How to win an election

If the choices in the neighborhood, unaware that you know move coconut shell. The streets are lined with flags and improvised mini political party offices, although the Parliament is not dissolved. Ang pow packets, free food, gifts, money, and keep, distributed almost daily. You have a cell phone has a few questions WINS, votes, or I receive a text message (SMS). Not only a local politician (which I don't know) has a generic to me, I have even a birthday greetings for mother's day, though I do not come into consideration. In any case, this tactic similarities in ancient Roman letters to advise "How to win an election"?

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Transportation Tips: Transit Advocacy and Combating Gang Violence

View California Gang Territories in a larger map

A Better Inland Empire needs to make this point once more. Supporting policies that keep our youth and children out of the criminal world, drug abuse, and gangs is vital for a first rate and robust transportation system. We've called for officials to put out public messages to discourage parents, especially fathers, from abandoning their children so our future leaders will not be at risk or inclined to enter into the gang or drug cultures when they grow up. Earlier this summer, during a field study, we ran into an 18 year old young adult living on the streets who was improperly raised, dropped out of high school and was at grave risk of entering into this dangerous culture since he had appeared to have nowhere else to go. It has a heartbreaking experience as this man had the will to work and be in the American marketplace. Thankfully, we found out later that his grandparents took him in and plans are he will acquire a GED, become a high school graduate and move forward in becoming a productive laborer.

Child discipline and good parenting cannot be legislated, but can be encouraged through the public message system which includes public speeches from elected officials. The evidence between good parenting by having a father in the house and combating crime is overwhelming with near universal agreement according to those who work in this field. This all applies to children and families of all races.

Children must be raised properly so that they will have the motivation necessary to work and compete in the marketplace and not join gangs. Our work to improve the Inland Empire's mass transportation systems will mean nothing if the cities they serve are mired in disgraceful crime. What good will our transit systems be if they are not filled with a productive and robust labor workforce which helps pay for the system? Who would want to ride a public transit bus or drive through a gang-filled neighborhood? The connection between the proper raising of children and transit advocacy is vital.

We encourage you to take a look at this map put together by a Google Maps user by the name of Kevin. This map illustrates where known gangs exist in the Inland Empire. Check out what programs are out there in your neighborhood to help stop these dangerous criminal groups and to prevent vulnerable youth at risk from joining them. Research is showing that careless parenting and undisciplined youths getting involved in the criminal culture are closely tied together, but there are ways to offset this. Many schools will be celebrating Red Ribbon Week during the course of this month, bringing an awareness of alcohol, tobacco and other drug and violence abuse to attention. Get active in one of these programs, especially if you are in a position of raising children. They are our future to a Better Inland Empire.

Carpool Lane Congestion and RCTC's Interstate 15 Corridor Improvement Project

Southern California's carpool lanes may appear to be dated given noticeable peak hour congestion, but that is no reason to simply do away with the system. According to Caltrans, the goals of carpool lanes are to reduce congestion and improve air quality on the State Highway System.

The law states that the carpool lane is used "to stimulate and encourage the development of ways and means of relieving traffic congestion on California highways and, at the same time, to encourage individual citizens to pool their vehicular resources and thereby conserve fuel and lessen emission of air pollutants."

Dedicated lanes for high occupancy vehicles is a viable alternative, according to the state government. In many cases, such lanes are the only alternative, in meeting federal air quality conformity standards for capacity-increasing improvement projects in metropolitan areas in conjunction with improving options for alternative high occupancy vehicle travel such as expanded bus and train services and marketing campaigns to form carpools. Carpool lanes represent one approach being used in regions throughout the state to respond to growing traffic congestion, declining mobility level, air quality and environmental concerns.

Yes, there are some corridors where the carpool lane may be lightly used during some hours. We've brought our views into the court of public opinion earlier this week on this one.

Many commuters sold on ridesharing

Those principles and benefits of carpool lanes are all good, and many commuters were sold on that notion. Guess what? Combined with the Inland Empire population growth, the carpool lanes are now jammed too during the rush hour. Under the federal law, carpool lanes are officially congested when the high occupancy vehicles in these lanes fail to maintain a minimum average operating speed of 45 miles per hour 90 percent of the time over a 180-day period during the morning or afternoon peak hours.

There have been claims that solo hybrids and electric cars are contributing to the chaos. There are some who are demanding that the exemption be abolished. Caltrans believes the state's rising population–and not solo clean vehicle access–is the primary reason for congestion in the carpool lanes. “More people are driving more cars longer distances. Our research shows that vehicle miles traveled increased faster than population growth," according to Caltrans' Chief of Traffic Operations Robert Copp. "So, with population increases, we get more traffic, more congestion." That may be true, but placing solo hybrid restrictions could be one solution to explore given that they are not really high occupancy vehicles. Restricting such access in congested areas is not the cure-all solution, but it would certainly help. The reality is that it probably won't be much longer until the majority of cars would be considered clean as more hybrids and electrics are introduced in the marketplace and prices come down.

