And that isn’t all:

The amount of delay endured by the average commuter was 34 hours, up from 14 hours in 1982.

The cost of congestion is more than $100 billion, nearly $750 for every commuter in the U.S.

“Rush Hour” is six hours of not rushing anywhere.

Congestion is becoming a bigger problem outside of “Rush Hour,” –with about 40 percent of the delay occurring in the mid-day and overnight hours–creating an escalating and increasingly serious problem for businesses that rely on efficient production and deliveries.

When our area’s economic growth returns, the average commuter is estimated to spend an additional 3 hours of delay by 2015; and 7 hours by 2020.

For a larger view, click on the screenshot.

So, what does that mean for us ?

Proposed and current solutions:

Public transit is obviously a huge component of reducing traffic, pollution, and energy consumption.

Even though Los Angeles isn’t a role model for an efficient public transit system, yet, if it hadn’t been available in 2010, commuters would have spent 33,606,000 more hours in traffic, costing an extra $708.8 Million Dollars.

Another solution is telecommuting. If work can be effectively done from home, why not? It’s about time businesses take a hard long look at the idea and concept of letting more people work from home, if and when possible. Many professions and positions are well suited for such changes.

Another iteration is examining differing schedules for different businesses. For example, why not open banks on Sunday, and close on Tuesday? The possibilities are boundless. If banks are not possible, many others are.

The bottom line is that while our world remains fluid; our habits must and cannot remain static in this very competitive global economy. A good place to start is to think outside the box.
]]> http://www.travelinlocal.com/los-angeles-traffic-will-increase-as-our-economy-improves/feed/ 0 http://www.travelinlocal.com/commuting-statistics-for-los-angeles-county/ http://www.travelinlocal.com/commuting-statistics-for-los-angeles-county/#comments Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:12:13 +0000 D. J. Schwartz http://www.travelinlocal.com/?p=30760 Let’s crunch some numbers and export them into a data matrix regarding Commuting Statistics for Los Angeles County.

The data contained herein is based on information and statistics from the 2010 Census presented at American FactFinder.

Having biked, walked, photographed, written and driven about various aspects of LA’s freeways and streets, I was interested to see how people commute to work; and here are the results–I’ll feature spreadsheets and the pie charts to illustrate my findings and results, based on the data as explained.

In Los Angeles County, the following data has been extrapolated from over 4,200,000 total commuters 16 years and over:

So, based on that–this is how they get to work:

And based on that, the following is how long it took them to get there:

These are the current statistics of the amount of vehicles which are in each individual household in Los Angeles County:

So the acid test, is where do you–or your household–fit into these documented patterns?

Surprisingly, there are more 3 car households than 1 car households. It’s no surprise that most drivers are single drivers.

But, nonetheless, both of the commute times are similar. Another interesting finding is that there isn’t much of a spread time between shorter commutes verses longer commutes.

Did any of the data surprise you? If so how? Please let us know your thoughts on this important and timely issue in the comments section below.

There was a timeline wall showing various transportation milestones.

As well, Metro tattoos were the party’s rage–a sign of both the times and the rage of Metro!

Not real tattoos, of course, but still it was cool for a few days, and considering how many people took Metro to the event, naturally, of course, lots of people were getting theirs!

There were also a myriad of pull-up placards featured that were hidden in wooden stands, each with their own message.

Or rather facts:

In order to share these facts with you, I took a photo of each one of the placards–they are self-explanatory and very informative:

To be sure, during the entire event I learned something new; therefore it’s Travelin’ Local’s desire that you will too.

Although, some might find it silly that such a matter would and may cause mayhem, they do not comprehend nor understand the congestion, traffic, and incompressible difficulties of driving on the Freeways in LA.

In a nut shell, the 405 is the main North-South Freeway here, besides the inland Interstate 5, that allows us to travel north and south.

Be that as it may, the term a “New York Minute,” can be equally applied to and with Los Angeles’ “I got to go where I need to go right now.” Without a doubt, many of our workforce in and around LA, especially inside the valley, use the 405 for going to work, play, and other sundry habits.

To that end, Travelin’ Local now has a new small icon on our right toolbar counting down the days until the 405 shutdown.

It’s the countdown clock for the closure of the 405.

That’s right. You heard correctly.

The specific freeway closure boundaries are as follows:

• Northbound I-405: 10-mile closure between I-10 and U.S. 101
• Southbound I-405: 4-mile closure between U.S. 101 and Getty Center Drive Ramps

As part of the lane widening project, on July 16^th – 17^th, and from as early as 7:00pm on July 15^th for some ramps, the 405 will be closing. All ramps will be closed by midnight and they won’t reopen until 5:00am on July 18^th.

