Well, we won the fight to preserve the MTA Service Sector Council monthly meetings. But in the process I had to suffer through watching the mindless antics of Supervisors Yaroslavsky and Burke at the May 19 MTA Board Executive Management and Audit Committee. I left reminded all over again why I shun attending MTA Board meetings whenever possible. Hopefully the strong stand taken by the activist community, the appointing authorities and the Sector Councils will make the Board leery of ever again trying to undermine the Councils. Or am I being naive?

Perhaps naive is also the word for believing the claims of Caltrans that the Bay Bridge east span project in the Bay Area had finally been brought under fiscal control. Instead bids building the main span came in a billion over the estimated cost. That is no typo--ONE BILLION DOLLARS. Obviously we agree with MTA that all cost overruns beyond those allowed under current legislation should be absorbed by the folks in the Bay Area.

May 12 Bart Reed and I attended the L.A. City Council Transportation Committee meeting which had an item (file 03-1066) regarding whether the city of Los Angeles should join the maglev Joint Powers Authority SCAG is promoting. What I found interesting is SCAG desperately wants L.A. to participate in the JPA to give it legitimacy. Meanwhile L.A. made it clear their involvement is predicated on the SCAG consultants preparing an alternatives analysis comparing maglev and other technologies that will be in-depth and not simply pro-forma. And a few weeks later at the June 5 RailPAC annual meeting guest speaker Metrolink CEO David Solow essentially expressed an identical desire for a "real" alternatives analysis. It'll be interesting to see how all this plays out.

MTA staff are undertaking a study of alternatives to the current debit/credit Congesition Management Program. It says something about how difficult the situation is getting on local roadways that many mitigation proposals formerly DOA (like impact fees) are starting to be given serious consideration.

I am crossing my fingers that the scenarios in the staff report that moved money around to keep the planning of the Expo project moving forward isn't an exercise in futility (item #17, May 27 MTA Board meeting). A lot hangs on the Gold Line eastern extension rehabilitating MTA's image by being done on budget and on schedule. Plus hopefully the San Gabriel folks will eventually understand that on a technical basis Expo has a much better shot at winning the fight for federal funds than the Phase II project. Good lord, I may be having a repeat attack of naivete.

Foothill Transit board member John Fasana inquired of Foothill staff at the April 23 meeting whether an inquiry could be made regarding Foothill acquiring MTA line 270. I'm curious if the intention is taking the entire route (which operates from Monrovia to Cerritos) or just the portion in the Foothill zone (a la half of MTA line 177 being taken over by Glendale Beeline). I was gratified to learn at the same Foothill Transit Board meeting it was announced ATC, the management contractor for Foothill Transit, has agreed to add one staff member to the El Monte Transit Store due to the significant volume of activity this store experiences.

Faithful Reader pointed out something interesting buried in agenda item 42 approved at the May MTA Board meeting regarding MTA's contract with the L.A. County Sheriff for security: for the remainder of FY 2004 two 24-hour, 7-day per week deputies are being put in place as a special security detail for the USG Complex (aka Union Station) at a cost of $300,000. The justification given is the recent commuter train bombings in Madrid. While this may sound prudent Faithful Reader reminded me Union Station is privately owned (by Catellus) which is getting the benefit of this enhanced level of security for free.

The Future isn't what it used to be Dept: the Las Vegas Monorail may not open until mid-summer, 6 months behind schedule. A drive shaft fell off a train during testing in January. Soon after that a problem was discovered in the software for the computer control system. Meanwhile the Shanghai maglev is reputed to suffer low ridership, as the locals complain tickets are too costly and it often doesn't take them where they need to go.

The April issue of Metro Investment Report briefly notes the Pasadena City Council has thus far refused to join the Gold Line Phase II Authority out of concern about possible liability. Attempts are being made to include language in the JPA agreement that addresses these concerns.

Surprise of the month: the May issue of Wheel Clicks notes that Siemens' light rail vehicle bodyshell fabricating plant in Carson used for MTA's P2000 cars and several other orders closed Jan. 15, 2004.

At the the March 9 joint meeting of Access Services' Community Advisory Committee and MTA's Metro Accessibility Advisory Committee James Hogan of the ASI Committee complained that he often has a difficult time getting to bus stops. He felt this should be remedied by MTA using eminent domain to take all public rights of way. Chip Hazen, MTA's ADA compliance officer, (I imagine being careful with his words) responded that MTA lacks the legislative authority to request cities make changes pertaining to their jurisdiction.

I'll conclude by noting what a strange new world this truly is: my new work shoes had a tag attached to them stating they are "security friendly" underneath a graphic of an airplane. Excuse me?