Speaking of solo's, the other exempted vehicles are motorcycles. Should they too be restricted? Positively not. Motorcycles are considered a high occupancy vehicle simply due to safety and their small size. If a motorcycle is stuck in the general purpose lanes, that makes the roadway more hazardous. One corridor does restrict motorcycle access to its high occupancy vehicle lanes, the 91 Express Lanes. They must have a FasTrak transponder and hop into the 3+ lane. Motorcycles should be exempted from needing to register for a FasTrak transponder and pay tolls during the PM rush hour, period. There is no excuse to motorcycle safety. Automated enforcement systems can certainly detect these high occupancy vehicles.

Combating Carpool Lane Congestion

Moving forward, Caltrans will explore several strategies to reduce carpool lane congestion, including:

• Adjusting hours of HOV operation
• Modifying vehicle entrance and exit points in HOV lanes
• Increasing enforcement by the California Highway Patrol, and
• Limiting hybrid access in congested areas.

Identifying bottlenecks and the modification of access points which could include the addition a transitional weave lane certainly should be looked at by traffic engineers. There may be cases where carpool congestion is caused by a bottleneck. That's why we're keeping a close watch on the 91 Express Lane extension and the bottleneck along the I-15 south at El Cerrito Road where the highway goes to three lanes with no high occupancy lane.

There have also been local discussions of changing the occupancy requirement for carpool from 2 to 3 during congested periods. That should be looked at on a corridor-by-corridor basis by traffic engineers. We understand that such a change will be a bit chaotic at first as 2-person carpools are displaced, but strong marketing campaigns to form 3+ carpools and plans implement all day transit service should be able to offset this issue. Long term plans may include doubling the capacity so that there are two carpool lanes in each direction. The I-15 Express Lane facility in San Diego County is a prime example.

Model high occupancy vehicle infrastructure: San Diego County I-15 Express Lanes

In San Diego County, the I-15 Express Lanes corridor between Escondido and San Diego has been nationally recognized for its innovative design. It is the first section of a regional system of interconnected Express Lanes. It fosters public transit with the presence of bus infrastructure. It encourages shared ridership with park & ride lots. There's no toll for 2+ carpools and vanpools, buses, and motorcycles. They do not have to preregister ahead of time or mount a transponder. They can get on for free and go! Intelligence-driven enforcement combined with heavy fines combats carpool and toll payment cheating. Starting in 2014, the corridor will offer an all day express bus rapid transit route. This multi-modal high occupancy toll lane facility features:

• Dual 2+ carpool lanes in each direction with the option of solo drivers to buy their way in with a FasTrak under real-time marketplace tolls. Much of the corridor also features a movable barrier where the number of carpool lanes in each direction can be adjusted easily. Under special circumstances, the barrier could be moved where one direction of the corridor would have 3 carpool lanes, the other would have 1.
• More than 20 access points that give travelers a wide range of options of where to enter or exit the lanes. 
• Direct access ramps that allow travelers to enter the Express Lanes from surface streets. New and improved transit stations are located less than a few blocks from these ramps, thus providing the bus transit infrastructure for high speed express bus services both from public agencies and the private sector.
• Robust bus transit stations less than a few blocks from the corridor: Unlike LA's I-110 Harbor Transitway where the transit stations were placed in the freeway median, the stations are placed on either side of the freeway, thus making non vehicular access more pedestrian and bicycle friendly. Speaking of the notion of placing transit stations within the median of the freeway, such proposals generally must be discouraged. Getting to stops is hard enough. Patrons are often required to bridge over or under several lanes of rushing traffic. Once they are finally on the platform, the environment is chaotic. Cars may be whizzing by at high speeds in both directions, producing noise and unhealthful air around the station. That's why it's better to place the transit hubs on either side of the freeway.

Concept: What a direct access ramp with supporting bus infrastructure from San Diego's I-15 Express Lanes may look like if replicated in Temecula. An extension of Bedford Court serves as the direct access ramp. Numerous casino buses, private carpools and future public express buses would utilize it. A transit station on the opposite side of the freeway would cater to connecting RTA buses and potential local high speed rail toward Los Angeles to the north and San Diego to the south. A gateway into the Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve would also support the transit station and serve as a tourist stop. View map.

Could the Inland Empire use robust transit infrastructure like this? Let's see what our folks at the Riverside County Transportation Commission have planned.

