BusTalk

[Mr. Linsky]

The battle to make both Pico and Olympic Boulevards (two main east/west corrodors from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica on the west side) one way is heating up with opposition from both local businesses and residents along the routes.

The plan, basically a cheap alternative for a genuine 'subway to the sea' albeit at a cost of several million itself, would expedite traffic movement and cut as much as a half hour of travel time in each direction.

However the business community sees substantial losses merely because customers may not bother to circle a block or two to reach their establishments, and homeowners object to the fact that commuters will use their streets as shortcuts.

To appease passengers of LACMTA and Santa Monica Municipal Bus two out of the seven lanes of each boulevard will be reversed at certain times during the day (this should make for real confusion!).

Additionally, there are parts of Pico Boulevard that narrow considerably in the mid Wilshire area.

Because part of Olympic travels through the autonomous City of Beverly Hills they must sign on to the project as well (and Beverly Hills can be a tough customer!).

All in all, it would appear as though this project will never come to fruition and may possibly be the driving force to actually build the subway.

More news on this subject as it develops!

Mr. Linsky

"The Green Hornet" Green Bus Lines, Jamaica, New York

[Cyberider]

http://www.argonautnewspaper.com/articles/2007/04/26/news_-_features/area/a1.txt

Friday, April 27, 2007 Last modified: Thursday, April 26, 2007 11:14 AM PDT

Study suggests making Pico and Olympic Blvds. one-way thoroughfares to ease traffic congestion

BY VINCE ECHAVARIA

A study released Monday, April 16th, has found that traffic capacity on Olympic and Pico Boulevards between downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica could increase by up to 20 percent if the two major corridors were converted into one-way thoroughfares.

The traffic study, which was commissioned by Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and authored by transportation consultant Allyn Rifkin, proposes transforming Olympic and Pico into one-way paired streets between downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica, with traffic flowing east on Olympic and west on Pico.

Under the proposal, there would still be two-way bus and van pool lanes on the two streets through the use of "contra-flow" lanes. Left turns and street parking would be restricted during peak hours.

While emergency vehicles could use the contra-flow lanes at all times, buses and van pools would be able to use the lanes during peak hours, according to the study. Local traffic would be permitted to use the lanes only during off-peak periods, when parking would also be allowed, the study said.

The 14-mile stretch on both Olympic and Pico between Santa Monica and downtown L.A. carries more than 106,000 vehicles per day. The section of the corridors runs through the cities of Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. All three cities would need to approve the traffic plan for it to take effect.

In commissioning the $15,000 study, Yaroslavsky said he wanted to explore a potential solution to easing traffic congestion between Santa Monica and Los Angeles in the more immediate future.

"Traffic has reached a tipping point in the L.A. Basin, especially between the 405 (San Diego Freeway) and the ocean," said Yaroslavsky, who represents Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and parts of Los Angeles in the Third Supervisorial District.

Although proposed traffic improvements, such as the Exposition Light Rail Line and the Wilshire Purple Line subway extension are currently in the works for the area, they are years away from possible implementation, he said.

Hoping to address traffic solutions "in the meantime," Yaroslavsky said he approached Rifkin to conduct a study on the feasibility of making Olympic and Pico one-way boulevards.

"The two streets offered the most promise because they're relatively close together and they function as a couplet system," Yaroslavsky said.

Rifkin said he began the study in January and found that with Olympic and Pico Boulevards, there is a potential for traffic signal synchronization and the removal of left-turn arrows, which would significantly help increase traffic flow.

"Left-turn arrows have a big impact in terms of congestion," Rifkin said.

One-way streets would allow for reduction in turn and pedestrian conflicts and reduce travel time for public transit, he said.

The use of one-way paired streets has worked successfully in many other cities and, according to some reports, residents have been able to adjust to the changes in circulation patterns, Rifkin said.

Yaroslavsky said he was "very encouraged" by the findings in the traffic study and added that by releasing the one-way proposal to the public, he is hoping to spark community discussion on the potential solution to easing congestion on the two corridors.

"I wanted to provoke a discussion," Yaroslavsky said of releasing the study.

Joel Bellman, spokesman for Yaroslavsky, added, "What we want and hope for is people keeping an open mind and willing to study it."

