California High-Speed Rail News

[Robert Stark]

Is there room for expansion at Union Station?

[godblessbotox]

most of the land is already spoken for. the only areas i could think of union station expanding are ither here:


or underground

[Fern~Fern*]

Originally Posted by phattonez

How do you see it becoming a reality? The ROW for it is being used up.

Chandler Blvd (ROW) East of the Red Line is untouched from the No Ho Arts District and way into the City of Burbank. Since The City of Burbank has agreed to light Rail there should be no problems connecting this corridor with Light Rail. Or even an Orange Line type of service to bring riders into the Subway in No Ho. Then Eventually the Yellow Line would connect into The City of Glendale and possibly into Downtown. Or for MTA to save cash only run it thru Elysian Park/Glassell Park directly into the Gold Line Station around the Avenues somewhere. Since the Gold line is already there there's really no need to bring the yellow Line into Union Station.

[phattonez]

The Orange Line already connects to the Red Line.

[irutavias]

This sucks. California would be an awesome place for HSR. I was surprised Arnold wants to cut funding. After all, he came across as he cared about the environment!

[Robert Stark]

Originally Posted by Ferneynism

Chandler Blvd (ROW) East of the Red Line is untouched from the No Ho Arts District and way into the City of Burbank. Since The City of Burbank has agreed to light Rail there should be no problems connecting this corridor with Light Rail. Or even an Orange Line type of service to bring riders into the Subway in No Ho. Then Eventually the Yellow Line would connect into The City of Glendale and possibly into Downtown. Or for MTA to save cash only run it thru Elysian Park/Glassell Park directly into the Gold Line Station around the Avenues somewhere. Since the Gold line is already there there's really no need to bring the yellow Line into Union Station.

The Yellow Line is a proposed light-rail line which would run from North Hollywood to Downtown L.A., serving the communities of Burbank, Glendale, Silver Lake, and Echo Park en route. Part of the proposed route, a former Southern Pacific railway alignment along Chandler Boulevard in Burbank, has recently been converted by the City of Burbank to a bicycle path and parkway, thus reducing the likelihood this line would come to fruition. The Yellow Line proposal also advocates use of the former Belmont tunnel built by the Pacific Electric system, not in use since 1955. The land adjacent to the tunnel exit near Second Street and Beverly Boulevard in downtown Los Angeles, long vacant, has recently been sold. An apartment complex is now being built on the site, making it much less likely this area could be used for a new rail line.

[surfnspy]

that's right. The railroad tracks on the Chandler ROW have been replaced by landscaping and is now a park. It is a HUGE improvement for thousands of neighbors along what used to be a blighted looking thoroughfare.

There is absolutely no way this park will get undone to make way for light rail. The neighbors along the ROW are all middle class folks who would vote out anyone who would allow this to happen in favor of a candidate who would block it. Burbank folks are notoriously anti development. They recently denied a Whole Foods to take over an abandoned building thinking it was incompatible with the neighborhood (too much traffic!) They consistently vote against the Burbank airport improvement/expansion. So the idea of running trains hundreds of times a day down the middle of the city is just never gonna fly.

[Robert Stark]

so what line will serve burbank?

[LA-dude]

None....if they don't want it then let it go to a community that actually wants it.

[Robert Stark]

what about Glendale?

[phattonez]

Glendale could have a Red Line Extension up Brand Blvd, per Damien's Plan.

[Fern~Fern*]

Originally Posted by Robert Stark

so what line will serve burbank?

My understanding of the proposed Yellow Line is that it would connect No Ho, Burbank, Glendale Mt. Washington, Silver Lake, Angelinos Heights into Downtown.

Surfnspy; If MTA has backing from the City of Burbank those residents along the ROW are going to fight a loosing battle. Big money always wins, since their only Middle Class they might as well sit down and shut up. The Orange Line went thru the same thing in Valley Village/Sherman Oaks area. The residents disagree and we are talking about Million Dollar Homes in an exclusive hood. Not a bunk 600 hundred thousand dollar originally 2+1 with add on over the years can't compare.

[Robert Stark]

Originally Posted by Ferneynism

since their only Middle Class they might as well sit down and shut up.

thats verry elitist

[Fern~Fern*]

Originally Posted by Robert Stark

thats verry elitist

... it's more like populism dude!

Can we get back on topic here and leave social economics statuses on the side.

So anyhow was your questioned answered about Burbank being covered by the Yellow Line?

[phattonez]

But that's not the topic of this thread either, lol.

[Just Like Heaven]

So, I e-mailed the the Governator reguarding his plan to gut funding for the project several Months ago. His office sent me a reply in the end of may. Let me say for the record that it takes money to make money.
People!!! Hello. There are states with airports 10 times the size of LAX. Even if we had the funding to double the size of our highways would we have the space and would we want all the polution?
Big public works projects have historically been awesome at jump starting the economy and California is or was one of the largest in the world. We haave run our infrastructure into the ground. Who could argue with a 2.5 Hr. comute to San Fran. when it takes me almost an hour to get to The Valley,(SFV,) from the west side.
The price tag currently stands at 40B. There is a bond issue that he is postponing that would enable CHSR to start purcahsing the right of way needed to move forward on this project. The Bond would be for only 8 which once a starter line is running from say hear to the IE we might begin to talk to private investors. but until then good luck. It could be on the ballot in 2008 but...he's got a better Idea. This was thier reply.

Thank you for writing to Governor Schwarzenegger to share your thoughts
and concerns about highspeed rail. The Governor appreciates hearing
from people who care about the important issues facing our great state.

In November 2006, California voters approved one of the largest bond
packages in the state's history. This money represents a considerable
down payment on repairing and building our infrastructure and boosting
the public services necessary to preserve our quality of life. And, with
the tremendous population growth expected for California over the next
two decades, the Governor has put forward an even broader proposal
that will include funding for flood control, schools, courts and the
correctional system.

Because of the critical need for funding these other forms of vital
infrastructure, California has a limited ability to borrow money for a
full high-speed rail bond measure right now. Governor Schwarzenegger's
comprehensive Strategic Growth Plan, and its varying bond components,
cannot happen simultaneously with the high-speed rail bond without putting
the state into a position of spending General Fund dollars at too-high
levels. This approach instead protects California's credit rating and
support for other important state programs.

But the Governor's proposed budget does recognize that high-speed rail
is a viable transit option worth exploring for the future, and so it
includes $1.2 million for staff support of the High-Speed Rail Authority.
He is also willing to consider other potential payment options for
such a rail system, including private financing.

Again, thank you for taking the time to write and share your thoughts
with Governor Schwarzenegger. He welcomes any comments that can help
improve the future of California.

Sincerely,


Office of Constituent Affairs

[milquetoast]

Nice try. No, really! That was interesting, still, it was a form letter. Will a future growing population in California feel more comfortable getting on a bullet train, or take to the skies as they already do, but in greater numbers?

[phattonez]

I hate to say this because his outlook was so bleak, but I think Ferney was right about high-speed rail in California. It's just a tease.

[Fern~Fern*]

Originally Posted by phattonez

I hate to say this because his outlook was so bleak, but I think Ferney was right about high-speed rail in California. It's just a tease.

^ Sweet!

[Just Like Heaven]

Originally Posted by milquetoast

Nice try. No, really! That was interesting, still, it was a form letter. Will a future growing population in California feel more comfortable getting on a bullet train, or take to the skies as they already do, but in greater numbers?