Finally, good news regarding public transit ridership in Los Angeles, where the Expo Line connection to Santa Monica has very quickly outpaced its projections.
"According to Metro’s official ridership estimates, the Expo Line reached an impressive ridership milestone during the month of June," reports Scott Frazier.
"With a daily average of more than 64,000 boardings, Expo is attracting as many riders in 2017 as it was projected to have in 2030," adds Frazier.
Astute Planetizen readers will recall that the Expo Line connects Downtown Los Angeles with the city of Santa Monica, with a terminus just a short walk from the Pacific Ocean. The light rail line is not, however, the fabled Subway to the Sea of public relations efforts past. Speaking of public relations, the Metro system has been dealing with a string of bad news regarding ridership, in its new bikeshare system as well as the broader transit system. The Expo Line has been a source of consistently positive news relative to ridership projections, however.
FULL STORY: Expo Line Reaches Ridership Milestone 13 Years Early
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The $1.5 billion, 6.6-mile light rail extension from Culver City to Santa Monica is projected to double trips on the line by 2030, giving commuters a viable alternative to driving. Just the same, don't expect the extension to reduce congestion.
Los Angeles Needs New Funding Sources to Meet Public Transit Ambitions
With an aggressive plan to build out numerous public transit lines in time for the 2028 Olympics, local officials are scrambling to fill funding gaps as prices continue to rise and catch planners and officials by surprise.
Frequencies Restored on L.A.'s Expo Line After Rider Backlash
Trains were already crowded on the Metro Expo Line when they ran every six minutes during peak hours. When Metro cut frequencies to every eight minutes in June, riders were not pleased.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
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