LA Mayor

When affected by personal events, politicians are confronted by reality. The phony speeches about trendy subjects that tickle people’s ears and raise campaign coffers actually create a realism of changed attitudes when those in a governmental position of power are pushed by personal motivation.

Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa, had a revelation that Los Angeles is designed for cars. Last Saturday Mayor Villaraigosa took a bike ride to the beach. While he was riding in the bike lane on Venice Boulevard, a taxi pulled out in front of him. The Mayor swerved, fell off the bike and broke his elbow.

Will this lead to sweeping change to motorist’s laws regarding bicycle safety?

US rail

An article from The Economist:
http://www.economist.com/node/16636101?story_id=16636101

The article begins by talking about LA's Union Station being a fine example of rebuilding architecture; which is true as a remarkable show of craftsmanship. The need, however, is to build a modern transportation system that adheres to society's mobility demands in the year 2010.

Fresno's history

Fresno's history is steeped in agriculture and transportation; in the early 1870's Leland Stanford designated a train stop in the center of the San Joaquin Valley to be called Fresno Station. The area exploded in wealth and population, making Fresno the 4th largest area in the State of California during the 1920's. The history of Fresno's vibrant life, financial strength, and success as the regional commerce hub for Downtown Fresno was found in the ease of its mobility. Photos of Downtown Fresno in the 1920's show Fresno covered in pedestrian traffic.

The missing piece of all the downtown attempts to recreate a vibrant commerce hub is the mobility component which makes it convenient and easy to get around. In the early 1930s the transit system was removed. That piece has never been replaced. In the early 1930's Fresno's phenomenal growth stopped. A study of old photos and maps reveal Fresno was designed as a big city destination. Fresno County was the 'Ag' center of the universe.

The privately funded Edison hydro-electric facility that fed Los Angeles power was built in Fresno County. Fresno was huge; doorway to three National Parks, halfway between LA and San Francisco, close to the mountains and a couple of hours away from the ocean, it is conveniently located in the middle of everything.

Big Names Take to the Media to Stump for Infrastructure

Big Names Take to the Media to Stump for Infrastructure

global HSR

According to this article: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-07-15/vinci-wins-order-to-build-7-8-billion-euro-high-speed-railway.html ; a 200 mile HSR system will create 60,000 new and permanent jobs. Okay, why does the CA HSR authority say their project will produce 100,000 temporary and 450,000 permanent jobs?

Here now

When will Fresno hear now? Soon they will listen and even pay attention to the words being spoken.

Downtown Growth

Another story about the validity which supports the concentration of Downtown commerce as being an economic benefit for a community:

http://bit.ly/d7UFTa