That’s 53 hours of closure.

So, what can you do?

It’s simple. Stay home, or if you have to go out, plan ahead.

If you’re thinking about using Sepulveda Boulevard, think again–it will only be reserved for residents.

Personally, I’m kind of looking forward to the event, because it’s a way to be semi-free of the freeways for a day +, and look forward for something to do in my own backyard.

To be sure there are many people who live in the Valley and need to get to work on the Westside. Maybe this is a chance to have a small “Staycation.” To that end, we recommend finding a hotel along the beach–or inside LA proper–and spend the night here, instead of trying to traverse a closed freeway, to only find grief, aggravation, and anger.

Better yet, plan a short weekend getaway. SoCal is loaded with possibilities. Why not go to Palm Springs, San Diego, La Jolla, Laguna Beach or even a hotel here in town?

What better way to spend a weekend than relaxing by the beach or pool, not even thinking about the freeways and traffic jams.

You still have over a month to plan, so let’s get started!

And by the way, they’ll be closing the 405 again next year, so consider this year a dry run.

According to a new study by the Pew Center of the States and the Rockefeller Foundation entitled, Measuring Transportation Investments: The Road to Results, California (PDF) is “leading the way” in “having the essential tools—goals, performance measures and data—needed to help decision makers choose more cost-effective transportation funding and policy options.”

Using 6 areas of focus; safety, jobs and commerce, mobility, access, environmental stewardship, and infrastructure preservation, the study “identifies which states have the essential tools in place to make more cost-effective transportation funding and policy choices.”

Even though many states have goals in place, this study “does not evaluate states based on whether or to what degree they actually have achieved these goals.”

Rather, the study “assessed whether states could meet a baseline threshold in each of the six areas examined.”

Safety

Jobs and Commerce

Mobility

Access

Environmental Stewardship

Infrastructure Preservation

To my chagrin and surprise, the study does not base its results on real world achievements:

“Historically, states have not prioritized or funded transportation projects based on solid data analysis or by comparing the costs and benefits of various options. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported in December 2010 that states assign greater importance to factors such as “political and public support” than to an economic analysis of project benefits and costs.”

However, based on the study, a growing number of state decision makers are seeing that transportation money needs to have “explicit goals, outcome-oriented performance measures and solid data.”

Considering transportation spending on a household level ranks second, right after housing, what states do with our transportation taxes is of even more value.

Let’s keep the momentum going and spend our transportation dollars wisely. After all, 11.66 billion is a lot of money. So let’s continue our support of California for being “one of 13 states leading the way,” in both achieving and measuring its transportation investments.

The last time I took the Green Line, I was traveling to Long Beach. But today, I’m heading to downtown Los Angeles via the “Silverline.” If you’re ever in Inglewood, the Green Line and its connection is one of the best ways to get there.

The Crenshaw/I-105 Metro Station includes a 500 space parking lot, which on this particular weekday was half full. During my foray, I took advantage of their services and parked my car there and headed to the platform. BTW, there’s no charge for parking.

Mapping Public Art in Los Angeles:

Indeed, even if your commute happens to be too far, for using a bicycle, Metro is very bike friendly and you can use a combination of both. And with Gasoline prices approaching $5:00 per gallon, keeping more money in your pocket while doing good and well, isn’t a bad idea!

This year Metro wants to help you feel more comfortable–and safe–while using a bike, so they’re started a new program entitled Bike Buddies. Essentially, you get to join forces with many veteran riders to learn various safety trips, means and methods if there is a safety tip you’d like to know. Bike Buddies “offers inexperienced bike riders the opportunity to learn some on-road safety tips and techniques with experienced cyclists.”

Besides the obvious health benefits of riding your bike to work, there’s also the environmental benefit of riding a non-polluting vehicle to get where you want to go.

To help you navigate the various Bike to Work Week activities, here’s a short list:

• Monday, May 16^th – Bike Week LA Kick-off Event
• Tuesday, May 17^th – Blessing of the Bicycles at the Good Samaritan Hospital starting at 8:00am where you can Get Blessed! Get Breakfast! and Get a Free Bike Check!
• Wednesday, May 18^th - Meet at Union Station on Alameda Street and ride through Downtown with other bike enthusiasts and supporters. Congregate at 8:00am and the ride will leave at 8:30am.
• Thursday, May 19^th - Bike to Work Day: Be one of thousands of LA county residents participating. Visit pit stops, get a free ride on transit, and get entered to win prizes.
• Friday, May 20^th - Bike to School Day

After participating in Bike Week 2011, you’ll learn new ways to feel comfortable not using a car and feeling like you’ve made a difference, as “Green Energy” and “Sustainability” issues will continue to be at the forefront of our national energy debate and way of life.