Riverside County: Interstate 15 Corridor Improvement Project

The Riverside County Transportation Commission's Interstate 15 Corridor Improvement Project was recently reevaluated, right-sized, and re-prioritized as it emerges from its original plan of a 43.5 mile corridor improvement, to a more focused 14.6 mile stretch of tolled express lanes running North from Cajalco Road in Corona to State Route 60 (SR-60). The original proposal was to run the HOT lanes between SR-60 and SR-74 in Lake Elsinore and to build carpool lanes between SR-74 and the I-215 in Murrieta. Because of predicted growth in Temecula, we've advocated for the carpool lanes to be dual and to run through to San Diego County where it would seamlessly link with the I-15 Express Lanes. Under the current political and economic climate, that will not happen anytime soon; so prepare for more bottleneck shifting.

According to RCTC, the project has undergone the reevaluation of its project limits in order to deliver a project that could be constructed in this economic recovery period. The project originally was relying, in part, on local Measure A funding, the half-cent sales tax dedicated to County Transportation, for a large portion of its funding source.

Concept: Dual high occupancy express lanes along the I-15 freeway just north of Cajalco Road which supports free non-transponder carpooling complete with infrastructure to support future rapid express buses and private sector intercity coaches like Greyhound. The access point pictured is actually officially proposed by the Riverside County Transportation Commission as part of a scaled-down version of the I-15 tolled express lane project. Also pictured to the right is infill marketplace job growth at the Corona Crossings area.

When the Measure A funding endured multiple years of unanticipated downturn, the I-15 CIP was evaluated for what could feasibly be built that would bring maximum benefit to the public. RCTC was therefore forced to downsize the I-15 Project which is now focused on the highest traffic impact areas within the corridor.

No more excuse making

We will continue to hold the state accountable for supporting policies that would entice the local marketplace to grow and for getting our transportation infrastructure to a point of where it needs to be and county officials should think likewise and pass resolutions to demand the state to stop misspending our money. Wasteful government spending of our transportation money positively should not be tolerated. With carpool demands high and growth on the way for the corridor, the I-15 needs robust infrastructure to support the high occupancy vehicle traffic so it does not become the next 91 Freeway Corona Crawl. The corridor needs to mimic San Diego County's I-15 Express Lane system with bus transit infrastructure and usage policies that support free non-transponder carpooling. Charging mandatory tolls and transponder preregistration on carpoolers which drives non-registered HOV's out of the express lanes should not be a substitute. The state simply has no excuse for this downsizing.

Getting around the "Braided" Blockade at the Riverside Downtown Metrolink station outside of the car

Back in 2006, the City of Riverside, the Western Riverside Council of Governments and Compass Blueprint teamed up to plan urban development and multi-modal transportation options around the Downtown Riverside Metrolink Station. The project will help facilitate the development of a Transit Village around the station and connect trains to other regional transportation. As many are aware, the area could certainly use this type of infrastructure and the additional marketplace jobs that go with it.

The Transit Coalition's original future vision of this area can be seen here. Our ideas were not mere concepts. Government officials had the area professionally studied, and we used information from the study into the future vision. Here were a few of the 2006 findings which still apply today. The following issues and opportunities were developed during the one-day design charrette a little more than seven years ago:

Issue #1 - The 91 freeway acts as a barrier preventing pedestrian and vehicular access from the Metrolink station to Downtown. The suggested opportunity was to construct a pedestrian and bus access bridge over the freeway linking the Metrolink station to Downtown. We envisioned a non motor vehicular multi-use pathway connecting the station to Riverside's 11th Street pedestrian corridor which seamlessly links to the Main Street pedestrian plaza and numerous government buildings and courthouses. The second opportunity suggested was to provide a bus shuttle with frequent service connecting the Metrolink station to Downtown. It turned out that existing through bus routes would fare better in terms of productivity under the current demographics with combined frequent service, but a dedicated shuttle may be feasible later down the road.

Issue #2 - The linkage between bus transit and Metrolink service is limited. RTA and the City of Riverside at one point were planning a bus transit center adjacent to the Metrolink station offering bus riders easier access to Metrolink. That wise proposal is still mired in fiscal chaos. Additional through bus routes will serve the new bus transfer center offering better bus transit choices
for riders, productively addressing the bus feeder opportunity in Issue #1. Secondly, officials suggested any new development should provide a pedestrian plaza linking the bus transit center and the Metrolink station. 

Issue #3 - New development near the Metrolink station should complement the existing neighborhood. The opportunity here is to designate the station block as a specific plan where higher density housing and jobs adjacent to Metrolink should transition to lower densities of three and four story structures along Howard Avenue. New buildings adjacent to existing single family homes should exhibit architectural styles that reflect the historical styles of the area. Note how the background graphic of our "We want to see High Speed Rail done right" banner incorporates high density robust private sector job growth offering both entry level and top paying jobs right here in the heart of Downtown Riverside.

