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Post by warrenbowman on Nov 4, 2013 13:52:06 GMT -8
I am familiar with the history of the Blue Line, i.e. it was originally supposed to go all the way to Pasadena, etc. But I have forgotten why exactly it ended up going to what became the 7th st. terminus. Can someone refresh my memory?
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Post by RMoses on Nov 4, 2013 15:27:52 GMT -8
It was lack of funding because of the restriction of general sales tax revenue being used for subway construction.
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Post by bzcat on Nov 4, 2013 16:02:59 GMT -8
The Downtown to Pasadena portion of the Blue line was eliminated from the project quite early on due to lack of funding. By the time the project went to EIR, it had been reduced to "Downtown LA" to Long Beach. Several terminating options were studied in Downtown LA but ultimately, it was decided 7th street would be sufficient because you can transfer to the Red line. Blue line actually opened short of Downtown LA in 1990. The extension from Washington Blvd to 7th Street began construction in 1990 and was finished a few month after Red line opened in 1993.
You have to remember that Gold line did not exist and no one expected it to ever exist when the Blue line design was finalized to connect with the Red line. It seemed like a waste to build 2 subways to Union Station only blocks apart.
When Gold line was revived with a construction authority, the Union station to 7th street segment was not included because there was also a countywide ballot measure that banned sales tax receipts from going to new subway construction. However, it seemed evident in retrospect that a lot of the decision makers back then didn't use public transit and did not understand the problematic legacy they created. It would be hard to imagine the current crop of political leader to make that kind of decision today without significant backlash.
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Post by skater on Nov 6, 2013 10:52:24 GMT -8
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Post by gatewaygent on Dec 9, 2013 22:49:51 GMT -8
I love these historical snippets. Remember the branch of the Red Line that was supposed to go east under Ventura Bl. to Woodland Hills?
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Post by jdrcrasher on Dec 14, 2013 16:45:38 GMT -8
I love these historical snippets. Remember the branch of the Red Line that was supposed to go east under Ventura Bl. to Woodland Hills? You mean West? |
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Post by Philip on Dec 16, 2013 9:10:33 GMT -8
I don't recall any plans to put the Red Line under Ventura.
There were, however, plans to extend the Red Line on what is now the Orange Line.
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Post by gatewaygent on Dec 16, 2013 19:08:48 GMT -8
Oops, yes west.
The idea for a Ventura Bl. Red Line extension was shelved/killed off early, very late 90's. I'm not too familiar with the area, but according to locals along the route, tunneling would have disrupted the water in a nearby lake and upset the ducks that resided there in. There was even a petition! Metro backed off. Then something happened that made the locals change their minds and they wanted it afterall; and Metro has disregarded them ever since. Come to think of it, maybe this was just one of several ideas that had been bandied about until it's ultimate destination became North Hollywood or perhaps you're right and it was running it along the ROW of what is now the Orange Line.
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Post by skater on Dec 17, 2013 18:48:10 GMT -8
sorry for the delay in putting these pictures up, I have beenmeaning to for a while. I think that there isnt the ridership in the SFV for HRT, so i think light reail would have been a more cost effective choice. I f you ask me, what needs to beodne is to extend the red line to have two branches: one to the orange line N.Hollywood and another from Universal city beneath ventura blvd. to Van Nuys. The orange line is most full between NoHo and Van ANuys, and it is only going to get worse when the van nuys corridor project is built, especially if it is light rail. anyway here are some pictures from a book with the EIR for the valley red line extension that I found in LA central library. This was the allingment considered for the valley rapid transit extension, with possible alternatives. Most of the line would be on the orange line ROW:  how an open trench for the red line owuld have looked.  trench station:  aerial station:   |
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Post by skater on Dec 17, 2013 18:52:51 GMT -8
close up of what would have been phase 1, note the two different option forgetting the line onto the orange line ROW.  |
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Post by skater on Dec 20, 2013 9:27:26 GMT -8
BUMP, pictures added, sorry for the delay, bad posts with no pics.
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Post by gatewaygent on Dec 21, 2013 19:29:17 GMT -8
Thank you skater, the posts make a lot more sense now LOL. I could have swore Ventura Bl. was being considered early on. Maybe the rumblings of such an idea were something that came after the fact. Still, LRT or HRT along Ventura Bl. (IMO) from Univeral Studios to the I-405 corridor would be great. I'm going on the assumption that this corridor would serve the needs of the Westside so I think LRT would work. If the need is to go to DTLA, then a HRT extension off the Red Line (hopefully NOT open air as the renderings show) would be better.
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Post by metrocenter on Dec 23, 2013 14:39:25 GMT -8
You have to remember that Gold line did not exist and no one expected it to ever exist when the Blue line design was finalized to connect with the Red line. It seemed like a waste to build 2 subways to Union Station only blocks apart. I need to correct you on this point: the Blue Line was always supposed to stretch from Long Beach to Pasadena. The Blue Line was built by the LACTC, was intended as a regional north-south line. The Red Line was built by RTD, and was intended as a primarily City of LA line. They were both supposed to be built: the "waste" of having two subways mere blocks apart was a key part of the pissing match between these two agencies. I remember when the Blue Line finally made it to 7th/Metro Center, the overhead signs pointed to Long Beach in one direction, and Pasadena in the other. It was some time before they removed the Pasadena signs. (I wish I had taken a picture from those early days.) |
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Post by bobdavis on Dec 23, 2013 22:37:04 GMT -8
I remember those "Pasadena" signs at 7th & Flower, I think I do have a photo; the challenge is finding it, since I've had other requests to show this short-lived period.
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