In fact, in the LA Metro area, bus ridership increased 4.6% in January 2011.

To be sure, LA’s Metro isn’t alone–as $5 per gallon of gas becomes a reality, up to 1,500,000,000 additional passenger trips for US public transportation systems is almost a certainty, as we’re still in the grips of a major economic crisis.

If you live in LA, your savings, on average, would be about $866 per month by using Metro; and as the price of gas increases, so will the the cost savings multiply.

For those concerned that taking the bus will result in lost time, I think you might be surprised–during rush hour, LA Metro has as many as 2,000 buses ready to serve the growing number of Metro riders.

And with the recent addition of NextBus, it’s easy to see when a bus is approaching your stop. So, work a few extra minutes, and walk to the bus stop just as it’s arriving.

And NextBus is just the first step. If you have a great idea for a mobile app or mash-up using Metro’s transit data, you’re able to put your skills to the test and enter the Metro Developer Challenge, for a chance to win a cash prize of up to $2,000. Of course, there are a few rules. All of the fun starts at 9:00am PDT, on April 1, 2011.

To get an idea of just how many buses are on the road during rush hour, I put 25 of the approximate 200 bus routes into a NextBus’ Google Map feature.

Each little square represents a bus:

Included are some of these bus routes featured:

• 2 – Downtown LA – Pacific Palisades Via Sunset Boulevard
• 4 – Downtown LA – Santa Monica Via Santa Monica Boulevard
• 10 – W Hollywood-Downtown LA -Avalon Station Via Melrose-Avalon
• 14 – Beverly Hills-Downtown LA-Wash/Fairfax Via Beverly-Adams
• 16 – Downtown LA – Century City Via West 3rd St
• 18 – Wilshire Center-Montebello Via 6th St-Whittier Boulevard
• 20 – Downtown LA – Santa Monica Via Wilshire Boulevard
• 26 – Hollywood-Downtown LA-Compton-Artesia Tran Center Via Avalon
• 28 – Downtown LA – Century City Via West Olympic Boulevard
• 30 – Pico Rimpau- Downtown LA- Indiana Station Via Pico-East 1st
• 33 – Downtown LA – Santa Monica Via Venice Boulevard
• 35 – Downtown LA- Washington/Fairfax Via Washington Boulevard
• 37 – Beverly Hills-Downtown LA-Wash/Fairfax Via Beverly-Adam
• 38 – Downtown LA – Washington/Fairfax Via Jefferson Boulevard
• 40 – Downtown LA-Lax-South Bay Galleria Via King-La Tijera-Hawthorn
• 42 – Downtown LA-Lax-Southbay Galleria Via King-La Tijera-Hawthorne
• 45 – Lincoln Heights – Downtown LA- Rosewood Via Broadway
• 48 – W Hollywood-Downtown LA -Avalon Station Via Melrose-Avalon
• 51 – Hollywood-Downtown LA-Compton-Artesia Tran Center Via Avalon
• 52 – Hollywood-Downtown LA-Compton-Artesia Tran Center Via Avalon
• 53 – Downtown LA – CSU Dominguez Hills Via Central Avenue
• 55 – Downtown LA – Imperial/Wilmington Station Via Compton Avenue
• 60 – Downtown LA – Artesia Station Via Long Beach Boulevard
• 62 – Downtown LA – Hawaiian Gardens Via Telegraph Road
• 66 – Wilshire Center- Downtown LA-Montebello Via 8th-Olympic

Lastly, if your place of employment isn’t working with Metro using their B-tap program, you are missing an opportunity to get even greater savings.

Believe it or not, because Metro and their staff are always ready to help, if you don’t have a B-tap program in place, perhaps you can get one started.

It’s not hard, all you have to do is pick up the phone, 1.866.TAPTOGO, and talk to a Metro representative.
]]> http://www.travelinlocal.com/got-budget-issues-heres-25-metro-bus-routes-mapped-during-rush-hour/feed/ 0 http://www.travelinlocal.com/real-time-la-metro-bus-tracking-makes-riding-mass-transit-a-little-easier/ http://www.travelinlocal.com/real-time-la-metro-bus-tracking-makes-riding-mass-transit-a-little-easier/#comments Fri, 04 Mar 2011 16:48:53 +0000 Lisa Newton http://www.travelinlocal.com/?p=27136 As gas prices continue to rise, I’m going to use Metro more often.

