Add Metro Express Lines

[phattonez]

I was thinking about the traffic problems today, and we have to admit, the rail lines will not come fast enough to solve our problems, and it will take a long time until they cover the amount of area that our freeway does. So, why not use those freeways for mass transit. Carpool lanes have not been effective enough at reducing traffic, so until we get our rail lines, we need to do something which will fix the problem temporarily. The solution? Express Buses. I've looked at a map of the freeways, and I've designed a system which should really help. I should have a map uploaded soon so you can discuss and give me tips on my plan.

[Fern~Fern*]

Aren't Metro Express Buses going to get stuck in traffic as well. Even if they have a right of way on the carpool lanes. So it kind of defeats the purpose of getting to your destination faster than driving.

[phattonez]

They would run in the slow lane, not the carpool lane. Running them in the carpool lane is too expensive to implement. I figure thatif enough buses are running, then traffic should be decreased enough to the point where they will be effective. For instance, right now, people in the Foothill Communities have no way of getting to the Gold Line except by driving on the 210 or sitting on a bus for an hour and a half on Route 66. The Gold Line would see an increase in ridership and traffic on the 210 should decrease. It's like having the benefits of the Gold Line Foothill extension without rail.

[phattonez]

Here's a simple map I made from tracing most of the freeways in Los Angeles. These lines would serve destinations to Anaheim and Los Angeles. It also includes a sample of what an offramp would look like with an island for bus passengers. I'm not a great artists, so hopefully you can understand what I'm trying to do.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/phattonez/Bus.jpg

The Bus Lines are a full line and the dashed lines are freeways that I don't think need a bus line.

[Fern~Fern*]

First of what exactly is the slow lane?
If I;m thinking what your thinking the right shoulder lane. it doesn't make sense this that lane would be considerable slower than the carpool lane. Know even if we could add a separate lane, where's the funds going to come from?

[phattonez]

This will not be a dedicated bus line. The buses would run with traffic in the slow lane, which is the right-most lane on the freeway. I put the name express because the buses would run on the freeway, not because they go fast. :)

Looking at your post, I realized that I should have explained this better. The bus "stops" would be freeway exits, where passengers and board and disembark on islands (that is, concrete islands in the middle of pavement). For a good example of what I mean, look at the 10 freeway, not the El Monte Busway.

[Fern~Fern*]

So let me get this straight this is not like the bus lane on the 10 east. So it's more like the way the express bus that ran on the 101. To be exact the 420 line which had this route Downtown to Van Nuys via 101/Hollywood area into Universal Studios. The bus stops are still there but no one os using them since the Red Line is quicker and more efficient.

[phattonez]

I'm not familiar with the 420 line, but I think now you know what I'm talking about. These buses would be temporary since rail lines would be considerably faster, less polluting, and more efficient. Plus, they would divert traffic, not just compact it. This is just a quick way to reduce traffic and hopefully increase bus ridership.

[solongfullerton]

Express busses can only be implemented and successful if a lot of people will ride them. For example, commuter express busses run all over the region from suburban neighborhoods to job centers like downtown and century city. these routes are operated by LADOT, however, there are also MTA run express lines as well as a Big Blue Bus lines that run on freeways with very limited stops. The only problem with these lines is that they only run during commuting hours. I live in Santa Monica, and if I wanted to catch a Kings/Lakers game downtown one night, there is no express bus to get me home after the game. I wish there were more express busses in town as well, but the MTA is due to roll out a few more Rapid lines this summer. If gas prices are to spike again and busses start getting full, I'm sure the MTA will offer more rapid lines and run them more often as well consider more long distance freeway express routes.

[Elsongs]

Have you seen the Harbor Freeway Transitway (Bronze Line)? NOBODY rides it.

[phattonez]

That's because of poor station placement and the existence of the Blue Line and many buses which serve the commute from south to north. If the buses were easier to get on like with my plan, I expect more ridership. I was also thinking about this to advertise it. Instead of the "When traffic is naughty, Metro is nice" current ads, why not "do your part to help LA traffic, ride the new freeway express buses."

[ChrisLA]

Have you seen the Harbor Freeway Transitway (Bronze Line)? NOBODY rides it.


Its too bad, because its actually fairly quick to reach downtown LA. One of my cousins takes it to work and she told me its a 30 mins trip from Rosecrans to downtown. She started riding it when her old car broke down. She since bought a brand new SUV but continued to use the express bus to work because of its convenience.

