NIMBY

The ride is smooth, and even better. Crowds have turned out in mass for OCTA's CenterLine Phase I project — an 11.4-mile elevated light rail system running from the City of Santa Ana, through Costa Mesa, to Irvine — is finally ready for its grand opening in 2009. The project is just the start for the county-wide system. It currently links UC Irvine, Irvine Business Complex, John Wayne Airport, South Coast Plaza, the Santa Ana Civic Center, and the Santa Ana Amtrak/Metrolink Station. Construction is already underway for extensions to Cal State University Fullerton, Cal State University Long Beach, and the Irvine Spectrum, in an effort to relieve congestion on the 5, 22, and 405 freeways.

This month marks what could have been the opening day of light rail in Orange County. Unfortunately, the ill-fated CenterLine light rail project was successfully defeated by Orange County's voters under the influence of John Kleinpeter and FAIR — Fund Alternatives Instead of Rail — in 2003. (A similar movement is underway in Los Angeles to stop transit improvements: wealthy homeowners in Santa Monica are pooling together resources to stop light rail in Los Angeles in two groups known as "Neighbors for Safe Rail" and "Fix Expo".)

So today, instead of enjoying quick travel times, travelers must endure a 59-minute slog between Irvine and Santa Ana. And, it's still a pain in the ass to travel in Irvine. Good job, Orange County.

Here's the system you could have had, from Fullerton through Anaheim, Santa Ana, and South County...

...that was shrunken to just Santa Ana to UC Irvine...

...to nothing.

The project began planning in 1990 as part of a county-wide tax measure. According to lightrailnow.org, "Despite the fierce opposition, rail supporters did win a major victory in 1990 when, as noted above, Orange County voters passed Measure M, setting aside a special transportation improvement tax. However, 75% of this tax goes to support highway development, while only 25% was earmarked to fund a rail transit system for the county."

To compensate for the termination of light rail, OCTA was supposed to use funds for 30-minute Metrolink service (to be open next year), "bus rapid transit", and Go Local projects. However, it's been 20 years since the start of Measure M now and we've yet to see any of these projects come to fruition. Go Local, in my opinion, has pretty much been a front for funding neutered shuttles in Irvine that duplicate old OCTA routes. The Bravo! bus rapid transit has been watered down to limited-stop buses that still get stuck in automobile traffic. And much of the money has been sunk into "transit improvements" like building bridges to separate road and train traffic — which actually does nothing to improve transit.

So what do you think? Was it a good idea to cut light rail out? read more→

• More photos of project plans and photographs on Flickr.
• LightRailNow tracks the rise and fall of OCTA's CenterLine project.

How much is OCTA sticking up for bus riders? OCTA recently upgraded a Line 53 stop with concrete paving and seating for bus patrons. Afterwards, in deference to neighborhood complaints, they shuttered the stop, forcing riders traveling southbound to walk upwards of a mile to reach their destinations.

Customer Tony Cynor recently sent to me his chronicles of getting someone in OCTA and Anaheim — anyone — to restore service to the area. I put together this map on the right — with circles representing quarter-mile walking distances from southbound 53 bus stops. The red circle represents the loss of this bus stop. Unfortunately, OCTA's removal of this stop leaves a huge 1-mile gap between stops, inconveniencing riders.

OCTA is not the only entities fouling up service.  The stop was closed by three people in the neighborhood and the apparently lied about abuses.

Dear Tony, Your Anaheim Anytime request # 283194 has been resolved with the resolution: The bus stop was closed in August in response to neighborhood concerns. The specific concerns of the residents neighboring this bus stop were centered on the activities of bus riders while they wait for their bus. Reported activities included sitting on the front lawn and porches, theft of items from private property, leaving trash and shopping carts, public urination, chaining bicycles to the private fence, hanging backpacks and other items on the fence next to the bus stop, loitering, and solicitation. On March 10, 2009, two citizens addressed the City Council regarding this bus stop. Three letters were also submitted addressing concerns regarding this bus stop, two from the citizens who addressed the City Council, and one from another neighbor on Sunkist Street. City Council directed staff to look at options to relocate or close the bus stop to address these concerns. City staff reviewed the vicinity around the bus stop for potential options, and then contacted OCTA about this issue. OCTA staff agreed that there is no feasible location for a bus stop on southbound Sunkist Street for Route 53 due to the residential uses with front doors facing Sunkist Street, and that the former bus stop was in a location that generated a significant amount of complaints. OCTA decided that the bus stop should be closed, and the new transfer point from Route 38 to Route 53 is on La Palma Avenue at Chantilly Street. Please call me at (714) 765-5183 if you have any further questions. David Kennedy Thank you for contacting the City of Anaheim using Anaheim Anytime. This is in reference to the Anaheim Anytime request you submitted on 08/24/2009 6:36 PM

Description: OCTA Route 53 Bus Stop Discontinued. Southbound Location one block south of La Palma on Sunkist
  Anyone know why this was done just after upgrade of stop with benches and concrete paving. It is more than one mile between bus stop now and the neighborhood is no longer served! Yes this can be considered a complaint and I don't know if anyone can do anything about it. OCTA does not respond to questions concerning the matter

Cynor then spoke with an Anaheim representative, confirming a not-in-my-backyard attitude of Anaheim residents towards transit users:

Talked to David Kennedy at the city yesterday on the phone. He says the residents are very anti transit in that area. Anaheim requested relocation but OCTA does not want to bother. If the mayor, city council or he gets enough letters the city will again approach OCTA on the matter. So far there are only three letters and various police reports. I have used the stop since its inception and never saw any of the things described there. Sounds more like something from a bad neighborhood in Detroit!

Here's the map again. If anyone has any more information about this or is willing to write a letter of support to help Cynor and other transit riders restore this stop, please post in the comments.

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