Trains in the News
Friday, February 25, 2005, at 06:12AM
By Eric Richardson
Transit's all over the news today. The LA Times has coverage of yesterday's MTA subway vote with a variety of good quotes from people saying nice things about the subway system. Nice to see that a West Hollywood Councilmember was there to support the motion as well. Of course the Bus Riders Union showed up to protest spending money on anything that's not a bus:
"We think this is a backward, outdated and financially irresponsible approach," Manuel Criollo of the Bus Riders Union said of the subway plan. "The subway has been a complete and utter failure," he said, citing what he described as lower than expected ridership and the Red Line's $4.5-billion price tag so far.
Once again I point to the numbers I posted yesterday. I think it's ridiculous to try to label the subway a failure.
In other news the California PUC ruled on Gold Line noise relief measures, so the MTA has 60 days to install new bells and noise shrouds. Also from the meeting yesterday comes the Pasadena Star News' proclamation that the "Gold Line extension stays on back burner. Local blog the skunks of los felix asks what Antonovich was trying to accomplish with his "ultimatum" on Gold Line extension. I think it's a valid question.