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Post by losangeles2319 on May 12, 2009 14:18:19 GMT -8
Did anyone get the new Metro map at National Train Day ITS AWESOME!!! can't get the picture up but... CONNECTED EL MONTE AND HARBOR TRANSITWAY SERVICE They're calling it the Metro Silver Line Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Silver_Line_(LACMTA)It sounds great! 5 minute peak times and 12 minute off peaks this really seems like BRT done right to me -No available right of way -A better way for people on the El Monte Transit way to get deeper into downtown -A Harbor Transitway that could do better I think this has serious potential Maybe some better noise reduction technologies at the Harbor Transitway portions of the line would be nice and what would transfers be like? it says it replaces certain lines but what exactly does that mean? will the 400's stop at Artesia or continue to downtown and will the Silver Line continue into the South Bay and San Pedro or just end? Im not sure if this is up anywhere else or if there is a better place for it, but if it there is, please redirect me or this.
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Post by losangeles2319 on May 12, 2009 14:20:53 GMT -8
sorry about the link just copy and paste i guess
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Post by Justin Walker on May 12, 2009 15:01:12 GMT -8
The Silver Line has come up in discussion here and is presented in more detail in this board report. At National Train Day, I also saw the Metro people with the first Metro Rail/Transitway System Maps with the Silver Line depicted. Sadly, I don't have the map on me at the moment to scan, either. IMO, both busways currently suffer from a very poor brand identity both inside and outside the Metro system. For example, despite featuring the Harbor Transitway on maps through the station, 7th/Metro Center still has NO signage indicating the existence of Harbor Transitway bus stops on the street. If done right, this Silver Line service has the potential to boost both corridors and make them a valuable part of our Metro Rail/Transitway system.
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Post by jejozwik on May 12, 2009 15:19:15 GMT -8
does anyone know how they are going to work with the current bus service on the el monte busway?
currently after 6.3o or something the 487 is every hour. the 490 would run every 12 min... but that only stops at cal state or el monte. ither way its out of the way
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Post by ieko on May 12, 2009 22:29:14 GMT -8
This is what I know so far: Lines to go no further north than Artesia Transit Center: 444 446 447 Routes that have been slightly modified to justify zone fare: 445 - one stop Lines to go no further west than El Monte Station 484 490
Services frequencies are supposed to improve once they implement 910 and change these lines, for example 444 will turn into 344 and operate at 15-20 minute frequencies instead of the 15-60 minute headways currently experienced.
Also from what I understand 910 has been delayed so that Metro can look into how fares are structured on the two busways.
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Post by ieko on May 12, 2009 22:31:02 GMT -8
I meant to say that 445 will only make one stop on the Harbor Transitway at Harbor Freeway Station
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Post by bluelineshawn on May 13, 2009 15:54:40 GMT -8
I don't understand the reasoning behind making the 445 a super express. Why is this the only bus that won't be making all of the stops?
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Post by ieko on May 13, 2009 16:17:44 GMT -8
From what I can tell the reason for making it an express is that 910 and 445 would otherwise be duplicating service while 445 still had to charge for zone fare. So in order to justify the zone fare metro decided to make it an express. It was really the only option they had, short-lining 445 at Artesia Transit Center never seemed to be on the table.
I personally feel that 910 should've taken over 445's route to San Pedro as there are other Harbor Transitway Stations south of Artesia Transit Center that could really benefit from the newly branded service.
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Post by bluelineshawn on May 13, 2009 17:49:57 GMT -8
Okay. Thanks!
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Post by Justin Walker on May 13, 2009 20:47:59 GMT -8
Finally got it scanned; here's the June 2009 Metro Rail/Transitway System Map: It's nice to see both the Eastside Extension and the Silver Line on an official map, but the rail system map is long overdue for a more geographically-accurate map. The geometry of rail/bus lines downtown is completely indeterminable from this map alone.
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Post by rayinla on May 13, 2009 21:58:44 GMT -8
That reminded me to check up on what Steve Boland up at San Francisco Cityscape has been up to. Looks like he's updated his beautiful map of the LA Metro System to show what it could look like in 2035: sfcityscape.com/maps/graphics/LA_2035.gif
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Post by losangeles2319 on May 14, 2009 14:13:22 GMT -8
Nice map but I hope by 2035 we will have a little more than that.
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Post by Dan Wentzel on Aug 7, 2009 10:48:14 GMT -8
I'm trying to compare this "Silver Line" route to the old proposed Silver Line route.
The old Silver Line advocacy website seems to be down.
Is there any chance once the Regional connector is built of upgrading it to light rail?
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Post by jejozwik on Aug 7, 2009 13:46:17 GMT -8
I'm trying to compare this "Silver Line" route to the old proposed Silver Line route. The old Silver Line advocacy website seems to be down. i really dont think the silver line brt has anything to do with the line from downtown to la puente. other then name. site is still up too. just slow metrosilverline.net/home.htm
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Post by losangeles2319 on Aug 7, 2009 16:51:29 GMT -8
I'm trying to compare this "Silver Line" route to the old proposed Silver Line route. The old Silver Line advocacy website seems to be down. i really dont think the silver line brt has anything to do with the line from downtown to la puente. other then name. site is still up too. just slow metrosilverline.net/home.htmYeah it really doesn't. Also, Upgrading it to light rail would be partially useless if Metro puts the Vermont Corridor to use (being it's so close).