However, a huge drawback when using Metro is the wait time at a particular bus stop.

If I knew in advance, for example, that the bus wasn’t going to arrive for an additional 30 minutes, I could buy a sandwich, or kick-back at home instead of waiting for the bus longer than I want to.

But that’s not an issue any longer. Due to the beauty of technology, I can track my bus route by using my mobile phone.

Let’s look at NextBus:

Using Metro Rapid 704 as an example, here’s a screen shot:

From this particular screen, I’m able to find out which one of the next three buses will reach my location and if applicable, what other buses may serve this bus stop. However, because Metro is still beta testing this service, not all bus routes are available at this time. From my testing, the Rapid bus stops usually have the best info.

But if your bus doesn’t show up, you can still track your route using the map:

Even though I was able to take these screenshots from my desktop computer, I can also use this service with my Droid.

If you decide that you don’t want to use this service in this manner to access the site, you can opt for updates via text message or email.

Remember, this is not an application but rather a website which you can bookmark for quick reference.

So, as gas prices keep increasing, riding Metro is now much easier to use.

Indeed, from the first moment I lied my eyes upon it, I silently said to myself, “What’s that?”

The Soto Metro Station in Boyle Height first opened in 2009 as part of the Gold Line Eastside Extension, and the Soto Station is one of only two underground stations on the Gold Line–the other one is the Mariachi Plaza.

One of the advantages of the Soto Station is that it’s also a stop for several other Metro bus lines; including the Metro Local 30, 251, 252, and the 605. And also the Metro Rapid 751.

If you’re riding your bike to get to the station, the Soto Metro Station has parking for at least twelve bikes and four bike lockers.

Be sure to purchase your ticket, or have a Tap pass, because this station functions with fare gates only.

The architectural design of the Soto Station is very fascinating; so here’s a few photographs I took of the station a couple of days ago:

Enter here:

The first level is where you purchase your ticket:

Its fare gates:

One level down, and you’ve arrived at the trains:

From here, you can either head to Union Station, and head to Pasadena, or go East.

Therefore, successful time management is almost always one of the more important issues when taking the Metro or other public transportation.

As the old saying goes, time is money.

So, what can you do with the extra time when traveling by bus?

With the rise of smartphones, time management is now much easier.

Here’s ten useful and productive ideas:

1. Read a book for pleasure or school

2. Twitter

3. Knit/Crochet

4. Answer email

5. Read a blog or the news

6. Draw or write out your future plans as a way to turn your dreams into reality

7. Play a game or listen to some of your favorite tunes

8. Talk/text on your phone

9. Update your Facebook status

10. Write a to-do list

And there you have it. If indeed, time is money, drivers, who are stuck in traffic, for the most part, aren’t using their time wisely, but traveling by bus or subway, you can do much more useful and productive activities while traveling.

It makes perfect sense and is definitely food for thought………………….

In the survey entitled Public Transportation Usage Among U.S. Workers: 2008 and 2009 (PDF), of the 50 largest metro areas in the USA, 10, including LA, experienced a statistically significant decline in the number of their public transportation commuters, and only three cities–Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH, and Washington-Arlington Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, experienced a statistically significant increase in the number of public transit commuters.

For LA, ridership was down by about 20,000 people or .2%. Not a big number, but one that’s still going in the wrong direction.

The other cities along with Los Angeles that are experiencing a declining ridership include:

• Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC
• Columbus, OH
• Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI
• Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX
• Las Vegas-Paradise, NV
• New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA
• Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
• San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
• Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC

Based on the number of Metro riders, LA is ranked 4^th, but if you look at the percentage, LA comes in at 8^th, tied with the Baltimore/Towson area.

All comparisons presented in this report have taken sampling error into account and are significant at the 90% confidence level.

Considering Los Angeles auto commuters are spending over $400 a month on gas and maintenance and losing 70 hours a year to traffic congestion, it’s high time to use the Metro more often.

If you do, you know how much of a hassle taking Metro can be. But don’t get me wrong, I really like Metro, but their service to the Westside isn’t the greatest.

If I want to get to downtown LA, either I have to take a Rapid Bus to the Subway, or I have to take the Rapid bus all the way there.

