New MTA Board member David Fleming in an interview in the August Metro Investment Report [http://www.metroinvestment report.com/mir/] notes "We have to get smarter about how we use our existing infrastructure ... We have major arterial streets in this city that are still operating as though they were Main Street, Small Town, USA. We have to turn those arterial streets into mini freeways, especially during morning and afternoon rush hours. ... We could, through real synchronization of traffic lights, which has been promised for years but has never yet really been fully delivered, move more traffic east and west and north and south at average speeds of 35 mph on those streets and take some of the load off of the 101, the 405 and other freeways. We have to prohibit parking on those streets during peak traffic hours – in both directions. We may even have to designate some as one-way streets part of the time. We have to look at all the ways we can make them mini-freeways. And we have to encourage motorists to get off freeways and use them only when they are driving five or ten miles from point to point." Thankfully MTA, the Southern California Association of Governments, Los Angeles Dept. of Transportation and others have some planning initiatives underway in line with Fleming's POV.

The challenge to implement these types of improvements are illustrated in comments by Santa Monica activist Ellen Brennan quoted by Outlook [http://www.surfsantamonica.com/] "What I Say" columnist Frank Gruber in his Aug. 8 column "Graciousness and Theory". Brennan was reacting to presentations made at the Santa Monica Planning Commission by UCLA professor Donald Shoup and Ventura City Council Member William Fulton on challenges facing Santa Monica as it updates the land use and circulation elements of its general plan. Ms. Brennan dismissed the comments of Messrs. Shoup and Fulton as "mere theories" and went on to assert that what residents wanted was wider streets, easy access to their cars, more parking, and low density development. Gruber points "... what people forget is that what they often consider the natural order is the product of what once were theories themselves. ... For instance, it was theory that dispersing population down culde-sacs and building wide boulevards and arterial highways and freeways and providing lots of parking -- all the while hiding the costs in the costs of other things -- would provide a nirvana of mobility. But it didn't work that way... while one must use prudence in evaluating a new theory, it's plain foolish to follow one that's been proven wrong."

Much as it pains me I am attending the Sept. 29 MTA Board meeting to speak against the Tier 1 service change proposals pushing the wrong-headed duplication ideology (lines 4, 20 and 60). At least they can't claim later nobody warned them about this impending debacle...

Question of the month: why has MTA produced a brochure promoting line 220 while simultaneously proposing to eliminate it? Talk about the right hand not knowing what the left is doing!

To be honest I was less than enthused about speaking on the record about the Gold Line Foothill Extension ("Gold Line Extension Switches to Fast Track" L.A. Times August 22). I think anyone who had been following the excellent coverage in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, which conveys the near-evangelical fervor for this project among local officials, would be nervous. But somebody had to ask questions about whether the project is cost effective. And evidently most officials or staffers were gun-shy of antagonizing Congressman Dreier, chief proponent of the project and a major player in national politics. Sometimes our role is saying out loud the unpleasant truth everyone else knows.

The Daily News Aug. 29 article "Historical Train Depot Crumbles as MTA Weighs Preservation" noted regarding the San Fernando Valley Sector Governance Council motion by Vice-Chair Kymberleigh Richards asking staff to report on the possibility of the North Hollywood historic depot being used as a Customer center "That move won backing from the Southern California Transit Advocates, which has been concerned about the lack of customer centers." We continue to work to promote this proposal and are aiding in the exploration of various avenues of potential support.

When MTA made an order for 370 40- foot buses about five years ago from North American Bus Industries it exercised an option to have the final 20 buses built with composite materials. Now 8 of these buses have been removed from service due to structural cracks in the front suspension area; NABI specialists are currently making repairs with updated technology used on the 45' composite buses (none of which have had structural problems). Per agenda item #5, Bus Procurement Status Update, Aug. 24 meeting of Advanced Technology Vehicle Consortium Board of Directors.

