Congestion Pricing coming to Los Angeles?

As per the CBS article here, the magic solution, is, as in other cities, to charge motorists for entry to the Downtown circle, congested areas, or along corridors that people are using.

I have advocated for some time now and I will encourage the people behind this endeavor that there are other avenues to to solve congestion. I will address a few here.

Parking.

Charge more for parking in the congested areas or in the downtown circle. Make it more expensive for users to go to the area and leave their vehicles there.

Transit.

Reduce the price of transit. Make it free. Yes, someone has to pay, but I will get to that in a moment. As we are building new modes of transit, namely light right, fast transit, such as the Orange Line and Wilshire Rapid options in Los Angeles, we should and must, add to these services through out the county. Right now, $1.75 is rather inexpensive to ride, but the service is questionable and the roads are tough. With Prop 6 having failed, our roads will improve and with Metro M & P money, we will be able to expand transit, fast, reliable to the entire county, extending out from the Downtown Circle.

It is always about money and we need to go after cities to pay for transit entering and passing through their cities. A viable transit system is good for one and all and having multiple options, we will allow for many people to take transit instead. Yes, I am talking about Southern California and I know that we are the car culture center of the world. Great, but with more people moving in, our roads are bad and remain so. Let's target those that work in the congested areas. You want to drive to downtown, pay for parking. This money will go to increasing capacity on transit.

Parking on the roadway, increase the price as well and that too, will go to increasing the money going to transit.

Freeways.

Go ahead and add Metro Express Lanes. But, now, any expansion needs to come from the users, not everyone else. Those that use it, should and must pay for it. Many people will never use it and as such, will not have to pay for it - either its creation nor its continued usage.

I have given you three ideas to get the conversation going. Congestion pricing is the easiest and what does that mean: we all pay when we don't have to. Let's use what we have now and make it work.

East Side Gold Line Extension

Contrary to public opinion, I did step away from my computer today and took the family out on a little sojourn.

We drove out to LA Live, checked out the happy haps there and then decided to check out the new, light-rail extension to the east side of Los Angeles.



WOW!

Sure does look sweet, sleek and clean! The stations are well-lite and easy to access. I am envious of the fact that the system is near so many residential areas and now connects to the ever-expanding network of the MTA. In late 2010, the Exposition Line will open and that will branch off of the Blue Line and we take you to USC, The Museums and as far west as Culver City.

Supervisor Gloria Molina has decried the "un-safe" line. Still bitter at the fact that ELA was denied a subway and that the westside will score yet another subterranean-extension. No matter, it is what it is and it looks good. No accidents yet and no one is dead . . . a good few weeks.

By the way, only an idiot will die along the light-rail line. The line doesn't need fencing, only an idiot will try to challenge the train. I should reconsider that: There are people that will die because they won't be paying attention and BECAUSE they will try to beat the train. People don't know that when you cross the rail line right-of-way, you are actually trespassing. The railroads are only allowing you to pass when there is no train! The idiot that believes they are in the right have it all wrong.

Long Live the Gold Line!