The SR-91 Carpool Lane project and the braided freeway interchanges

The Compass Blueprint plan ran into another problem. According to a recent field study covering the construction of the SR-91 Freeway carpool lane extension into Downtown Riverside and as shown in this satellite picture, we're back to the drawing board in regards to getting a pedestrian bridge over the freeway and finding spots for private sector intercity bus outlets. As you may tell, part of the carpool lane extension project included plans to braid the University Avenue and 14th Street interchange ramps, pretty much exacerbating Issue #1 and making the cost to build this bridge more expensive. Also, the idea of linking the transit center to the extended carpool lanes via a direct access ramp would almost certainly need to be done a few blocks away since the freeway right-of-way width is already maxed out in this area. We believe such a grade-separated connection would allow express buses, intercity coaches, and private carpools productive seamless connections between the Downtown Riverside transit station and the high occupancy lanes without the need to weave across the freeway's general purpose lanes.

Concept: Grade-separated direct access ramps would seamlessly link 91 Freeway carpool lanes with RTA and Omnitrans transit hubs, allowing express buses and other high occupancy vehicle traffic access to the carpool lane without the need to weave across the freeway.

As we have been advocating and suggesting, a prime way to get these amenities built is to incorporate these projects into future private sector development. Because of the new braided interchanges, the bridge will most likely need to mimic the one recently built at the San Ysidro border Port of Entry complete with stairs, ramps, and seamless connections to the existing bridge over the tracks on the station side and the County Administration building pathway on the downtown side. City officials should zone the area as a specific plan and offer developer incentives to establish a marketplace job hub that is compatible to urban planning and smart growth principles. Those incentives would not be in the form of direct government handouts, but in the form of tax rebates. Cooperation between the local entities and the state would be vital. That would get the jobs, smart growth and transportation infrastructure built in Downtown Riverside at minimal cost to the taxpayer.

Carpool Lanes: Debating the "Open to All" option outside of rush hours

Proposed: SANDAG proposes high occupancy toll lanes along the I-15 from Eastvale through the Cajon Pass. During times of extraordinary traffic incidents like accidents, temporarily opening the HOT lanes to all for free with continuous access would be justifiable. In this concept, the I-15 HOT lanes are open to all with continuous access due to an accident 5 miles ahead while the I-10 HOT lanes remain open to carpools or FasTrak traffic only

Should carpool lanes really be opened up to all during off-peak hours? The Transit Coalition's A Better Inland Empire transit blog answers that question. Last week, Governor Jerry Brown vetoed AB 405 by Assemblymember Mike Gatto which would have opened the segments of the carpool lanes along the 134 and 210 Freeways in Los Angeles County to solo drivers outside of commute hours. According the Press Enterprise and several other sources, AB 405 had bipartisan support, passing unanimously in the Senate and had near unanimous support in the Assembly. However, Brown in his veto message said, "Carpool lanes are especially important in Los Angeles County to reduce pollution and maximize use of freeways. We should retain the 24/7 carpool lane control." He may have a point.

To be fair, traffic patterns on some freeways may dispute Brown's statement even though opening the carpool lanes for single-occupant vehicles on SR-134 and I-210, even if only during off-peak hours, is very questionable. The Transit Coalition does not support opening up the carpool lanes to all road users in such a fashion. A better idea is allowing local Los Angeles officials, even if it be the local Caltrans district, to have the authority to manage the carpool occupancy requirements and enforcement periods on a corridor-by-corridor basis, since local users and traffic engineers are the ones most familiar with the traffic flow of these freeways, not Sacramento. We all remember what happened with the El Monte Busway. Some basic statewide regulations will be required, especially to prevent political abuse at the local level, but basic carpool lane management certainly should certainly be done locally. For what it's worth, Assemblymember Gatto does represent the region, where SR-134 and a small portion of I-210 pass through.

This is a debatable and complicated topic. That's why we cannot support AB 405 or any other similar proposal right off the bat. As mentioned, history shows the I-10 El Monte Busway cannot be managed from Sacramento; it has to be done in LA. Another issue: How many high occupancy vehicles are choosing to drive in the general purpose lanes and why so? What is the just and right thing to do in cases where an accident or emergency crews are blocking the general purpose lanes? It's time for some straight talk.

Allow local law enforcement and Caltrans to temporarily open carpool lane access during a road incident

Both of Riverside County's major local newspapers, Press Enterprise and the Union Tribune, supported opening carpool lanes outside of rush hours as fewer cars use the lanes during free-flow hours, but it was the UT that hit the nail on the head. Here's a valid point that the editorial made:

Example: Opening up a HOT lane system to allow all traffic to bypass blocked lanes caused by a brush fire 5 miles ahead. Vehicles would also be granted continuous access.

