Traffic congestion
Urban Mobility Report
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—To the surprise of nobody who navigates Southland streets and freeways on a daily basis, Los Angeles ranks among the worst metropolitan areas in the nation when it comes to traffic congestion, according to a study.
The Urban Mobility Report by the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University found that the average motorist in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana region spent 63 hours sitting in traffic in 2009.
That delay caused motorists to use an extra 50 gallons of gasoline that year on average, costing about $1,464, the study found.
Only motorists in the Chicago and Washington, D.C., areas lost more time—70 hours—in traffic, according to the report.
The 63 hours Southland commuters lost in traffic in 2009 was up from 60 hours in 2008, and up from 76 hours in 1999, the study found.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe, chairman of the Metro board of directors, said report should serve as a "warning bell for the region that we must continue our efforts to improve mobility options as the nation begins to see the economy recovering and congestion increasing.''
"We hope that officials in Washington will be moved into action by this congestion report, recognize the economic toll traffic takes and how investment in operational improvements, public transportation and other rideshare programs can, and is, making a substantial difference in Los Angeles County,'' he said.
According to the report, on a national level, congestion costs added up to $115 billion, and the total amount of wasted fuel—3.9 billion gallons—equaled 130 days of flow from the Alaska Pipeline.
"There is no rigid prescription—no 'best way'—to address congestion problems,'' said Texas Transportation Institute researcher Tim Lomax. "The most effective strategy is one where agency actions are complemented by efforts of businesses, manufacturers, commuters and travelers.
Each region must identify the projects, programs and policies that achieve goals, solve problems and capitalize on opportunities.''
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The Tavis Smiley Foundation announced today it will host a series of parent education seminars nationwide to give parents tools and information on how they can ensure their child’s success in learning.
The Too Important to Fail Parent Education Summits will kick off in Los Angeles on Saturday, Oct. 29 with six other cities scheduled throughout spring 2012. These include: Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Houston, and Montgomery, Alabama.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will hold the first of three meetings tonight aimed at gathering public input on ways to connect the Metro transit system to Los Angeles International Airport.
The agency will be soliciting comments on proposals such as extending a rail line to the airport or using a people-mover system or Bus Rapid Transit ramps.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Ground will be broken tomorrow on a project that will convert carpool lanes on stretches of the Harbor (110) and San Bernardino (10) freeways into toll lanes accessible to solo drivers.
The so-called Express Lanes project will transform about 25 miles of carpool lanes on the highways into high occupancy toll, or HOT lanes, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Solo drivers will be required to pay a toll that will range from 25 cents to $1.40 per mile, depending on traffic.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is scheduled to be in Washington, D.C., today to meet with White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
Villaraigosa also is scheduled to meet with Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., the chair of the Democratic National Committee, and Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., the chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee and speak at the Climate Leadership Gala at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—More than $30 million in federal stimulus funds has been set aside for buying property and doing other preliminary work in the Los Angeles area for a high-speed rail system that would run from San Diego to the Bay Area, transit officials announced.
California High-Speed Rail Authority and Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials said the money might be used to buy Union Station in downtown Los Angeles, where three segments of the line would converge.