Interesting fact of the month: Donald Bliss is paid $450 an hour by the MTA to monitor consent decree compliance (per Francine Oschin's letter to the editor only published online by the LA Weekly: http://www.laweekly.com/ink/05/41/letters.php)

The L.A. Weekly Aug. 19-25 article "The Subway Mayor" by Eric Berkowitz [http://www.laweekly.com/ink/05/39/featuresberkowitz.php] hit the streets like a thunderclap. The accolades in my letter (in the Sept. 2-8 Weekly) are heartfelt and sincere: "'The Subway Mayor' is a milestone in the coverage of transportation policy in Southern California. It is the first airing in the mass media of heretofore undisclosed key aspects of the federal Wilshire subway funding prohibition and the federal-court supervised MTA bus service consent decree. For far too long the debate over regional transportation policy has been dominated by misinformation and bias spouted by alleged experts, the grandstanding and parochialism of elected officials and a stage-managed culture of perpetual protest and slogans paraded before the TV cameras by so-called grass-roots community advocates of dubious motive. Berkowitz has done a great service for us all by shedding the sunshine of reality upon this dysfunctional culture. The recent election of Antonio Villaraigosa as mayor of Los Angeles holds the promise of long-overdue bold leadership on the transportation challenges we face. Berkowitz’s exposé likewise is first step toward re-examining the conventional wisdom and perceptions regarding land use and transportation investments that the forthcoming public debate must confront if we are to meet those challenges. Nothing less than the future of our region hangs in the balance.”

Through the advocacy grapevine it has been learned recently some young East Los Angeles activists, concerned about MTA service change proposals, attended a monthly BRU membership meeting in hopes of working with the organization. They were not allowed to speak or hand out their flyers regarding their concerns and eventually were told if they didn't leave the police would be called to forcibly remove them.

MTA Deputy CEO John Catoe in his report to the Metro Operations Committee on Aug. 18 (agenda item 18) noted DMV recently resumed conducting driver license retesting of employees as required by federal and state law. Of the initial 4 employees retested two failed the pre-trip inspection test (1 of 3 exams). The report states "With input from Metro and other agencies regarding testing irregularities, the DMV has decided to suspend testing for all employees until the issues are resolved". We are contacting Mr. Catoe seeking further details, and will share them in a future column when they become available.

Richard Hasenohrl, Foothill Transit Director of Finance, had some dismal news in a presentation on the 15-Year Financial Plan presented at the July 22 Executive Board meeting, partially due to the impact of MTA's fare decrease on monies dispensed through the Funding Allocation Procedure. Operating resources are sufficient through fiscal year 2012 after which reserves will need to be drawn down to extend operations through fy 2016. Also local matching funds for federal capital funds are adequate only through fy 2008. This is assuming no increase in service, slight growth in passengers (1.5% annually through fy 2016), fare increases of 7% every fourth year and cost increases based on current economic conditions. Many options are being explored including discussions with other regional bus operators likely in similar straits.

California Senate President pro Tem Don Perata has backed off on his transportation bond (SB 1024) for now, while promising to resume work on it early next year for the Nov. 2006 ballot. My concern is there is no sense that consultation regarding priorities or existing needs like partially-funded TCRP and STIP projects, pavement rehabilitation, etc.) that such funds would address. Why should any of us support such a measure if it is solely the product of back-room deals among political big-shots and insiders? I worry thi "solution" the creates more problems than it resolves.

Another interesting fact of the month: the General Manager of Mount Area Regional Transit Authority earns $87,400 annually (per MARTA Board of Directors agenda for Aug. 15, item 6.4).

Director Ken Ruben shared with me the Aug. 8 City Council of Culver City agenda packet including two items on Culver CityBus' unfolding SmartBus program. Very impressive, and proof smaller providers are often where one finds the application of cutting edge technology.

I'll conclude by congratulating Friends 4 Expo for recently jointly winning with the Westside Council of Governments the Westside Prize annually given by the Westside Urban Forum honoring organizations and individuals for their contributions to making Los Angeles and the Westside more livable, sustainable and exceptional. Bravo, and well deserved!