The plan is not meant to act as a replacement solution for other major long-term traffic proposals, such as the Exposition Line or Purple Line subway extension, but rather as a way to help settle traffic problems in the short term, Yaroslavsky said.

"This is a road map to a remedy," he said.

With the proposal's release, local officials have begun to review the findings and traffic and transit operators from the cities, as well as the county Metropolitan Transportation Authority, are also expected to provide an analysis.

Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl noted that he was "intrigued" by the one-way proposal and said he would assure that community members in his 11th Council District get a chance to review it.

"I am happy that people are finally thinking out of the box and thinking creatively about solutions to the gridlock we endure each day," said Rosendahl, who unveiled an $11-million traffic improvement plan for the Westside in December. "Especially on the Westside, the traffic is intolerable. I am willing to entertain any and all ideas that promise significant relief."

The councilman plans to receive input from various local groups, including residents, businesses, commuters and neighborhood councils by holding public meetings with the Department of Transportation on the proposal.

Among the main concerns of some officials and community members with the one-way plan is the impact to neighborhoods and intersecting streets as drivers "cut through" between the two boulevards.

Other concerns are the impact on businesses along the corridors, increases in travel miles and confusion of visitors and tourists regarding what direction the boulevards head.

Yaroslavsky said the issue of cut-through traffic can be addressed on a "street by street basis" and while the one-way concept can take some time to get used to, people should be able to get adjusted.

The study, which is just an initial proposal, will next be brought before city and transportation officials, as well as local residents, for review, but Rifkin said he is pleased to have the idea being discussed.

"I'm excited to have the debate going," Rifkin said.

[Cyberider]

http://www.citywatchla.com/content/view/382/

On Pico-Olympic One-Way Proposal: “Let Me Assure Everyone, I’m Against the Plan”

By Tom LaBonge

Nothing gets residents more riled up than to think cut through traffic on residential streets may increase or, for business owners, that access to their stores will be restricted. Who could disagree?

These very legitimate concerns were raised at the City Council’s Transportation Committee during public comment on whether to make Olympic and Pico Boulevards one-way to increase cross-town mobility. Let me reassure everyone, I am against this plan.

I am still open to learning more from a planned study to be conducted by our Dept. of Transportation, but my gut tells me the proposal is seriously flawed.

I'm a neighborhood guy as well as a big proponent of extending the Red Line along Wilshire Boulevard to the ocean, a.k.a. *subway to the sea.* I also support our Planning Director Gail Goldberg*s notion of villages within our 465 square miles. Creating the surface street equivalent of freeways is not the answer.

But I do support a dedicated Rapid Bus lane during peak traffic hours along Wilshire to encourage riders … as long as the MTA fixes the roadway they are helping to deteriorate. (Tom LaBonge is the Los Angeles Councilman for the 4th District. This report was excerpted from the LaBonge 4th District Newsletter.) _

[Cyberider]

http://www.argonautnewspaper.com/articles/2007/06/28/news_-_features
/area/a01.txt

Town hall meeting zeroes in on Olympic and Pico one-way proposal to increase traffic capacity

BY VINCE ECHAVARIA

Residents who are curious about the potential impacts of converting Olympic and Pico Boulevards into one-way corridors weighed in on the proposal at a town hall meeting at the Penmar Park Recreation Center in Venice Wednesday, June 20th.

Hosted by the West Los Angeles Democratic Club, the town hall provided an opportunity for residents familiar with travel on the two major thoroughfares to receive information and offer input on the one-way plan.

A traffic study commissioned by Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and authored by transportation consultant Allyn Rifkin has found that traffic capacity on the two boulevards between downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica could increase by up to 20 percent if they were converted into one-way corridors.

The study proposes transforming Olympic and Pico into paired one-way streets, with traffic flowing east on Olympic and west on Pico.

Under the proposal, there would still be two-way bus and van pool lanes on the two streets through the use of "contra-flow" lanes. Left turns and street parking would be restricted during peak hours.

Emergency vehicles could use the contra-flow lanes at any time, while buses and van pools would be able to use the lanes during peak hours, according to the proposal suggested in the study. Local traffic would be permitted to use the lanes only during off-peak hours, when parking would also be allowed.

Some community members at the town hall meeting praised the study for sparking discussion of a potential solution to reducing traffic congestion, saying the study needed to be looked at further.