During the day, the time for either of these rides is about an 1 hour and 20 minutes, and that doesn’t include the wait time.

But, that could all be changing.

Currently in the final environmental and engineering analysis stage, the Westside Subway Extension aka the Purple Line Extension, is on the move.

Details still have to be ironed out, but at least the final route has been planned:

When all is said and done, it should take only 25 minutes to get from the Union station to the Veteran’s Administration in West LA, a savings of almost an hour.

Some salient facts that are what’s known right now as to the proposed Metro Subway Extension:

• The Purple Line Extension will be built in what Metro refers to as Minimum Operable Segments. The first segment (MOS 1) west is not sure to include a Crenshaw/Wilshire stop, but quite sure to have stations at Wilshire/La Brea & Wilshire/Fairfax.
• This will be a subway, not light-rail.
• Federal criteria on ridership levels must be met to receive Federal Funding.
• Environmental Impact Studies are not yet complete.
• When finished, it will take about another year to complete engineering design, prepare bid documents and award construction contracts.
• Based on this schedule, construction of the subway could begin in 2013. Notice that it says ‘could’.
• Measure R is the source of funding. It allocates money to a variety of transportation projects throughout the County over that time period. It’s funds are not entirely available for the westbound subway.
• The cost estimates are based on 2008 Dollars.
• Parking at Stations: They are leaning away from providing parking. Land values in the path of the subway are high, and the purpose is to get people out of their cars. In some areas that already have parking, it remains a possibility.
• Cyclists will be able to transport their bikes.
• MOS 2 (Year 2026) would extend to Century City. MOS 3 (Year 2036) would extend to Westwood/I-405 with stations being evaluated at UCLA and the VA Hospital.

As with all good things, it takes time.

After reading this news, I thought I’d play with Google a little bit to see how well Metro, and the Big Blue work together.

After all, the Big Blue Bus–for the most part–only runs in Santa Monica, so connecting with the Metro buses is a real boon for our great city.

So to test out my curiosity about the new merging of the Big Blue and Metro Buses on Google, I plugged in 600 Ocean Park Boulevard, in Santa Monica, and then 100 South Grand Avenue in Downtown, Los Angeles.

As you can see below, they worked together seamlessly:

Then the real fun came as I subsequently changed the departure time. In this example, the route above was for a 5:15pm departure, which will take about and hour and 35 minutes.

But here is how it looks at 4:00pm departure:

On this route, you can get downtown using only the Big Blue. BTW, this route takes about an hour and 37 minutes.

This is the same route at 8:00am–which takes approximately an 1 hour and 14 minutes, to get from one point to the other.

If you’re planning to leave to travel at about 9:00pm, Metro is your only choice:

If for some reason, you find yourself in Santa Monica at 3:00am, you still have options:

This route, which isn’t exactly a beeline to downtown–but if you’ve had a little too much to drink–it’s a great way to get where you want to go without hassle or worry. This route’s time frame takes about an hour and 39 minutes.

After looking at all the options available, I–and probably everybody else that takes both the Big Blue and the Metro, will be happy to have this new feature now on Google maps, and if you’re lucky, your friendly smart phone.

When I first moved to Los Angeles, several of my family and friends expressed concern and worry for me living here, because of our propensity to have some pretty serious earthquakes–you know the part where LA is one day supposed to fall into the ocean.

Can it happen?

I hope not, but it never hurts to be prepared.

Which is why The Great California ShakeOut is now an important component of instructions and “what ifs” for California’s citizens to be better prepared in the event of an earthquake–big and small.

Next Thursday, October 21^st at 10:21am, you can join millions of Californians by participating in the largest earthquake drill in US history!

Even in the short time I’ve lived here, I’ve felt a small earthquake. I have to admit, even though it was small, feeling it really hit home the possibility of what a bigger one is capable of.

Now is the time to practice what you would do doing an earthquake.

It’s called:

Drop!

Cover!

Hold on!

Without any notice, an earthquake can strike:

If you’d like to know where you can go to participate in next Thursday’s The Great California Shakeout drills, here’s the link to the schools, businesses, and other organizations, where you can participate.

Part of being prepared is knowledge–so this is an extremely serious matter and will definitely improve your chances to get through this natural disaster that unfortunately, is endemic to living in California.
]]> http://www.travelinlocal.com/mark-your-calendars-the-great-california-shakeout-is-coming-again/feed/ 1 http://www.travelinlocal.com/take-me-out-to-the-ball-game-using-metro-buses-to-watch-the-la-dodgers/ http://www.travelinlocal.com/take-me-out-to-the-ball-game-using-metro-buses-to-watch-the-la-dodgers/#comments Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:03:14 +0000 Tom Jones http://www.travelinlocal.com/?p=20430 Everybody knows that we’re Laker crazy here in LA.. But the Los Angeles Dodgers are also near and dear to our hearts.