Most everyone in San Diego who commutes by freeway has no doubt encountered an accident or road work that clogs the regular lanes during the middle of the day or at night while the carpool lanes are practically vacant. The whole idea of carpool lanes is to encourage ride-sharing, but sometimes that just isn’t feasible.

And that's true. If there's a sigalert, traffic collision, construction, maintenance work, hazard, or any other acute road incident that is tying up traffic in the general purpose lanes, allowing law enforcement and Caltrans to temporarily open up the high occupancy vehicle lane to allow such traffic to pass through would absolutely be justified. This includes relaxing access restrictions by allowing drivers to cross over the double white/yellow lines. Digital freeway signs would announce such permissions.

The PE mentioned in its editorial that "letting the carpool lanes sit empty while drivers struggle with heavy traffic on the rest of the freeway does not cut pollution or ease congestion; it merely angers motorists." In the case of a road incident, that is absolutely true. State law should also allow such cases to be applied to high occupancy toll lanes including the 91 Express Lanes. Both Caltrans and law enforcement should have the authority to open dedicated lanes to allow traffic to pass through in these extraordinary circumstances which includes permitting vehicles to cross over the double white/yellow lines. There is no reason whatsoever to suggest otherwise.

Debate: Opening up HOV lanes during off-peak hours regularly

Outside of traffic incidents, the notion of opening up carpool lanes to all during off-peak hours is debatable. Therefore, The Transit Coalition does not support this notion. Debates and decisions should take place locally on a corridor-by-corridor basis with all political bias set aside and with professional engineers writing up formulas based on fact-based data to aid local leaders in managing such lanes. The same holds true of determining whether such facilities should allow for continuous access or have dedicated access points. There are some freeways that experience very few vehicles in the carpool lane outside of peak hours, but certainly not all. Generally speaking, policies need to ensure the carpool lane remains moving at all times outside of acute traffic incidents. A firm valid objection is creating a circumstance where opening up the carpool lane to all would fill it beyond capacity during off-peak hours with solo drivers. That could be a concern for freeways in the Los Angeles area where high occupancy vehicle travel demand is high. The facts, history and various traffic patterns on different freeways are overwhelming. Here are some examples:

I-10 El Monte Busway: The El Monte Busway is an 11 mile shared-use bus corridor and high occupancy toll lane running along I-10 between downtown Los Angeles and the El Monte Bus Station. It has a long history, but in 1999, a state bill lowered the carpool occupancy requirement from three occupants to two to take place on January 1, 2000. This was intended to be a 2 year experiment but it was cancelled after only 6 months in which it congested the busway. Local transit agencies opposed the state measure, demonstrating why local officials need some decision making power to manage their high occupancy vehicle lanes. Emergency state legislation was needed and passed in July 2000 to terminate the experiment during peak hours. Currently, 3's a carpool during rush hours in both directions, 2 at other times along the El Monte Busway. All carpools must also have a switchable FasTrak transponder to travel for free in the current HOT lane system.

91 Freeway into Orange County: As many are aware, the 91 Freeway into Orange County consistently reaches unpredictable "rush hour" states well beyond the traditional peak commute hours. Right off the bat, we can safely say that the freeway's general purpose lanes and the 2+ carpool lane through Corona start to slow shortly after the lunch hour on Friday's and is congested pretty much all day and through the evening on many weekends and holidays, especially in the eastbound direction. The freeway gets worse on hot days as people headed to coastal areas and the beach to cool off fill the 91, most have at least 2 people in the car. The 91 Express Lanes is a 24/7 transponder-mandated 3+ high occupancy toll lane facility. Given the high demands for high occupancy vehicle travel in the corridor to the point where even 2+ carpool lanes are insufficient during rush hours, hot summer days and weekends, the 3+ HOT/FasTrak lanes positively cannot be opened to all outside of traditional commute hours. That would be chaotic for the entire corridor. Probably the only feasible times to regularly open the 91 Express Lanes to all would be during the late night hours.

Proposed: SANDAG proposes high occupancy toll lanes along the I-15 through the Cajon Pass. This Caltrans photo shows the existing freeway at a free-flowing state during the middle of a weekday. Opening the HOT lanes to all for free is certainly debatable and questionable. How many of the cars passing through do you think are high occupancy vehicles?

