Quote:
Originally Posted by Quixote
The Centinela alignment for the Westside-LAX segment is/was by far the most compelling alternative IMO, but I always knew it was a long shot. But automated operations and 1.5-2.5-minute headways is a major win. I do wonder if the 3-car consists are too short though. It'd be annoying to have to wait for the next train (even if it's just 90 seconds) because the current one is overcrowded or at full capacity.
To your last point about "salvaging" the SkyRail proposal... I don't get it. The reason why this is even viable is because of the cost savings afforded by the elevated alignment.
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The smaller trains and high frequency they are taking a page out of Vancouver's Canada Line where they have smaller platforms and just run them at high frequencies.
God forbid they could have taken our existing light rail vehicles as 3 car trains (270' in length) and run them at high frequencies through a grade separated alignment and did the same thing and had an added bonus of running service up Van Nuys Blvd...but I digress.
However it goes back to
conversations going on close to two years ago when folks believed so strongly that Centinela was the right alignment but the numbers and logic played out that Sepulveda is where you have to go to get the vertical flexibility of either subway or elevated.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quixote
Things that I do like about the BYD proposal:
1) Cheaper cost (although probably not as much as is being advertised).
2) A dedicated Getty Center station. If you're going to follow the 405, you might as well build one. This actually really intrigues me and makes the MRT concept more palatable, because this really represents the only chance to ever build a Getty Center station.
3) The longer consists (up to 8-car trains) AND the frequency.
4) Talks of expansion beyond LAX and Van Nuys.
5) The trains themselves have a sleek design and resemble bullet trains, which I think would bring an added psychological effect and potentially capture choice riders.
If they can have an underground alignment from UCLA to Expo and then aerial along Sepulveda, I actually might be okay with it since the other option follows Sepulveda. Placing stations in the middle of a freeway is what I take umbrage with.
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Agreed all of these factors plus it is
up to $50M less to operate annually (I am thinking the number is closer to $30-36M) makes a big difference to operate other portions of the network or provide enhanced bus service to feed it.
Let's really envision this entire corridor as a multi-modal approach with a network of 405 Freeway express buses from Santa Clarita/North County and or Long Beach/Orange County to feed into the Skyrail to really boost connectivity.
I am torn. I like the Skyrail for cost-effective delivery of the project however I like the methodology in the Bechtel proposal in how we construct and think about future HRT corridors.