[Captain Hook]

Not sure of an express line from downtown to Santa Monica is possible but very much needed. Santa Monica bus has one, but Metro should do the same.

I hardly ever ride a car so I'm never on the 10-freeway which is why I ask does it have an extra lane for fast traffic?

[CarsonCaliBrotha]

So let me get this straight this is not like the bus lane on the 10 east. So it's more like the way the express bus that ran on the 101. To be exact the 420 line which had this route Downtown to Van Nuys via 101/Hollywood area into Universal Studios. The bus stops are still there but no one os using them since the Red Line is quicker and more efficient.

I've always wondered why those were there. I've seen them a few times on our way up there I'm like "How come theres no bus service there?" But theres no real need for it, since traffic is bumper to bumper and theres the Red Line.

[phattonez]

And imagine how traffic would be there without the subway!

[LA-dude]

Have you seen the Harbor Freeway Transitway (Bronze Line)? NOBODY rides it.

^^thats not true....i used to have to ride it from school on my way back home and it was almost always full.....it was awesome.......very fast and convenient especially since i was connecting to the Green line :)

[Elsongs]

I've always wondered why those were there. I've seen them a few times on our way up there I'm like "How come theres no bus service there?" But theres no real need for it, since traffic is bumper to bumper and theres the Red Line.

Yeah, Line 420 was in effect rendered obsolete by the Red Line (as well as the Orange Line busway).

[Elsongs]

^^thats not true....i used to have to ride it from school on my way back home and it was almost always full.....it was awesome.......very fast and convenient especially since i was connecting to the Green line :)


Was it full because it came every three hours and that all the passengers had been waiting there for a while?

Freeway express buses need to be quiet and comfortable. Santa Clarita Transit and Antelope Valley Transit buses that go Downtown are the right kinds of freeway express buses. Buses designed for street service that are used for Express lines just rev their engines louder and bounce twice as higher. Not very comfortable.

[Fern~Fern*]

^ El are you referring to this box of noise?

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e124/fnee1901/MetroExpress.jpg

[CarsonCaliBrotha]

Yeah, Line 420 was in effect rendered obsolete by the Red Line (as well as the Orange Line busway).

Is there a link to any info on this? And the line that the Blue Line replaced? Like the Los Angeles-Long Beach express from like the 80s?

[LosAngelesMetroBoy]

AVTA busses are not nice freeway busses. They are nice untill you hit the 14 then something snaps and all engine noise is now in the cabin.

[Skyblade]

AVTA busses are not nice freeway busses. They are nice untill you hit the 14 then something snaps and all engine noise is now in the cabin.
Other than the drivers, I haven't experienced such engine noise inside. I guess it's a combo between noise cancelling headphones and being knocked out due to waking up at 3 in the morning or a long day at school that doesn't have me noticing such a thing. ;) AVTA isn't cheap either compared to Santa Clarita Transit. I live in Palmdale and go to school in Santa Monica College which has me commuting "down below" 4 times a week. A regular one way fare was $10 and will now jump to $12 vs. me taking Santa Clarita Transit with a connection in the SCV at just $2 for a o/w student fare. Of course, you'd have to sacrifice the convenience of a direct bus from Westwood to the Antelope Valley but still, 10 bucks does add up after a while...

[solongfullerton]

I see these AVTA and Santa Clarita busses all the time in Century City, are these the same busses that stop at UCLA?

[Skyblade]

^^

Yep, that's the AVTA Route 786 and Santa Clarita Transit Route 797 busses which operate into Westwood and terminate/originate in Century City.

[Damien]

Transit must serve destinations.

The successsful express lines actually only use the freeways as an avenue to connect travelers that live a distance away from a major center (typically a major job center), much as individual drivers actually use the freeway. NONE of the popular loading/unloading stations are on the freeway.

Please understand this point, because far too many people think an appropriate mass transit solution to our traffic crisis is to just run a light rail down the median of our freeways. :ohno: Of the 100 major destinations in Los Angeles County I would bet two are actually directly next to a freeway.

Transit planning is actually a science. You can calculate the potential success of a station based on its distance to the major attractions around it: 100 yards, 1/4 mile, 1/3 mile, etc.

[godblessbotox]

or just make everyone use tap passes, and you see were they come from and were there going

[Redwhite]

^^

Yep, that's the AVTA Route 786 and Santa Clarita Transit Route 797 busses which operate into Westwood and terminate/originate in Century City.

I guess the same.

[Skyblade]

or just make everyone use tap passes, and you see were they come from and were there going

Oh, the wonders of TAP. :D