brooklynmutt:

Woman jumps into robbery suspect’s moving getaway van during California police chase

Read: ktla

So this happened yesterday.

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curiositycounts:

Long before Los Angeles became the driving capital of the world, many Angelenos relied on the local rail lines like most major cities. This short documentary, A Ride on the Last of the Red Cars, shows the quaint, nostalgic L.A. of 1961, before buses and car culture consumed Southern California.

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Villaraigosa’s legacy rides on transit plan: The Los Angeles mayor wants voters to help break the impasse over his bid to more swiftly build a rail network.

Graphic: Transit vision for Southland. Credit: Los Angeles Times

dreamsforthecity:

humanscalecities:

I don´t either! Very pertinent. If that photo has some value, is only because it shows a great example of insane planning

citymaus:

latimes:

Since you guys seem to like Brian van der Brug’s gorgeous aerial photo of Dodger Stadium with downtown in the background, we’ve uploaded it here at 800 pixels wide. You’re welcome!

I don’t see what’s so “gorgeous” about this.

This thing is surrounded by cement. Only way to get to this stadium is by car. Talk about accessible. There should be a light rail line, bus line, and bike path to the entrance of the stadium.

Well that’s horrifying. It’s literally in an ocean of concrete. With so many stadiums (baseball parks in particular) placing an emphasis on transit access it makes me sad to see the Dodgers total lack of progress.

There’s a really interesting conversation happening in the notes of this post about urban planning and development. Admittedly, as an Angeleno, I’m pretty thrilled to see Dodger stadium and downtown juxtaposed at this particular perspective. I should add that the stadium is in Elysian Park, which is nice and big and green makes me forget how much of it is parking space. But! Our story is about what kind of development can be planned for Dodger stadium now that ownership is passing hands. There’s some pertinent information near the end about some of the problems with mass transit, too. So you should take a look.

—S.

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losangelespast:

The inter-city Pacific Electric Red Car gets all the press, but the cars of the LA Transit Lines, which served central LA and surrounding areas and ran for 62 years beginning in 1901, carried more passengers. 

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Expo Line’s opening day finally set: Phase one of Los Angeles’ much-delayed and ever-costlier first line into the Westside in 50 years is set to open April 28. Most of it, anyway.

Photo: Expo Line light rail operator Sheila Celestain, 55, guides the lead car down the tracks during a media test ride of the soon-to-open Expo Line from the new station at La Cienega/Jefferson to downtown. Credit: Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times

usclibraries:

Five members of the Los Angeles Bicycle Club pose with their high wheelers outside the Agricultural Park Roadhouse, circa 1887.

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Rising gas prices give a jolt to sales of electric motorcycles: With new models coming out that can go freeway speeds and travel more than 100 miles on a single charge, electric motorcycles could be poised to move beyond novelty status.

Photo: The Zero DS is one of the electric models made by Zero Motorcycles of Scotts Valley, Calif. Credit: Don Kelsen / Los Angeles Times

Seeing red over green: When L.A. painted a 1.5-mile strip of Spring Street neon green last year, it was hailed as a major step in the city’s effort to have cars and bicycles coexist. But the lane has been criticized by the film industry, which frequently uses the stretch of Spring as a stand-in for other cities and eras.

There’s a great graphic here on how drivers should handle themselves around the bike lane.

Senate OKs transportation bill with help for L.A. area: The $109 billion would expand a federal loan program crucial to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s efforts to speed expansion of Los Angeles’ bus and rail system.

Photo: A Green Line train heads west under the Century Freeway and Aviation Boulevard near LAX. Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

publictransitadventures:

My mom emailed me this article about my hometown—Fullerton, CA, a suburb about 40 minutes (driving, obv.) outside of Los Angeles—being the first in Orange County for a bike-share program!

I’m not confident that it’ll start out a resounding success, since it’s in the middle of suburban car country and a lot of Cal State and Fullerton College students commute from somewhat far away. On the other hand, the Fullerton train station is heavily used by Metrolink commuters heading to LA (and parking in that area is a problem), and the OCTA buses are somewhat utilized. Also, the climate is bike-friendly almost year-round, and there are lots of bike trails in the Coyote Hills reserve and along the old train tracks so people are used to cycling. I think that if it’s going to work anywhere in Orange County, Fullerton is a top shot.

Mainly, I’m just happy anyone in the area is trying to rethink and pay any attention to innovative public transportation. I’m proud of my mom for sending me the article. I’m proud of OCTA. I’m proud of Fullerton. I feel like an annoying new mama!

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A collision of visions on bullet train: The high-speed rail line would transform California lifestyles for the better, backers say. Opponents see a costly social-engineering folly.

The graphic above shows projected growth based on both current trends and “smart growth.” What do you think?

Photo: An artist’s rendering shows what the area near a high-speed rail station in Fresno could look like. Credit: California High-Speed Rail Authority

Handmade bicycle industry is on a roll: Positive trends are helping bolster a small cadre of crafts people who still build bicycles by hand. That’s why the mood was upbeat at the industry’s annual North American Handmade Bicycle Show, which concluded Sunday.

Photo: Brad Quartuccio of Urban Velo photographs a bike built by Don Walker Cycles at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show in Sacramento. Credit: Paul Kitagaki Jr. / Sacramento Bee

healthycal:

Groundbreaking legislation could change how neighborhoods are designed in California, curbing sprawl and creating safer, more walkable communities. But to make sure the law promotes public health on all of these fronts, Californians need to keep their leaders accountable.

“California’s Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act is the first law in the nation to link transportation funding, land use planning, and housing policy with an effort to reduce greenhouse gases. What does this have to do with improving public health? Just about everything.”

test reblogged from healthycal

Tired of the Los Angeles parking ticket runaround: A chorus of complaints about the city bureau that handles parking violations is circulating around town and springing up on the Web. Critics cite the appeal process and a lack of transparency.

Photo: Jeff Galfer has posted an online petition calling for a class-action suit against the Los Angeles Parking Violations Bureau. Credit: Christina House / For The Times