Inland Empire Freeways where the carpool lane may look empty: These freeway segments are typically at a free flowing state during the middle of the day and weekends. Therefore, the carpool lane may often look empty:

• SR-60 Carpool lanes between Moreno Valley and the Badlands hills
• Proposed I-215 Carpool lanes between Moreno Valley and Perris
• Proposed I-15 Carpool lanes between Murrieta and Lake Elsinore
• Proposed I-15 High Occupancy Toll Lanes through the Cajon Pass
• Proposed I-15 High Occupancy Toll Lanes between Temecula and Escondido

Opening the carpool lane to all along these freeways is certainly debatable under the current demographics and traffic patterns. It's a bit more complex than it looks. There are valid questions and arguments for both and against. The Transit Coalition will thus not necessarily support such a move due to these complexities.

Here's an interesting reality of such free-flowing freeways. Some HOV's won't even bother to weave across the freeway lanes to use the carpool lane during free-flow hours simply because there is no need to. That of course drives down the number of vehicles in the lane. Whenever an extraordinary circumstance such as an accident comes up unannounced, more folks including carpools are stuck in the regular lanes, especially if the carpool lane has restricted access points. This creates the problem of empty carpool lanes and congested general purpose lanes. One solution, as mentioned, is to allow law enforcement and Caltrans to temporarily open the carpool lane to all during extraordinary circumstances and to permit vehicles to cross over the double lines if there are restrictions.

Long term solutions would include finding ways to integrate the lanes better with dense activity centers. This would include the development of direct access ramps and transit infrastructure. HOV's may therefore be inclined to take the carpool lane during off-peak hours.

I-215 Carpool Lanes under construction between Riverside and San Bernardino: The mainline is heavily used all throughout the day, and the two county seats move many people all day long with the presence of an all day Omnitrans express bus route. Should the private sector invest in the city centers, high occupancy vehicle demand may be high enough where night owl transit service may be feasible. The carpool lane should therefore remain 24/7 with long term plans to link the lane directly to the transit centers.

I-215 Carpool Lanes between Riverside and Moreno Valley: This segment of the I-215 is consistently high in volume due to the merge of SR-60 from Moreno Valley and I-215 from Perris. Carpool demands are consistently high. A recent Coalition field study through this area showed the eastbound 2+ carpool lane between Riverside and Moreno Valley filled to near capacity on a Friday night at 9 PM as the general purpose lanes were heavy, well past the traditional rush hour. With the growth of logistics jobs in the area, this corridor certainly should maintain its 24/7 enforcement with long term plans for a dual HOV express lane system with bus transit infrastructure and upgraded corridor-based passenger rail service. More on that at later time.

Other freeway corridors with regular slowing in the general purpose lanes outside of rush hour: The long term solution needs to be exploring additional high occupancy vehicle travel options. This includes improving mass transit services and carpool marketing outside the traditional commute hour.

The carpool lane system through Interstate 10 in Ontario certainly should remain at 24/7 operations. This midday Caltrans photo shows the freeway and the carpool lane at a heavy, but stable state. Seven high occupancy vehicles are pictured in the carpool lane. There may be more in the general purpose lanes.

Due to these variants, changes such as carpool lane enforcement periods and occupancy requirements should be based upon fact-based traffic patterns and freeway segment data put together by local engineers working under the local Caltrans district or the local transportation agency such as the Riverside County Transportation Commission. The results certainly should be brought up for robust debate in managing carpool lanes and ensuring they are moving always. Infrastructure should be designed in ways that high occupancy vehicles would be inclined to use the dedicated lanes. Any statewide laws and formulas involving carpool lanes should be based on sound traffic engineering studies, not ideology.

What about AB 405?

How do the SR-134 and I-210 freeways in Los Angeles County fit into this category in relationship with the vetoed bill? Would AB 405 work specifically for these corridors? We'll let the experts working in Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena make that judgement. If engineers conclude that these freeways have a high volume of high occupancy vehicles traveling in the general purpose lanes, keep the carpool lane open 24/7 and find ways to integrate the lanes better with direct access ramps and transit infrastructure. The greater Los Angeles area has very high occupancy vehicle travel rates as demonstrated by transit routes with high ridership figures, especially along the El Monte Busway.

Transportation Tips: Take Charge of Your Commute

This week, we're going to echo a few wise words that both the Riverside County Transportation Commission and San Bernardino Associated Governments have long advocated for:

Rideshare

October has traditionally been the month where local transportation agencies market ridesharing to area commuters to cut down on traffic congestion. Getting yourself into a carpool is not easy and takes some time and firm commitments. Be willing to sacrifice a few hours to learn what your commute options are. Stop making excuses and take charge of your drive, even if it's just one day per week. Ridesharing involves heading to work or your destination using any means except driving solo in a car. Your fuel bill will be significantly cut. Form a carpool and hop into the carpool lane for free including the I-15 Express Lanes in San Diego County. Team up with 3 or more and enjoy huge toll discounts aboard the 91 Express Lanes with any FasTrak account including toll free travel in the westbound lanes. Explore your RTA, Omnitrans, and Metrolink options and see if the bus or train fits into your work schedule. Check out the guaranteed ride home programs that are offered. Even if your route is totally car-centric, see if the park-and-walk model works for you by parking offsite and walking the last 1/4 to 1/2 mile of the trip.