"Now we have something to work with," said West Los Angeles Neighborhood Council president Jay Handal, who spoke on the study at the town hall. "These studies have to happen. We need to think outside the box."

Others were not as supportive of continuing the study and said they didn't see how the one-way proposal could successfully settle congestion problems in the area.

"I see too many fatal flaws and huge consequences for some communities, especially in my area," said Mike Eveloff, president of the Tract 7260 Homeowner Association, which covers West Los Angeles.

But most of the town hall audience appeared to be in agreement that Westside traffic is out of hand and something needs to be done to ease congestion in the near future.

The 14-mile stretch of Olympic and Pico between Santa Monica and downtown Los Angeles carries more than 106,000 vehicles per day, according to the study. Sections of the corridors run through the cities of Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Los Angeles and all three cities would need to approve the one-way plan for it to take effect.

Yaroslavsky has said that he commissioned the study to explore a potential solution to easing traffic congestion in the area in the more immediate future.

Proposed traffic improvements, such as the Exposition Light Rail Line and the Wilshire Purple Line subway extension are currently in the works, but officials have said those projects are years away from possible implementation.

Rifkin said he conducted the study to see "what could be done now" to increase traffic capacity and he added that the proposal is meant to spark discussion on the potential solution.

Officials involved with the study plan to meet with each of the three cities covered in the one-way proposal and get input from the various city officials and residents.

Representatives of Los Angeles City Councilmen Bill Rosendahl, Herb Wesson and Jack Weiss were on hand at the Venice town hall meeting to hear from the public.

"We're talking to all of the cities along the corridors — that's part of the process," Rifkin said. "The purpose of the meetings is to have people understand what the proposal is."

After comments and suggestions are gathered from the various meetings, some changes may be made to help improve the plan, Rifkin noted.

Among the main concerns of community members with the one-way plan is the impact to neighborhoods and intersecting streets as drivers cut through between Olympic and Pico boulevards.

Other concerns are the impact on businesses along the corridors, increases in travel miles and confusion of visitors and tourists regarding which direction the boulevards head.

Resident Scott Dennis, who attended the town hall in Venice, said he has seen many one-way plans "come and go" and he feels that the proposal for Olympic and Pico could be dangerous.

"I don't believe in one-ways at all," Dennis said.

In reviewing the study, Eveloff of the Tract 7260 Homeowners Association said he is concerned about the impact on access to areas such as Rancho Park, as well as increased cut-through traffic on neighborhood streets.

While the communities can't afford to wait years to solve traffic problems, Eveloff said there needs to be a more "comprehensive" approach.

Handal of the West Los Angeles Neighborhood Council acknowledged that some people would be inconvenienced with the one-way solution, but the communities should study the issue more to decide how to mitigate some of the concerns.

"It's a win-win situation if we can find a way to mitigate some of the issues people are afraid of," Handal said.

[Cyberider]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/bottleneck/2008/02/despite-fierce.html

Pico-Olympic is a go

Despite fierce opposition from residents and concerns by two City Council members, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has ordered Los Angeles transportation officials to implement a plan to make Pico Boulevard mostly one-way eastbound, and Olympic Boulevard mostly one-way westbound.

Under the mayor's plan, which had stalled earlier this week in a City Council committee, parking would be forbidden on all but a few stretches of Pico and Olympic during rush hour beginning March 8.

Traffic signals would be timed to favor faster eastbound traffic on Pico and westbound traffic on Olympic by April 28. After six months to a year, the two streets probably would be restriped so that Pico would have four lanes going east and two going west, while Olympic would have four lanes going west and two going east, a spokesman for the mayor said Thursday.

The move comes a day after Councilmen Bill Rosendahl and Herb Wesson said they might remove their districts from the proposal because of concerns from local businesses and residents that the changes would harm shops and restaurants by making it impossible for customers to park.

On Thursday, the mayor, backed by Westside Councilman Jack Weiss, overrode the council's Transportation Committee, which had postponed action on the plan, saying through a spokesman that the council did not have jurisdiction over such issues as parking regulations or whether streets were one-way.

"The Department of Transportation reports to the mayor," said Matt Szabo, a spokesman for Villaraigosa.

-SHARON BERNSTEIN