[JDRCRASH]

Originally Posted by Bootstrap Bill

Why do both lines terminate in Santa Monica? LAX is only a couple miles away. Wouldn't it be worth the extra money to provide service to the airport?

Because demand, transit-dependancy, and density permits it.

Originally Posted by Bootstrap Bill

It's only a couple miles from the terminus at Santa Monica to LAX. This would give us two additional rail lines to LAX. Isn't that worth the extra cost?

Only if it was the Expo Line, but even then, it would be easier to just extend the Green Line.

We could have a major rail terminal at LAX - a west coast version of NY's Penn Station with four lines - the Green Line, Purple Line, Expo Line (does anyone know if Expo has a color yet?) and the proposed LAX Express. There's also the possibility of future lines directly linking Long Beach, Pasadena and the east side, without the need for transfers.

We shouldn't try to have too many lines intersecting at LAX because that interferes with scheduling.

BTW, the color for the Expo is Aqua, if i'm correct.

LAX is a more important destination than the beach. I think this is worth considering.

That may be, but a Green Line extension via Lincoln Blvd from LAX to Santa Monica is easier.

Originally Posted by OhioGuy

A light rail line from Santa Monica to Venice Beach to Marina Del Rey to LAX and continuing south down the coast through Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, and Torrence would certainly be nice in the future in order to connect all of the great beach locations. And if they did this, hopefully it would be close to the coast as opposed to further inland like the green line runs in Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach.

If you're thinking about using the Greenbelt ROW, that proposal would get struck down with ease. Sepulveda would be better.

Originally Posted by Bootstrap Bill

That would be nice, but a two mile extension of the Purple Line and Expo Line from Santa Monica could do so much for relatively little money.

Well.....a subway costs $2 Billion per mile.

Originally Posted by pesto

Taking Expo (Aqua) to the Crenshaw Line and then (perhaps) a further connection to LAX would be inefficient (if and when these lines actually get built). Much better to take a bus along Lincoln or Sepulveda.

I doubt this is gonna happen, and even if it does, it'll be temporary until the Harbor Subdivision is built.

More importantly, SM has shown no interest in the kind of high density that would support spending the money needed for subways. I am hopeful that they will do so now, but I haven’t seen much action on the ground that points toward anything but resistance to development.

I believe this will really change once the Expo Line is built. This region hasn't seen rail access to Downtown LA in decades.

Cyclist: Not everyone is young, fit and healthy. In any event, in SM the issue isn’t development for ½ mile; I would settle for ½ block. Again, compare the Rodeo, CC and Westwood stops of the Purple with the 4th, 16th or 26th stops in SM. The SM development is currently low to moderate and not zoned for much more.

According to Metro's LRTP 2030 map, Santa Monica's density will be high in both population and employment.

Originally Posted by mwadswor

A connection would be a pain, but a direct LAX express from Union Station along the Expo the Crenshaw tracks would work pretty well. IMO, a huge opportunity will be missed if the Crenshaw tracks don't include a connection to the Expo line to allow 1 seat rides from LAX to Union Station and Santa Monica. There doesn't have to be an actual train using that connection right away, but the tracks should be built to at least make it possible. It can't cost hardly anything (in comparison to the scope of the rest of the project), and it would greatly expand routing options.

Again, this should only be temporary, because future plans have a direct connection from Union Station to LAX. And a Green Line extension is simply better because it makes things less complicated on the Crenshaw Line. That's why on my vision map, there are many many lines because not only does it give more opportunities for growth, but allows allows more flexibility in scheduling.

An example would be to have trains alternate leaving Union Station along the Expo tracks: half go to Santa Monica, and half go to LAX. Then, half the trains leaving LAX would go back to Union Station, and half would go to Santa Monica. An effective transit system provides as many 1 seat rides as possible.

I agree, but it needs to be done without compromising scheduling on other trains.

Originally Posted by pesto

Not a bad idea. I would be interested in seeing how the estimates came out on that. Without the "one seat" advantage, you could just use Blue and Green to go from DT to LAX. Are there any statistics on how many people do this?

Adding to mwadswor's comment, after you take the Green Line, it's shuttle time.