Although this year they’re next to last place in Major League Baseball’s National Western League standings, going to Dodger Stadium has and will always be a time honored tradition here.

Despite the last decade’s ups and downs, the Dodger owners, McCourt’s divorce saga, and Manny Ramirerz’s disappointing performance, we still bleed Dodger Blue.

Although it was first launched a few months ago with little fanfare, Metro introduced a great new service for all Dodger fans–the Dodger Roundtripper Station to Stadium Shuttle. Now you can park your automobile at either the Metro Rail Chinatown or Union Station, hop on the Shuttle and go to the ballpark.

Although Chavez Ravine, and Dodger Stadium never lose their innate charm and beauty, going back and forth to the Dodger Stadium parking lot may not be the best experience because of traffic or perhaps you’ve had one too many; but more importantly many Dodger Fans don’t drive or opt not to.

Patrons can board the shuttle at Union Station’s Patsaouras Transit Plaza. The shuttle will travel west, taking Elysian Park through Gate A and dropping fans off at a specially designated stop in lot 13 of Dodger Stadium. Cost for the round trip is $2. Patrons using the Metro Gold Line can also catch a Dodger Shuttle Bus from the Chinatown Station. Metro passes are not accepted on the shuttle.

Buses will leave Union Station every 15 minutes or less from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Buses leaving the Metro Gold Line Chinatown Station will leave every 30 minutes. Return service from Dodger Stadium will begin no later than the top of the 8th inning. The last bus will leave 30 minutes after the last out, but no later than 11 p.m.

The Metro Rail system spans nearly 73.1 miles linking Long Beach, Norwalk, El Segundo, North Hollywood, Universal City, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Highland Park, Pasadena and all MTA operates the 17.4-mile Metro Red Line subway, the 22-mile Los Angeles to Long Beach Metro Blue Line, the 20-mile Norwalk to El Segundo Metro Green Line, and the 13.4-mile Metro Gold Line from Pasadena to Los Angeles as well as Metro Buses.

For information on the Dodger Roundtripper Station to Stadium Shuttle call 323-244-1-HIT.

During the early 2000’s, they had incredibly won four successive seasons.The team’s honors were accomplished because of the team’s devoted and versatile key players such as Chan Ho Park, Shawn Green, Adrian Beltre, and Paul Lo Duca.

For many of us growing up, we’ll never forget the great Dodger players like Sandy Koufax’ Don Drysdale, Jackie Robinson, Sandy Koufax, Pee Wee Reese, Duke Snider, Kirk Gibson, Ron Cey, Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, Fernando Valenzuela, and Manny Mosa, among tens of dozens of great Dodger athletes that immediately come to mind.

After relocating from Brooklyn, NY, in 1958, the Dodgers won the Pennant in 1959, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1981, and 1988; they were world Champions winning the World Series in 1959, 1963, 1965, 1981 and 1988.

Here’s a tribute video of the great Dodger teams, players and moments:

As stated in one of our previous stories, if you live in Los Angeles, and have never attended a Dodgers game, shame on you!

Better yet, with Metro buses now going to Dodger Stadium, there’s no longer an excuse for not going………………………………………….

It looks unlike anything I’ve ever seen before!

Designed to be an “Information Tower,” the Samitaur Tower is the work of Culver City architect, Eric Moss.

At 72 feet high and 30 feet wide, the Tower, an important exception to the local height rule, is the highest building in this section of Culver City.

Made from translucent acrylic, the screens, when used, will utilize external displays to highlight upcoming events, culturally significant content, along with art and graphic presentations of all types.

As needed, all visual presentations from the white portion of the Tower will use 10 digital projectors hidden behind the screens.

Sitting atop its perch, the Information Tower overlooks the light-rail Metro Expo Line, which is expected to open in June 2011, and carry an estimated 30,000 passengers. Its visibility from the Metro and all the passing cars, is sure to be a city landmark–probably in the same way that the Disney Hall initially instilled both excitement and criticism. Now it’s one of our most iconic landmarks, and a reality for people to grasp.

Inside the screens, steel decks provide viewers fantastic views of the city. Keeping with the clean lines and open air feeling, the Tower has a glazed elevator in an enclosed glass shaft, and an open stairway to the top.