And it's not just going work. If you're headed to a social function, a meeting, company convention, or anything else, see if anybody else living in your area is headed to the same event and organize a casual carpool. By choosing to rideshare, you can reduce traffic congestion. For everyday commuters, RCTC and SANBAG have set up this system through the IE511 commuter website:

Step 1: Find out how much ridesharing can save you.
Use the calculator on this page and see how much money you can save.

Step 2: Find a carpool or vanpool.
IE 511 Commuter Services can help you find a carpool or vanpool arrangement that matches your route and schedule. Also get information about Carpool Lanes and Park and Ride lots to streamline your commute.

Step 3: See if you are eligible for any commuter incentives.
Want a tax break? IE 511Commuter Incentives to try ridesharing are available to employees at participating employers. You could be eligible for a $2/day incentive, a $400 a month ongoing vanpool subsidy, an incentive to start a vanpool, and the Rideshare Plus Rewards Program that offers coupons for dining and shopping discounts if you are already ridesharing. Just call 1-866-RIDESHARE (1-866-743-3742) for more information.

In addition to the 511 service, check out the vast ridesharing options all throughout the marketplace. You may be surprised to learn what you're options may be.

Public continues to question the state HSR project

Many Californians are not happy with how the state is planning to improve our rail transportation infrastructure. A poll put together by the USC Dornsife and the Los Angeles Times found that 52% of respondents wish to stop the first phase of the $68-billion California High Speed Rail Authority bullet train project segment that would run from Los Angeles to the Bay Area. The same poll found that since voters approved funding in 2008, 70% of respondents would like the project put on the ballot again. Concerns are tied to the hard economic times: If citizens have to cut on expenses, so should the government. The train would run at 220 mph and begin transporting passengers in 2028.

There are other good reasons why concerned citizens are questioning the project. Here are some facts.

As mentioned, the CHSRA business plan estimates a $68 billion price tag for the Phase 1 project, connecting San Francisco with Los Angeles via the Central Valley and Palmdale regions. The agency has calculated the travel distance to be 432 miles which includes the Palmdale segment. Do the math and that adds up to an astounding $157 million per mile. The public has every right to question the inflated costs.

According to a Reuters blog post, the LGV Sud-Est bullet train which links Paris to Lyon was completed in seven years in 1983 and cost $5 billion in today’s U.S. dollars. The distance is 254 miles which adds up to about $20 million per mile. The Shinkansen high speed rail system in Japan was completed in six years for $20 billion in 2010 dollars. The per-mile cost added up to $63 million, a bit on the high side which earned the line some bitter criticism. China's Wuhan-Guangzhou line cost $17 billion, or $28 million per mile. These are facts that must be put into the high speed rail debate. To be fair, the Chunnel HSR system under the English Channel linking England to France cost nearly US $500 million per mile in today's currency and 80% over budget. Tunnel boring remains expensive and serious problems like fires, illegal immigrants and asylum seekers obstructed the Chunnel's construction progress.

According to the post, trivial regulatory bureaucracy, NIMBY opposition lawsuits filed in the name of protecting the environment, and union pandering have combined to slap U.S. high speed rail proposals nationwide including California's high speed transportation infrastructure project with price tags that are possibly five to seven times inflated than compared to other industrialized countries.

If state and federal officials can solve these bureaucratic problems, stop pandering to union leaders, truly close CEQA loopholes to reduce the per-mile cost to at least match the Shinkansen system of $63 million per mile, getting high speed transportation infrastructure built would be a reality without the questionable price tag opposed by concerned Californians. Under cost effective policies, the approved state start-up money combined with the awarded federal funds totaling $12.7 billion would allow for more than 200 miles of high speed rail infrastructure, even through the hilly terrains.

Retrofitting conventional steel-wheel rail lines with linear synchronous motors, most likely mounted to the railroad ties between the rails, would cut down the cost of traversing through steep graded areas and provide an affordable alternative to tunneling. 200 miles of rail lines would be more than enough to close the LA-to-Bakersfield rail gap through the Newhall Pass and possibly link the Metrolink Perris Valley Line rail corridor to the LOSSAN rail corridor near La Jolla via Temecula and Escondido. That would better entice the private sector to finish the remainder of the project for a statewide high speed rail system done right.

