During the first year after the half-cent sale tax increase begins (LA County will then be 8.75%), an estimated $650 million for transit projects will be collected, according to Metro who today said a "comprehensive financial plan that will lay out a strategy for delivering projects," will be presented in January. Projects that will be funded include the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension in the San Gabriel Valley, Regional Light Rail Connector in Downtown LA,......

Photo by Adan Garcia via Flickr Although it was predicted to win the day after the election, Measure R, the half-cent tax increase that is expected to raise $30 to $40 billion over the next 30 years for transit projects, finally passed today with 100% of the votes tallied. It won by 27,000 votes, which was slim for a ballot measure that required two-thirds to pass it. The final tally is Yes) 2,039,214 votes,......

'Urban Light' at LACMA | Photo by nailmaker via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the single largest contributor to Measure R, was questioned yesterday for donating close to a million dollars to support the campaign to pass the initiative that proposed raising the county's sales tax half-cent for transportation projects, including a possible subway rolling down Wilshire Blvd. with a stop right outside the museum. LACMA is......

Photo by LA Wad via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr As Metrolink announces their inclusion in Google Transit today (although, it's been live since October), Steve Hymon at the LA Times takes a rightfully and just swing at Metro for still not working with Google. There remains one huge glitch with Google Transit, and it's not Metrolink's fault. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been in talks with Google Transit about providing......

Bill Boyarsky, former LA Times columnist and LA Observed blogger, writes an op-ed today in the Times about the passing of the two transit propositions--high speed rail and LA County transit funding--on the November ballot could emulate Depression era projects. "Thanks to two measures that were on the Nov. 4 ballot, we have the prospect of financing public works projects that can put the growing number of unemployed to work, just as the dams and......

Photo by LindsayWilliamRoss via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr Daily News' transit writer Sue Doyle today explores the Orange Line and why some people are frustrated with it. Namely, to go 14-miles between North Hollywood and Warner Center, it takes 40 minutes. That's too slow so how can it be sped up? Some want light rail, others say put gates at the intersections and give the buses a right-of-way so they don't have wait......

If it gets prioritized funding, the Metro Orange Line's swoop to the north from Canoga Park to the Chatsworth Train Station could begin construction in 2010 and be in operation by 2013, finds Curbed LA. Four new stations will be added and every other westbound bus from North Hollywood will travel the new route. The Gold Line extension to East LA will open next year and the Expo Line from downtown to Culver City is......

No, you won't be seeing the 15 Councilmembers bike commuting to city hall (well, maybe Eric Garcetti will), but next Friday, the Transportation Committee will hold a special hearing on six bike themed measures in addition to Dodger Stadium shuttle service and a recent report from the RAND Corporation on reducing traffic in the short term. "The bicycle related motions up for discussion include updates on the Sharrows Program, bicycle licensing, and the Bike Master......

Albeit slowly, the 10 year process is now in a community meeting phase. Last night, StreetsblogLA writer Damien Newton attended: "By removing buses from the snail's pace of rush hour traffic, Metro will be able to sweepingly reverse the trend of longer commutes for transit riders along the Wilshire Corridor. Rex Gephardt, who oversees the Rapid Bus program for Metro, noted that bus speeds are declining by .5% to .75% every year in the corridor."......

Hello, East LA. "Construction of the Metro Gold Line extension to East Los Angeles that began in July 2004 is 90 percent complete and still within budget and on schedule for the grand opening in the summer of 2009," says Metro today in a press release (emphasis added).......

Catenary wires that came down for unknown reasons on Tuesday afternoon will cause delays on the Metro Green Line this morning. Due to a single track operation, trains will operate every fifteen to twenty minutes as crews repair the overhead wires near the Imperial Station where railway intersects the Blue Line. "Crowded conditions will exist until repairs are completed," warned Metro.......

Photo by GarySe7en via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr Measure R, the ballot initiative that sought to raise LA County's sales tax a half percent on the dollar barely won by a 1% margin--it needed a two-thirds vote. Even though about 3.5 million county residents voted, over a million of those voters opted to not vote for the measure that is expected to bring in $40 billion in transportation funding over the next 30......

Photo by Jose Ubaldo/Metro. Used with permission If you see activity during the workweek taking place on the Gold Line's Eastside Extension tracks it's because Metro Rail has begun the process of "grinding the rails." Using a machine that moves at about 2.5 to 3 miles and hour, workers are making their way down the six mile stretch along Third Street in East Los Angeles. They began at Atlantic Boulevard and Pomona Street and......

Photo by GarySe7en via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr In what amounts to the dumbest reason to oppose a measure, the city's Engineers and Architects Association that represents 10,000 employees has come out against Measure R, the half-cent sales tax ballot initiative to raise $40 billion for transportation projects: "Much of the reason has to do with the fact that we don't trust this mayor," Union head Bob Aquino is quoted saying the Daily......

That is, if you take public transit between Santa Clarita and Los Angeles on Santa Clarita Transit's commuter express routes. Officials in Santa Clarita acted fast to solve a problem they could forsee happening again. A protest a couple months ago in Westwood caused major traffic delays and bus stop changes. With little communication to riders except for e-mail (because not everyone has a Blackberry they check obsessively), that afternoon became a bit hectic for......

