Post by Jason Saunders on Jul 27, 2009 12:54:48 GMT -8
10 Reasons why the Expo/Aqua Line is going to be the crown jewel in LA Metro's light rail system.
1. Lessons Learned: Metro has come a long way since the Blue Line. There have been lessons learned in terms of safety (quad gates), dealing with contractors and in design. In this regard it is good that Expo/Aqua wasn't built in the early 90's.
2. The Availability of a Semi Exclusive ROW: Long stretches where streets do not cross and are wide enough to allow the train to travel more speedily and efficiently . Gold Line Eastside Ext. is hampered in this fashion.
3. The Greenbelt Factor: The alignment has the room for a greenscape and the powers that be are willing! The Blue Line miserably failed in terms of green space. Much of the Blue Line is downright bleak but Metro did a wonderful job of landscaping the Orange Line and it seems Expo/Aqua will be very green and beautiful as well.
I know it seems far fetched but one of the least expensive things that could be done to improve safety on the Blue Line would be to green it. Psychological studies have shown that people 'calm down' when their commutes go through green environments.
4. The Bike Lane/Path: The exceptionally nice bike path on the Orange Line gives hope that Expo will also have a comparably great path for people to travel by bicycle but funding source issues give cause for concern that there will be a multi-year gap between completion of the rail project and the bike path. It also seems some of the bike path was put in the much maligned 'door zone' of parked cars but over all the alignment is a great backbone addition to the regions bicycle infrastructure network with potential integration of several existing bike paths including Ballona Creek and Venice.
5. The extra grade separations for congested streets: Gold line in Highland Park and Blue Line at both ends suffer from this. Yes, there is debate on the cost benefit of grade separation but the higher density of West Los Angeles means more streets will be grade separated and thus the line will benefit as a whole.
6. Expo/Aqua is not in a freeway median: The Green Line is fast but there is no opportunity for community improvement and it sucks waiting for a train in the middle of a noisy, busy, polluted freeway.
7. Mini-Sound Walls Near the Wheels: Most of the noise from LRT comes from the wheels and large segments of Expo will have 'short' sound walls to dampen this noise.
8. Relatively Straight: Straighter means faster travel times and a quieter train. Squeaky wheels seem to happen at curves in the track which Expo in large part lacks.
9. The Destinations: Staples Center, LA Live, Collisium, Expo Park, Natural History Museum, USC, Museum of Jurasic Technology, Santa Monica Pier, Downtown LA, Downtown Culver City, Downtown Santa Monica, Bergamont Station, SMC (short walk), the Beach..... WOW this line is loaded with destinations!
10. Driving on the 10 freeway SUCKS During Rush Hour: Commute times double and tipple and it can be very frustrating with no other viable alternative. Expo/Aqua will be a viable alternative as it roughly parallels the freeway all the way to it's eventual terminus in downtown Santa Monica.
I look forward with eager anticipation to it's opening and I know Expo/Aqua will knock the Blue Line out of the number one spot for highest ridership light rail line in the country as measured by passengers per mile.
1. Lessons Learned: Metro has come a long way since the Blue Line. There have been lessons learned in terms of safety (quad gates), dealing with contractors and in design. In this regard it is good that Expo/Aqua wasn't built in the early 90's.
2. The Availability of a Semi Exclusive ROW: Long stretches where streets do not cross and are wide enough to allow the train to travel more speedily and efficiently . Gold Line Eastside Ext. is hampered in this fashion.
3. The Greenbelt Factor: The alignment has the room for a greenscape and the powers that be are willing! The Blue Line miserably failed in terms of green space. Much of the Blue Line is downright bleak but Metro did a wonderful job of landscaping the Orange Line and it seems Expo/Aqua will be very green and beautiful as well.
I know it seems far fetched but one of the least expensive things that could be done to improve safety on the Blue Line would be to green it. Psychological studies have shown that people 'calm down' when their commutes go through green environments.
4. The Bike Lane/Path: The exceptionally nice bike path on the Orange Line gives hope that Expo will also have a comparably great path for people to travel by bicycle but funding source issues give cause for concern that there will be a multi-year gap between completion of the rail project and the bike path. It also seems some of the bike path was put in the much maligned 'door zone' of parked cars but over all the alignment is a great backbone addition to the regions bicycle infrastructure network with potential integration of several existing bike paths including Ballona Creek and Venice.
5. The extra grade separations for congested streets: Gold line in Highland Park and Blue Line at both ends suffer from this. Yes, there is debate on the cost benefit of grade separation but the higher density of West Los Angeles means more streets will be grade separated and thus the line will benefit as a whole.
6. Expo/Aqua is not in a freeway median: The Green Line is fast but there is no opportunity for community improvement and it sucks waiting for a train in the middle of a noisy, busy, polluted freeway.
7. Mini-Sound Walls Near the Wheels: Most of the noise from LRT comes from the wheels and large segments of Expo will have 'short' sound walls to dampen this noise.
8. Relatively Straight: Straighter means faster travel times and a quieter train. Squeaky wheels seem to happen at curves in the track which Expo in large part lacks.
9. The Destinations: Staples Center, LA Live, Collisium, Expo Park, Natural History Museum, USC, Museum of Jurasic Technology, Santa Monica Pier, Downtown LA, Downtown Culver City, Downtown Santa Monica, Bergamont Station, SMC (short walk), the Beach..... WOW this line is loaded with destinations!
10. Driving on the 10 freeway SUCKS During Rush Hour: Commute times double and tipple and it can be very frustrating with no other viable alternative. Expo/Aqua will be a viable alternative as it roughly parallels the freeway all the way to it's eventual terminus in downtown Santa Monica.
I look forward with eager anticipation to it's opening and I know Expo/Aqua will knock the Blue Line out of the number one spot for highest ridership light rail line in the country as measured by passengers per mile.