To be sure, the tower will have a captive audience.

The tower consists of five circular steel rings, approximately 30 feet in diameter. The rings are stacked vertically at 12 foot floor-to-floor intervals, and, as the height increases, the rings are staggered in plan, back and forth – to the north, east, south, and west – in order to establish proximity and viewing angles for various levels at various heights.

I can hardly wait to climb up to the top and see the view.

The Samitaur Tower will play host to a mixture of parties, art exhibits and openings, using the staging area at the bottom.

In February of 2009, I visited this location for an article entitled, Architecture as Art. Here’s what the Tower looked like then compared to now.

When you have time, be sure to stop by for a visit. Although the Samitaur Tower isn’t expected to open until early next year, it’s still a sight to see.

That’s right; the price to ride just went up.

Everybody knows times are tough. However, with an across the board rate increase by Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus system, the increases for individuals are 25%–an increase from 75 cents to $1.00. I think this is a good thing. Big Blue was a great value at 75 cents, and even adding 25 cents to that is fine. Running and maintaining a bus system is a huge responsibility and undertaking.

Increasing the rates from 50 cents to $1.00 is a bit too much. To encourage public transportation for the younger generation, charging them the same amount that adults pay isn’t right; their fare of 50 cents is now a dollar. If a family with 4 children take public transit, that’s $8.00 per day. For many families, that’s simply too expensive.

In addition, senior rates have increased the first time in 25 years, going from 25 cents to 50 cents, another 100% increase. Many senior citizens live on a fixed income and they have to watch ever dime to survive.

If you’ve ridden the Big Blue, you know that for many seniors, it’s their only mode of transportation other than local jaunts.

To help make the rate hikes a little more digestible, Big Blue is offering a new monthly passes that offer unlimited rides for one low price. But even these aren’t much of a savings.

For example, the Student Pass can be purchased for $40.00; but if your child only rides the bus to school, 20 days per month, you don’t save a dime.

I’m a big believer in public transportation, but this price increase seems more than a little steep to be implemented in one fell swoop.

The stated reason for this increase is that the Big Blue Bus organization has a deficit of almost $6.5 million dollars. Therefore their management hopes that over the nest several years, the rate increases will compensate for the deficit at a rate of $2.5 million a year.

For now, just make sure you have more cash in your purse before you choose to ride the Big Blue next time, or better yet, maybe it’s time to get on your bike.

Maybe you forgot to charge your cell-phone, which disables your ability to talk or text.

I don’t know about you, but I’d love to see this on the Red Line the next time I ride the subway. It’s sure to fill everyone’s fun factor:

Therefore, the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles (CRA/LA) is hosting free tours on this Saturday, July 10^th.

Usually I feature these events in Travelin’ Local’s Free Friday column, but because you need to call ahead for reservations for the CRA’s events, I wanted to give you a heads up.

To help with interested citizens to understand the depth and complexity of the CRA/LA’s accomplishments there will be a series of tours, exhibitions, and events offered by the CRA/LA, and other downtown organizations, tour operators, cultural institutions, and event participants will share how the CRA/LA has transformed downtown Los Angeles.

The CRA/LA’s mission is "to make strategic investments to create economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for the people who live and work in our neighborhoods.”

To help see and learn about many of CRA/LA’s projects, redevelopment areas, success stories, and swaths of downtown that they’ve literally changed, here’s their list of tours and exhibits:

Downtown Center Business Improvement District Housing Bus Tour:

On this extensive, four-hour bus tour, which begins at 9:00am-1:00pm, participants will visit a sampling of six or seven residencies – both for sale and for lease – among 75 existing residential properties, and many more under construction.  It’s free but click the link above to register.

CRA/LA Art Program Walking Tours – South Park, Historic Core, and the Financial Core:

Streets, parks and public buildings in the CRA/LA’s, Central Business District redevelopment project area, contain a wide variety of artworks paid for by developers’ percent-for-art contributions. Join CRA/LA staff, interns, and a conservation associate for a one hour docent tour.

South Park: Begins at 10:00am and meets at the FIDM entrance, 919 Grand Avenue, at the winged figure by Gwynn Murrill (near the corner of 9th and Grand Ave).

The Historic Core: Begins at 11:30am and 2:00pm, and will meet at Biddy Mason Park, located at the center of the Paseo between Broadway and Spring Street, at Broadway’s Spring Center.

The Financial Core’s CRA/LA commissioned public art: Begins at 11:30am and 2:00pm and will meet at the Fine Arts Building – 811 W. 7^th Street (7^th St. east of Figueroa).