That's right, in only two months since it was first proposed, Metro, at the behest of the city and community, will dabble into extended late-night subway service. Trains will operate every 20 minutes until 3:00 a.m. for a total of thirteen Friday and Saturday nights--November 21st to the end of the year--during the holiday season. "Backers hope that ridership during the holiday trial will convince Metro that late-night service is an ongoing need," reports blogdowntown......

A group of UCLA students, under the auspices of Bruins for Traffic Relief, hit the streets last Friday to garner support for Measure R, the countywide ballot initiative that would raise the sales tax a half-cent in order to raise an estimated $40 billion for transit over the next 30 years. "As the largest trip-attractor on the Westside, with a daytime population of 55,000, UCLA stands to greatly benefit from new transportation options on the......

The first of Metro's regional connector meeting for a proposed line that would let the Gold, Blue and future Expo light rail lines to combine for longer trips (think Pasadena to Long Beach without transfer) was held this afternoon. Blogdowntown reports the majority of attendees at the packed meeting voiced support for the underground option, the most logical option considering one auto vs. train accident on the above ground plan could halt a regional transit......

Photo by aharvey2k via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr As of this morning, here's the latest on road closures and public transit routes affected by the Sesnon and Marek Fires (things can change, if they do, they should be updated at (800) 439-2909): If You're Driving: Following Streets are Closed Topanga Canyon Boulevard northbound at Chatsworth Avenue De Soto Avenue northbound at Rinaldi Street Corbin Avenue northbound at Porter Ranch Drive Mason Avenue northbound......

If you're traveling into, out of or through areas affected by the Sesnon or Marek Fire, here's the latest as of a 3:15 p.m. update sent out by the Mayor's Office. The more current info is updated at (800) 439-2909. Below are roadway and public transit updates: If You're Driving Sesnon Bl closed west of Balboa and in both directions between Porter Ranch Dr. and Tampa Avenue Jollete St and Neon PL are streets are......

A conceptualized regional connector map | Download the full size here (.pdf) Imagine a day when the Gold Line Eastside Extension to East LA and the Expo Line to Culver City are completed (2009 and 2010, respectively). But if you're traveling from Culver City to Little Tokyo, you'll have to take the Expo Line to the Red Line to the Gold Line. Headache, right? That's what Metro's Regional Connector project is seeking to fix.......

Metrolink is using Twitter to update their service. The latest: "Ventura Co. Line to be shut down in the Chatsworth area due to heavy smoke in tunnel area. More details to follow." UPDATE: Metrolink has some bus bridge alternatives, but depending on where you are and where you're going, you'll need to see their specific details.......

Major one-up for Measure R, the proposed half-cent sales tax increase that would go towards transportation projects. The LA Times says it's bad timing with the current economy, but now is the time, despite what the naysayers claim. "The official opposition to Measure R comes mainly from politicians from far-flung parts of the county who claim that they wouldn't get their fair share of the tax money; they tend to favor a regional distribution scheme......

Have you ever noticed that Google Maps displays Metro Subway and Light Rail stations but not Orange Line ones, even though the buway pretty much acts like train on rubber wheels (yeah, cheesy description). We posed that question to Google and a spokesperson quickly responded saying those stations would be marked on the map if Metro joined the Google Transit program. "The icons you're seeing for LA Metro stations are actually from a separate source......

In a scathing editorial, the Long Beach Press-Telegram is telling people to vote no on Measure R, the LA County ballot initiative that will raise the sales tax one half-cent in order to raise $40 billion over 30 years for transportation projects. Complaining that Southeastern LA County will not get much, if any, of the funding (did they even speak up like the San Gabriel Valley did?) and focusing their attention on West LA commuters......

LA Now is reporting that interviews with witnesses of last month's deadly Metrolink-Union Pacific train crash have shed light on findings in opposition of the National Transportation Safety Board--and the color of that light just happens to be green. Three observers, including the Metrolink Chatsworth station security guard, claim "that a final, crucial railroad signal was green as the commuter line's engineer headed toward the collision point." Evidence gathered in the NTSB's preliminary investigation indicate......

It's a weekend packed with festivals and sporting events that are sure to take a toll on traffic. The LA Times reminds us that things could get pretty snarled up on the roads around town: "USC plays Oregon at the Coliseum at 5 p.m.; the Cubs are at the Dodgers at 7 p.m.; Washington State plays UCLA at the Rose Bowl at 7:15 p.m.; and singer Neil Diamond performs at Staples Center at 8 p.m."......

As expected, the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles voted to give $5 million towards a 3.4 mile downtown streetcar route. But there is still a long way to go as the project is expected to cost $90 million with up to half of the funding possibly coming from the private sector. Earlier this week, LA City Councilman Jose Huizar said that he intends on riding the streetcar in 2014.......

Using Google Transit, a trip from Union Station to Chatsworth on a Metrolink Train Last week, vowing to help make NYC transit less complicated, New York City and Google officially launched Google Transit's ability to help people navigate the city. So it got us thinking. If New York City has it and Chicago has it in addition to Orange County, San Diego, Burbank, Irvine, Metrolink Trains and Thousand Oaks, when will Metro, Los Angeles'......

Metro has been looking into connecting the Blue, Gold and future Expo Lines for some time now. Currently, if you want to go to Long Beach from Pasadena, you take the Gold to the Red to the Blue. With the regional connector, imagine taking just one train from start to finish. While Metro has not posted the next group of meetings yet, Little Tokyo UnBlogged has the info for two meetings later this month. Plans......