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Post by Justin Walker on Nov 13, 2009 19:11:26 GMT -8
I saw this map posted at Union Station today. The Silver Line is included as one line and the map is dated "Dec. 2009":
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Post by kenalpern on Nov 13, 2009 22:04:17 GMT -8
So...do they call the buses on this line "Silver Bullets"? )
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Post by jeisenbe on Nov 14, 2009 14:14:19 GMT -8
Does anyone know how this new "Silver Line" will end at the southern terminus of the Harbor Transitway? Will buses continue down the freeway and use the stations at Carson and PCH before heading to San Pedro, or will there be several different route on the transitway, as done currently? Will there be any change to the routes run by operators other than Metro on the El Monte section? Will this be a more expensive ticket?
I've always found the Harbor transitway too confusing to use. Google Transit never seems to pick it as a route either. I hope this new map is associated with other improvements.
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Post by tonyw79sfv on Nov 14, 2009 16:19:34 GMT -8
It will end at the Artesia Transit Center near the I-110 and SR-91 interchange. The most logical reason is that the Artesia Transit Center has a huge park and ride lot and has dedicated/direct HOV ramps from I-110S and onto I-110N.
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Post by Dan Wentzel on Nov 24, 2009 9:07:41 GMT -8
Is there any chance this could be upgraded to light rail and move through the Regional Connector? Perhaps even extended south to San Pedro?
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Post by ieko on Nov 24, 2009 11:48:10 GMT -8
No, don't think so.
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Post by Justin Walker on Nov 24, 2009 21:31:49 GMT -8
I saw this map posted at Union Station today. The Silver Line is included as one line and the map is dated "Dec. 2009": Metro now has the Dec. 2009 System Map featured in some of its literature. You can see it in in the Metro Eastside Extension Dining Guide, for example.
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joequality
Junior Member
Bitte, ein Bit!
Posts: 88
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Post by joequality on Dec 3, 2009 9:57:08 GMT -8
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Post by Dan Wentzel on Dec 3, 2009 11:42:01 GMT -8
It just seems this would be easily convertible to light-rail once the regional connector gets put it.
I wouldn't have branded the busways with official "colors" though.
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Post by Justin Walker on Dec 3, 2009 11:46:51 GMT -8
After some snooping around, I found the full-size Silver Line line map (click to see): Yes, the 442, 445, 460, CE 448, and OCTA 721 should continue to serve the 37th St. station. (I've heard nothing to the contrary.) I personally do not like the choice to bypass the 37th St. station. I've used it countless times. It is very close to Figueroa/Exposition and by keeping the bus on the Harbor Transitway up to Adams, the Silver Line buses could avoid one more mile of bad traffic on Figueroa. I do hope the Silver Line will bring some interesting branding marks with it. As a bare minimum, the street stops should have special bus stop signs. A boring ordinary "910 - Artesia Transit Center" sign won't cut it. Some wayfinding signage directing to the Silver Line stations and stops would go a long ways to help the service, too. (I know at least 95% of USC students/employees, for example, don't have a clue the 37th St. station exists. Why? No signs!)
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Post by ieko on Dec 3, 2009 13:18:44 GMT -8
It just seems this would be easily convertible to light-rail once the regional connector gets put it. I wouldn't have branded the busways with official "colors" though. Well besides the obvious elimination of the HOT/Carpool lane, tying in with the Expo/Blue line would be essentially impossible without grade seperation on both the Expo and Blue Lines. Also the Harbor Transitway gets very little ridership at its stations. Most riders get on/off before and after the freeway. There is some activity at the Green Line Harbor Freeway Station though.
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Post by Dan Wentzel on Dec 3, 2009 15:26:25 GMT -8
Hmm, good points, ieko. It looks like it cannot easily become light-rail.
In that case, I disagree with the decision to brand it with a "color". BRT is better than nothing, but it is not rail, and we shouldn't pretend that it is.
I guess I'm peeved also that it has taken the name "Silver" from the old "Silver Line" proposal.
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Post by Justin Walker on Dec 7, 2009 23:44:16 GMT -8
The Silver Line timetable is now posted on the Metro website (not yet publicly, though). Check it out here.My observations: During mid-day, over half of the Silver Line buses to/from El Monte shortline in Downtown Los Angeles and do not reach the Harbor Transitway. So much for the unified Silver Line concept... I imagine this will lead to considerable confusion and frustration among riders. The high base fare also remains an obstacle to this service being truly useful... Day passes being honored is the only good part about the fare structure, IMO. Hourly late-night service also is not good enough, given riders' needs and the 20-minute headways on all the rail lines and the Orange Line. This line will personally help me quite a bit during the day but hardly at all at night. The Silver Line is at heart a good idea and it should raise awareness of the busways. Yet in its implementation, I do see these issues as major flaws.
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Post by ieko on Dec 8, 2009 2:10:52 GMT -8
Thanks for posting that, looks like I will need to go to the South Bay Council Meeting this Friday after all I thought the whole point was to provide more frequent service than what we have now, but it looks to be the same service levels as before, except now everyone will have to transfer and pay more, ugh.. I would've thought there would've been more timepoints too.. Edit: Been comparing the current Harbor Transitway service to the Silver Line timetable, seems like if anything service has been reduced and become more confusing.
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didja
New Member
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Post by didja on Dec 8, 2009 23:40:45 GMT -8
Thanks for posting the timetable Justin Walker. It looks like a complete joke though, with quoted times way too quick, especially since there will be so much surface street congestion downtown.For example, they are listing an 8:20am departure from Artesia arriving in El Monte at 9:14 (sometimes getting to union station could be difficult by then because even the carpool platforms on the 110 can backup significantly.
One of the greater premises of this line was expedited bus lanes on surface streets downtown but these don't start until much farther up Figueroa when heading north/east and I'm not sure if they really exist at all when heading west/south. I was disappointed when the silver line didn't go all the way south to San Pedro (or at least the PCH/110 park and ride which is a several million dollar stop that is used once an hour by the 445 line only).
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