These tours are free, but participants must RSVP in advance to Amanda Bromberg, at the Community Arts Resources, (213)365-0605, by Friday, July 9^th,beginning at 10am. Only the first 14 RSVP’s will be accommodated for each tour.

GRAMMY Museum Tour:

The Grammy Museum is more than just a celebration of music’s most prestigious award.  It’s a one-of-a-kind experience that invites you to look behind the curtain.  On July 10^th, at 1:00pm, the public is invited to take part in a special tour of the Grammy Museum.  The tour will last approximately 40 minutes and it’s also a free event.  Tour participants will meet the tour guide in the Grammy Museum Lobby, located at 800 West Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015.  Participants must RSVP in advance to Amanda Bromberg at Community Arts Resources, (213)365.0605, by 10am on Friday, July 9^th.  Only the first 25 RSVP’s will be accommodated.

FIDM’s “Disney Alice in Wonderland Design Exhibition:”

The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Museum & Galleries, located at 919 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, in downtown’s South Park neighborhood is currently presenting their “Disney Alice in Wonderland Design Exhibition.”  The exhibit will be open on Saturday, July 10^th, from 10am to 4:00pm. Entrance to the exhibit is free.  For more information, please call (213)624.1201, or clink the link.

Metro Public Art Tour:

Metro is pleased to offer “CRA/LA in the CBD” participants a specially designed public art tour of the eclectic artwork present throughout the Central Business District Rail Stations. Led by a trained Metro Docent Council volunteer, this unique public art tour is free to the public and will only be available for viewing on Saturday, July 10^th. Tours last approximately 2 to 2.5 hours, and begin at 10:30am and 1:00pm.  Tours will depart from and end at the 7th/Metro Station, on the street level.  Look for the Metro Art Docent in the bright yellow vest. Metro stations to visit include: Pershing Square, Civic Center, Union Station, and Pico. Tour participants will receive a free, ride-all-day Metro pass at the beginning of the tour. Walk-ups are welcome, however, only the first 35 participants will be accommodated.

Docent Tour of Central Library:

Come downtown and visit Los Angeles’ Public Library’s state of the art Central Library, located at 630 W. 5^th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071.  Docent-led tours begin at 11:00am and 2:00pm on Saturday, July 10^th, and participants will meet in the front of the Library Store in the main lobby, accessible via the Fifth Street, Hope Street, and Flower Street entrances. The Tours are free and open to the public. No reservations are necessary, but tours are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.

BEING PEDESTRIAN Walking Tour:

BEING PEDESTRIAN, is a cultural tourism campaign based upon walking, and is a collaboration between artists Sara Daleiden, Sara Wookey and the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles. With its playful prompts, BEING PEDESTRIAN invites the experience of our public spaces of common sidewalks and crosswalks in consideration of the invisible decisions that form our common streetscape. The tour begins at 3pm on Saturday, July 10^th and is free. The tour lasts for approximately 1 hour and will meet at Grand Hope Park at the corner of 9^th Street and Hope. Participants must RSVP in advance to Amanda Bromberg at Community Arts Resources, (213)365.0605, by 10am on Friday, July 9^th. Only the first 14 RSVP’s will be accommodated.

Downtown Walking Tours with the LA Conservancy:

The Los Angeles Conservancy’s Walking Tour Program explores the history and heart of this amazing city through the interpretation of L.A.’s unique architectural resources.  On Saturday, July 10th, the LA Conservancy will offer its Historic Core Tour, the Art Deco Tour, the Downtown Renaissance: Spring & Main Tour, and the Broadway Historic Theatre and Commercial District Tour.  All tours begin at 10 am.  Tours average 2.5 hours and include 1 to 2 miles of total walking.  Meeting locations for each tour vary.  For information on the exact meeting location of your tour and to purchase advanced tickets, please visit the link above.

Tickets for LA Conservancy Members and Kids 12 & and under are $5; tickets for non-members are $10.  All tours allow day-of, walk-up participants, except the Broadway District Tour.

The LA Conservancy is pleased to offer “CRA/LA in the CBD” participants with a two-for-one promotion.  Enjoy two-for-one admission for any regularly scheduled tour at the non-member rate.  Advance reservations required; not valid for walk-ins.  One discount per guest per tour.  Offer valid through August 12^th, online or by phone.  To reserve, visit www.laconservancy.org/tours or call
(213)623-2489 and use discount code “CRA35.”