The first time I saw Van Nuys I was shocked at how wide it was. It's 115 feet across. Longer than a basketball court. It's 60% wider than the PCH. It's the same width as the 101 excluding the shoulders. LA builds its streets exactly like racetracks and then wonders why people speed and die and why we have a dozen high speed chases per week and why idiot teenagers do burnouts and why the city is broke. Van Nuys is a death trap. The city recognizes this by putting the street on the High Injury Network (HIN) list.
That old picture shows a perfect material for streetcar improvement.
Step 1: Build curbs to separate the streetcar track and the roadway. This helps both drivers and motormen.
Step 2: Replace the asphalt pavement under the track for cobblestone to ease maintenance, dampen the track, lengthen the lifespan of the track, and allow for a bit more speed.
Step 3: Install insulated rails so that the road lights would be able to switch in time for cross traffic to empty and let parallel lanes start forward and right. After the streetcar passes, it would allow the signals to change to allow left turns then cross traffic while the streetcar is in a stop, or is heading towards the next intersection. If cross traffic is too much, straight cross traffic might need an overpass.
Step 4: Build parking garages, and keep 4 lanes for car traffic by deleting on-street parking. It would make parking much safer, as on-street parking, especially angled parking is inherently risky in high-traffic areas. (Yes, this is a token gesture towards drivers, but it also helps in decreasing car use for short distances)
Step 5: Widen the sidewalk and rent some of it to restaurants. It also helps businesses without large customer areas, as people would have more space to line up outside if necessary (see: Katz's Deli, NYC), or for small businesses to operate as kiosks.
Agree w/everything except keeping 4 lanes for car drivers.
Streetcar lane, Bike lane, wide pedestrian sidewalks w/curb bump outs and ONE lane per direction plus L turning lane for car drivers- safer, more pleasant, walkable and won't make it possible for car drivers to speed/street takeovers/crash and destroy property//kill and maim people.
More lanes for mostly single occupant car drivers makes it unpleasant and dangerous for every person including the car drivers.
It should have been elevated. I'll never understand the NIMBY opposition to elevated trains. You don't have to listen to the crossing gate bells, and you will never have to wait for a train or be delayed by a signal failure.
Elevated was not seriously considered for this corridor.
It was envisioned as a relatively affordable at grade transit option. The only portion that had been considered for grade separation was the section between Roscoe and Sherman Way. That section was value engineered out for cost reasons when the board certified the project.
Signal preemption is not typically done with street running lrt lacking crossing gates.
The best we can hope for is signal priority. Metro is planning on rolling out a new signal priority on the G line crossings east of Sepulveda. The intent is to use the same system on this line as well.
Absolutely wild they are building new rail without crossing gates in 2025. At-grade rail without signal preemption will NEVER replace car trips in this town.
Streets like Van Nuys have no reason to be that wide.
Wide enough to get railed
I wouldn't mind railing you ðŸ˜
Buy them a holiday dinner first! Geez!!
The first time I saw Van Nuys I was shocked at how wide it was. It's 115 feet across. Longer than a basketball court. It's 60% wider than the PCH. It's the same width as the 101 excluding the shoulders. LA builds its streets exactly like racetracks and then wonders why people speed and die and why we have a dozen high speed chases per week and why idiot teenagers do burnouts and why the city is broke. Van Nuys is a death trap. The city recognizes this by putting the street on the High Injury Network (HIN) list.
This rail line will reduce the effective width and probably make it a really much more pleasant Street to be on.Â
Yes, we know and it's getting rectified with the light rail line.
Hey it's perfect for a streetcar line 😉
Wow that’s a really good idea
Big, if true. 🤔
That old picture shows a perfect material for streetcar improvement.
Step 1: Build curbs to separate the streetcar track and the roadway. This helps both drivers and motormen.
Step 2: Replace the asphalt pavement under the track for cobblestone to ease maintenance, dampen the track, lengthen the lifespan of the track, and allow for a bit more speed.
Step 3: Install insulated rails so that the road lights would be able to switch in time for cross traffic to empty and let parallel lanes start forward and right. After the streetcar passes, it would allow the signals to change to allow left turns then cross traffic while the streetcar is in a stop, or is heading towards the next intersection. If cross traffic is too much, straight cross traffic might need an overpass.
Step 4: Build parking garages, and keep 4 lanes for car traffic by deleting on-street parking. It would make parking much safer, as on-street parking, especially angled parking is inherently risky in high-traffic areas. (Yes, this is a token gesture towards drivers, but it also helps in decreasing car use for short distances)
Step 5: Widen the sidewalk and rent some of it to restaurants. It also helps businesses without large customer areas, as people would have more space to line up outside if necessary (see: Katz's Deli, NYC), or for small businesses to operate as kiosks.
Rate this proposal please.
Agree w/everything except keeping 4 lanes for car drivers.
Streetcar lane, Bike lane, wide pedestrian sidewalks w/curb bump outs and ONE lane per direction plus L turning lane for car drivers- safer, more pleasant, walkable and won't make it possible for car drivers to speed/street takeovers/crash and destroy property//kill and maim people.
More lanes for mostly single occupant car drivers makes it unpleasant and dangerous for every person including the car drivers.
You expect people to park in a garage and… walk to their destination? /s
This ain't 'Merica if you can't drive a gas guzzler 3 mins to a business within a walking distance and park right outside the entrance!!1
And if the parking isn’t free I’m going to act like my civil rights have been violated.Â
And wait for 30 minutes for a parking spot that’s 10 feet closer to the building.
if it follows the LAX schedule, it should be ready for riders by the 2076
Bro the Contractor has the People mover kidnapped
Which happens with every government contract and why there is so much bloat. And people blame the government and not private business.
It should have been elevated. I'll never understand the NIMBY opposition to elevated trains. You don't have to listen to the crossing gate bells, and you will never have to wait for a train or be delayed by a signal failure.
Elevated was not seriously considered for this corridor.
It was envisioned as a relatively affordable at grade transit option. The only portion that had been considered for grade separation was the section between Roscoe and Sherman Way. That section was value engineered out for cost reasons when the board certified the project.
Will it get signal preemption at least? The E line is an absolute failure between Western and DTLA. A bike is faster.
Signal preemption is not typically done with street running lrt lacking crossing gates.
The best we can hope for is signal priority. Metro is planning on rolling out a new signal priority on the G line crossings east of Sepulveda. The intent is to use the same system on this line as well.
Absolutely wild they are building new rail without crossing gates in 2025. At-grade rail without signal preemption will NEVER replace car trips in this town.
I don’t think van nuys can believe it’s getting rail either (it don’t gaf about densifying)
I want trolleys everywhere, I don’t wanna drive anymore in my life.
I'm excited but also dreading the traffic it's going to cause. I live right next to it...
My dad lives around van buys too 😂
Can’t wait.
I thought this was Wilmington for a sec lmao
$7B flushed down the drain while bus service is neglected.
The route should have been an extension of the Red Line.
In my humble opinion, I would be happy with just a normal streetcar like the one in the 50s