the design of a streetcar maintenance facility.
Posted 4 years ago # -
Brant
Gahanna
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Not exactly specific to streetcars, but relevant nonetheless: Los Angeles Transportation Myths
Posted 4 years ago # -
Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
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los angeles: the next great transit metropolis?
03/31/2010Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's campaign to accelerate the construction of rail transit in his city is deservedly in the news, not just for his own persistence but also for the excitement it's generating in the Obama administration, in Congress, and in other cities who would love to see a precedent-setting response. But it's also very useful and inspiring to transit planners working overseas, like me.
READ MORE: http://www.humantransit.org/2010/03/los-angeles-the-transit-metropolis.html
Larger Map: http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/30-10-Los-Angeles-Plan-Revised.jpgPosted 3 years ago # -
Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
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Los Angeles' Gold Line Foothill Extension Approved for Funding, Will Begin Construction Later this Year
by Yonah Freemark | March 26th, 2010
Politicians from the San Gabriel Valley have for years made very clear where they want transit investment funds to be spent in their section of the Los Angeles region, on an extension of the light rail Gold Line from Pasadena to Azusa and eventually Ontario Airport. Yesterday, they got what they wanted: a commitment of $690 million from the board of L.A. County’s Metro transportation authority, with the goal of opening the first phase for service by 2014, three years earlier than originally planned.
Posted 3 years ago # -
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Columbus Underground
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Los Angeles’ Streetcar Plans: Too Duplicative of Existing Services?
Yonah Freemark
November 16th, 2011
» Los Angeles submitted an application for U.S. TIGER funds with the intention of building a downtown streetcar line. But the alignments proposed are very similar to those offered by existing rail and bus services — and each would operate in a one-way loop, a failed transit concept.
Posted 1 year ago # -
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L.A.’s Westside Subway is Practically Ready for Construction, But Its Completion Could be 25 Years Off
Yonah Freemark
March 25th, 2012
Of the nation’s public transportation improvement projects, Los Angeles’ Westside Subway is one of the most important: It would offer an alternative option for tens of thousands of daily riders and speed travel times by up to 50% compared to existing transit trips. It would serve one of the nation’s densest and most jobs-rich urban corridors and in doing so take a major step forward towards making L.A. a place where getting around without a car is comfortable.
READ MORE: http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2012/03/25/l-a-s-westside-subway-is-practically-ready-for-construction-but-its-completion-could-be-25-years-off/Posted 1 year ago # -
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Columbus Underground
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LA'S TRANSIT DREAMS COMING TRUE?On the tracks of Los Angeles' new Expo Line.
Believe it or not, Los Angeles is on its way to becoming a world-class transit city again, and there is a pivotal new light rail line opening this weekend to prove it. On Saturday, April 28, the Expo Line will lead the city into a new transit era. This 8.6 mile route from downtown to Culver City will not only serve a traffic-weary swath of the city, but it will give Angelenos the rail line that will metaphorically make the city whole again—traveling the width of the LA basin to reach Santa Monica as early as 2015.
READ MORE: http://archpaper.com/news/articles.asp?id=6023Posted 1 year ago # -
Brant
Gahanna
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As work continues, people will find that Los Angeles has some attributes that make it an ideal transit city. Consultant and planner Jarrett Walker notes that the city’s long straight boulevards make it perfect for high-quality express bus service. And then, of course, there’s the weather. Something like a nine-minute wait for a bus, a 15-minute walk to your destination, or an afternoon bike ride are all more pleasant in Southern California than in a Boston winter or a sweltering Washington August.
Posted 8 months ago # -
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L.A. mayor undaunted as transit tax measure lags
By Ari Bloomekatz, Los Angeles Times
November 7, 2012, 8:20 p.m.
With a county transit tax measure he backed teetering between failure and approval, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Wednesday he will go "back to the toolbox" if necessary to accelerate several projects, including a subway to the Westside.
READ MORE: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-mayor-transit-20121108,0,5866069.storyPosted 6 months ago # -
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Columbus Underground
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Downtown Streetcar: Good Project, Terrible Process
Posted: Friday, November 9, 2012 3:34 pm
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - On Tuesday, Nov. 13, the most important step yet in the creation of the Downtown Streetcar will begin. That’s the day that ballots will be mailed to approximately 10,000 people who live within three blocks of the proposed project’s route. Los Angeles Downtown News recommends that residents vote in favor of the streetcar funding plan, though our suggestion is in spite, not because, of the campaign in support of the project. In this case, the best interests of the community hold sway over the two colossal mistakes that streetcar advocates made during the process. Those are easy to quantify.
READ MORE: http://www.ladowntownnews.com/opinion/downtown-streetcar-good-project-terrible-process/article_d514f1a6-2ac4-11e2-8d0b-0019bb2963f4.htmlPosted 6 months ago # -
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Metro Breaks Ground for Westside Subway Extension [Video]
By Jared Morgan Email the author November 13, 2012Groundwork preparations began Tuesday for the first of seven new subway stops that will connect downtown Los Angeles to the Westside via an extension of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Purple Line subway.
READ MORE: http://centurycity.patch.com/articles/metro-breaks-ground-for-westside-subway-extensionPosted 6 months ago #
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