Roads & Rails

DOT Reverses Course on Helmet Rule for Pedicab Passengers

By Eric Richardson — June 11, 2009 — 8 Comments

Perry in a Pedicab Eric Richardson

Pedicabs passengers would not be required to wear helmets under new rules proposed by the city's Department of Transportation. That clarification came as part of an hour-long discussion of the pedal-powered transport, and contradicted language in both DOT's proposed rules and statements earlier in the meeting.

The new rules were in front of the city's Board of Transportation Commissioners for approval, but the body instead chose to take another month on the issue to clarify language and create a document that will not discourage potential operators. — Continued Inside...


Pedicabs Coming Downtown? New Rules Headed to Transportation Commission

By Eric Richardson — June 09, 2009 — 25 Comments

Perry in a Pedicab Eric Richardson

Pedicabs could soon be coming to Downtown Los Angeles, but new rules proposed by the city's Department of Transportation could be so onerous and confusing as to make the service unappealing to both riders and operators.

The rules govern everything from insurance requirements to the bikes that may be used and even the pants and shoes that operators may wear. — Continued Inside...


Geotechnical Testing Set to Start for Regional Connector

By Eric Richardson — June 05, 2009 — 6 Comments

Regional Connector Render: 2nd Street Looking West Metro

Boring for Metro's Regional Connector light rail link begins Monday, years before the project is scheduled to break ground.

A crew from Mactec Engineering will be drilling soil samples at various sites along the route to evaluate existing conditions. The results of their work will end up in the proposed project's Environmental Impact Report. — Continued Inside...


Metro Continues Rail Car Talks, Leaving Open Option for Downtown Manufacturing Plant

By Eric Richardson — May 28, 2009 — 7 Comments

Gold Line Yard Eric Richardson

Metro's board voted today to delay action on a $300 million contract for new light rail vehicles, opting to take time for further negotiations in light of new financial commitments by Italian rail firm AnsaldoBreda.

The contract has the potential to mean more than just rail cars. AnsaldoBreda is negotiating to lease 14 of the 20 acres at the Community Redevelopment Agency's proposed CleanTech Manufacturing Center just south of Downtown. That facility and green industry have been cornerstones of the Mayor's agenda for economic recovery. — Continued Inside...


As Contract Vote Nears, Rail Firm Pushes Its Leverage

By Eric Richardson — May 27, 2009

Gold Line Yard

In the lead-up to a Metro board vote on whether or not to pick up a $300-million option for light rail cars, Italian firm AnsaldoBreda upped the stakes by saying that it intended to build a manufacturing plant in Los Angeles if given the deal. The board delayed action. A day before the option contract again comes up for a vote, AnsaldoBreda will this afternoon...


Fox Prepping for Long Shoot at 6th & Broadway

By Eric Richardson — May 21, 2009
53 Comments

No Parking

Filming for Fox's "Date Night" will lead to detours over the next week, as the Steve Carell / Tina Fey picture shoots at the intersection of 6th and Broadway. Starting tonight, filming will lead to closures on Broadway most nights next week, including a request to close all east west streets from 4th to 7th.


Cycling Advocates of All Ages Say 'Share the Road'

By Ed Fuentes — May 12, 2009
5 Comments

Blessing of the Trike

|Photo Gallery| At the 6th Annual Blessing of the Bicycles, a small group of 3-year-olds made use of the slight incline at the entrance of Good Samaritan Hospital to speed past LAPD's Olympic Bike Division. They were there, along with the Bicycle Kitchen, the East Side Bike Club and other bike riders to be blessed by Good Samaritan's Reverend Jerry Anderson. For extra precaution...


Bike to Work Kicks Off; Downtown Activities Scheduled All Week

By Eric Richardson — May 11, 2009 — 5 Comments

Bike to Work Week Kickoff Eric Richardson

|Photo Gallery| Bart Simpson may be synonymous with a skateboard, but on Monday the FOX character took public transit to help Metro and city officials kick off Bike to Work week at Olvera Street.

The week brings a number of two-wheeled activities to Downtown, including Tuesday's Blessing of the Bicycles and a Wednesday pre-work ride. — Continued Inside...


Metro Rapid 720 Adding Stop at Central

By Eric Richardson — May 04, 2009 — 17 Comments

Metro Rapid 720 Eric Richardson

Sometimes all you have to do is ask.

Metro's 720 rapid bus will soon be adding a new stop at 6th and Central, all because Daveed Kapoor bothered to ask the agency to do so.

Kapoor noticed that Metro's 720 rapid bus passed through Downtown on 6th street but made no stops between Main and Soto, on the other side of the river. He thought it would make perfect sense for the line to stop at Central, serving both the Arts District and Central City East. — Continued Inside...


A Look at May Day Traffic

By Eric Richardson — May 03, 2009
3 Comments

5:30pm Traffic on May 1, 2009

On May 1, 2009, six separate immigration marches passed through Downtown Los Angeles, lasting from early afternoon into the evening rush hour. A sequence of images from LADOT's live traffic site shows the impact the resulting street closures had on traffic across Downtown.