Movement & Transportation

New Plan Just a New Part of L.A.'s Interesting Taxi History

By Eric Richardson — Yesterday, 11:17 AM — 2 Comments

Ed Fuentes

On July 16th, City Council approved the Hail-a-Taxi pilot program for Downtown and Hollywood. The program is intended to help make taxis a more integral part of the city's overall transportation picture.

In most cities that's just the way things are, but L.A.'s relationship with the taxi isn't quite typical. — Continued Inside...

Hope Street Sidewalk Closure Gets a Guard

By Eric Richardson — Friday
5 Comments

The sidewalk on a stretch of Hope street next to Ralphs remains shut to pedestrians, five weeks after it was first closed. After prompting, the developer is working with city departments on a solution that would reopen the walkway while construction proceeds.

Greuel and Perry Want Late Night DASH on Fridays

By Eric Richardson — July 17, 2008
24 Comments

Earlier this week Councilmembers Wendy Greuel and Jan Perry submitted a motion that asks DOT to take a look at extended evening service for Downtown DASH. The motion starts small, specifically targeting additional service for Friday evenings.

After Hail-a-Taxi's Approval, a Cabbie Breathes a Sigh of Relief

By Eric Richardson with Ed Fuentes — July 16, 2008
3 Comments

Garnik Rostami has spent seventeen years on the streets of Los Angeles county as a cab driver, with the last decade or so focused on the Downtown area. He attended this morning's Council meeting to make sure the proposed Hail-a-Taxi pilot program was successfully passed.

Council Unanimously Approves Hail-a-Taxi

By Eric Richardson — July 16, 2008
8 Comments

City Council today unanimously approved the Hail-a-Taxi pilot program for Downtown and Hollywood. The program will give cab drivers much greater flexibility in where they can stop to load and unload passengers. Program backers hope that this will encourage cab drivers to roam the neighborhood looking for fares instead of congregating at a limited number of...

Streetcar Added to Council's Transportation Sales Tax Motion

By Eric Richardson — July 16, 2008
2 Comments

On Friday, the City Council will consider a motion in support of Metro's proposed half-cent sales tax for transportation projects, and will submit to Metro a list of projects that it believes should be specifically named for funding. A late entry to the list is the Downtown streetcar, added at the urging of Councilman Jose Huizar.

Downtown Parking Meter Rates Set to Double

By Eric Richardson — July 14, 2008
29 Comments

A parking meter ordinance change set for Tuesday's City Council agenda will raise meter rates across the city, with rates Downtown doubling. Parking meters in the Civic Center and Financial District would be the most expensive in the city, costing $4 per hour. At that rate, a quarter buys three minutes and forty-five seconds at the curb.

Short Term Parking Pays Off in the Arts District

By Ed Fuentes — July 10, 2008
3 Comments

Along Traction Ave near 3rd St, where gourmet sausage restaurant Wurstküche’s take-out café is to open in mid-August, the curb has been designated a 15 minute parking zone. It takes away some precious parking, but according to Isaac, the owner of Ay Caramaba!, the Mexican food spot located across the street, it’s been paying off already for those wanting to...

Broadway Project Announces Charrette, New Director

By Ed Fuentes — July 06, 2008
2 Comments

Last week, Councilman José Huizar led a panel discussion on "Bringing Back Broadway" that served as primer, but made a clear connection with the role the return of street cars will have in successfully revitalizing the Broadway corridor. The panel, held at the Orpheum, was sponsored by The Heritage Committee of City Club on Bunker Hill. While many in the audience...

Dodgers Emphatic on Government's Role to Fund Public Transportation

By Eric Richardson — June 25, 2008
13 Comments

At the City Council's Transportation committee today, a representative from the Dodgers was clear on the organizations view that public transportation to the stadium should be paid for by government and not by the team.