Shriver on Transportation

By Bobby S. Shriver

Bobby Shriver Policy Paper on Transportation Issues

Shriver on Transportation

Bobby Shriver is running for the Board of Supervisors to get people out of traffic.  One of the great tasks of a Supervisor is serving on the Board of METRO, the regional transportation agency that governs transit options for Los Angeles County.  

The current Supervisor for the Third District, Zev Yaroslovsky, has made transportation a priority. With the passage of Measure R and significant lobbying of the federal government, he secured substantial funding for rail, buses and roadways in the county.  Bobby wants to tackle the next phase of this tough job: continuing to secure funds to complete the rail lines and finally connecting the vital neighborhoods of the Valley to the rest of the region.  

Improving transportation is one of the most important jobs the county does, because the reality of traffic hits families and businesses every day:

• Each rush hour driver pays on average $1,334 in additional fuel costs per year because of traffic. In 2010, congestion alone cost L.A. drivers 500 million hours as they sat in traffic, and nearly $11 billion in additional fuel costs (Texas A & M, 2011).

• Bad air cost Californians $193 million in healthcare between 2005 and 2007. The number of emergency room visits related to pollution totaled 30,000 over that time (RAND Corp, 3/2/10)

• Higher levels of smog may contribute to a variety of health problems, like strokes (LA Times, 2/5/12), higher infant mortality rates, asthma and other respiratory illnesses (UCLA, 2008).

• Entrepreneurs have cited mobility and transportation issues as factors discouraging new businesses from locating in Los Angeles (Garcetti tech discussion, 7/28/12).

STRATEGIES AND PRIORITIES FOR TRANSPORTATION IN THE THIRD DISTRICT

Finish the Subway (Purple Line) to West LA.  METRO is about to sign a full funding agreement to complete the segment connecting Wilshire and Western to LACMA.  The next Supervisor must work to gain New Starts federal funding to complete the next two segments and finish the rail to the Westwood stop.  

Connect the Valley to the rest of the region.  First we must expedite the East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor project.  http://www.metro.net/projects/east-sfv/ This project will start the connection of the Valley to West LA.  The next part is to connect through the Sepulveda pass  http://www.metro.net/projects/i-405/   These two projects are critical to link the Valley to the rest fo the region through transit.

Connect rail to LAX.  The METRO Board is grappling with this issue and has issued an EIR or environmental review to finalize options.  We must design a 21st Century option that allows passengers to wheel their baggage from transit into LAX one of our region's most important economic engines.  If done right, transit into LAX will decrease surrounding traffic and pollution that adversely affects adjacent neighborhoods.  

Finish 405 improvements and reduce costs through constant oversight and management.  In both local government and nonprofit management, Bobby seeks to manage projects on-time or under time and on budget.  He will be an active manager to make sure that this work is done.

Utilize and extend Measure R revenue to dramatically improve and expand LA's transportation infrastructure. Using Measure R funds and the "America Fast Forward" program would jump start job growth and fast-track transportation projects that LA desperately needs.  In addition, there is funding set aside for practical fixes that are important too.

Support and expand bike sharing and car sharing programs particularly in dense areas to offer viable transit alternatives and make first- and last-mile transportation easier and more efficient.  Events such as Ciclavia, a designated car-free event, are important to demonstrate momentum for other forms of transit.  

Foster livable, cohesive neighborhoods and development that focus on pedestrian safety and reducing congestion.  Searching for parking is one of the many ways we add additional traffic congestion, designing smart parking access and wayfinding signs for parking in congested areas can decrease traffic by 30 percent.  These types of smart solutions will drive Bobby's decision making for development and infrastructure improvement.