Moreno Valley: Right of Way at Crosswalks and Safety

A controlled pedestrian crosswalk in Los Angeles

Last Thursday, September 26, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department conducted a sting operation in Moreno Valley to catch drivers who failed to yield the right of way to pedestrians in a crosswalk.

A 7-foot-tall Gingerbread Man who crossed back and forth was the star of this sting. According to the Press Enterprise and the reader comments that followed, there has been much debate of this operation. Several argued the police resources should be spent on combating crimes and homicides. They have valid points and we'll get to that in just a moment.

Pedestrian Crossing Sting Operation in Moreno Valley

Here are some of the facts of the pedestrian crossing sting. This is the location of where the crosswalk sting took place. It is a designated school crossing, clearly marked. The police operation was held for just under an hour during the morning student drop-off hour right in front of Rainbow Springs Elementary School and less than 200 yards west of Sunnymead Middle School. With the presence of children and middle school youth in the area, the speed limit on Eucalyptus Avenue was 25 MPH. The reasons for these laws is safety for our children and youth. Therefore, it was perfectly justified for the police to strictly enforce the state's pedestrian crossing and speeding laws.

VC Section 21950, the state law regarding the obligation to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks, was clearly written in the name of safety. Section C reads, "The driver of a vehicle approaching a pedestrian within any marked or unmarked crosswalk shall exercise all due care and shall reduce the speed of the vehicle or take any other action relating to the operation of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian."

That point brings us to the rest of the law. Section A states, "The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, except as otherwise provided in this chapter." Section B is a legal message to pedestrians, stating, "This section does not relieve a pedestrian from the duty of using due care for his or her safety. No pedestrian may suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard. No pedestrian may unnecessarily stop or delay traffic while in a marked or unmarked crosswalk." That's a reason why school districts hire or contract trained crossing guards. Lastly, should a pedestrian suddenly dart out into traffic, that "does not relieve a driver of a vehicle from the duty of exercising due care for the safety of any pedestrian within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection," as stated in Section D.

The PE reported that numerous concerned parents and citizens called the police several times complaining that drivers are disregarding the crosswalk and speeding laws in this area. That's why Mr. Gingerbread Man and the cops showed up. It's quite evident that many pedestrian crossing laws throughout the state are often ignored, both by drivers and pedestrians. Many drivers fail to yield, some pedestrians continue to jaywalk. This exposes a safety hazard and that's why such stings are necessary to combat such disregard to the law.

Point Made by PE Readers: Police need to combat crime in Moreno Valley

Lastly, several PE readers posted comments that the police needs to better combat crime. We're not giving Moreno Valley officials a pass because crime and homicides are indeed a serious problem in the place "where dreams soar." On September 23 just after 1:30 AM, the PE reported that a man was shot dead in the area of Perris Boulevard and Alessandro. On September 7, the murder of 6-year-old Tiana Ricks took place; that story has surfaced all over the media. The accused murderer, Keandre Narkie Johnson, a documented member of the Edgemont Criminals, a Moreno Valley-based street gang, was charged with one count of murder, one count of attempted murder and participation in a criminal street gang. These acts are a complete disgrace to the dignity of life. We don't want Moreno Valley becoming Chicago of today or South Los Angeles of the 1990's.

Solving violent criminal problems, combating gang activity, and stopping the sale of illegal drugs is a complex issue. Some of the violence could be controlled by increasing law enforcement presence in the dangerous neighborhoods and known places of gang activity with regular marked and undercover patrols. We understand that with more police comes the perception of government intrusion. If an innocent high school youth walking along Sunnymead Boulevard was stopped by the police on the way to the Moreno Valley Mall to get Grandma a gift, there will be a degree of insult. Perhaps the fair way to handle this is to require law enforcement to document under oath the reason why an officer stops an individual on the streets. However, that's no excuse not to increase police presence.

As Moreno Valley and Riverside County officials continue to find and document disturbing activity taking place all throughout the Inland Empire, they need to give law enforcement the resources necessary to regularly patrol violent neighborhoods until such disgraceful riffraff activity is permanently expelled from our streets, even if that means a patrol car parked for the night at every street corner.

Lastly, officials need to put out public messages to discourage parents, especially fathers, from abandoning their children so our future leaders will not enter into the gang or drug cultures when they grow up. Keandre Narkie Johnson was likely not raised properly in a traditional family setting which led him into the violent street gang. Faced with a long prison term or even the death penalty and probably raised without proper discipline, Johnson will not be able to constructively contribute his skills nor compete in the marketplace of the Inland Empire here in this life if convicted. Good parenting cannot be legislated, but the government on every level can put up a powerful peaceful fight by encouraging parents to do their part in properly raising their children, engaging in constructive activities through their childhood, so they can grow up and become productive and selfless leaders of America.