From: Gerald A. Silver, Pres.
Homeowners of Encino
Coalition of Freeway Residents (CFR)

Subject: #151 VENTURA/HOLLYWOOD FREEWAY ISSUES

WIDENING THE VENTURA FREEWAY -- BACK ON TABLE!!!
ADDING CARPOOL LANES TO US 101 MEAN LAND TAKES!!
HEARING ON APRIL 23 - 6 PM! -SPEAK UP!

Source: http://www.metro.net/projects_studies/images/2008_draft_lrtp.pdf



Los Angeles Times 3/16/2008 - Emerald City

Metro's long range plan: How will it affect you?
How would you like your commute speed to drop another 14 miles per hour? That's what Metro projects will happen to freeway speeds by 2030 due to population and employment growth in the L.A. area -- if we do nothing to fix the situation.

So the plan is to, you know, do something -- namely reduce single-passenger car trips. Yesterday, Metro released a draft of its 2008 Long Range Transportation Plan (PDF) that covers what the Metro wants to achieve between now and 2030 -- everything from smart growth to air pollution reduction to bike-rail connections. Some key features:

* 32 more miles of rail

* 160 more miles of carpool lanes

* 400 more miles of Metro Rapid service

* 14 tons of air pollution reduction

There are also plans to improve bicycle access to transit hubs, better pedestrian projects, smart growth partnerships, and, of course, widened freeways. Perhaps the most disappointing fact about this $152 billion-dollar plan is that most of the projects are still unfunded, though L.A. did recently get some state money....

Check out the maps and plans to see how your favorite mode of alternative transportation would be affected. The draft is 52 pages long -- but a bunch of pages just have pretty pictures, so it's a pretty quick read.

http://www.metro.net/projects_studies/images/2008_draft_lrtp.pdf

Then get your two cents in on the plan during this 45-day public review period. You can write, phone, or email in your comments -- or make your way to one of these public meetings to voice your opinions in person:

* April 23, 6 p.m., San Fernando Valley, Marvin Braude Constituent Service Center, Room 1B, 6262 Van Nuys Bl, Van Nuys,

After the public review, the Metro board will vote on whether or not to adopt the plan in June.

****

Los Angeles Daily News - 03/11/2008
Mass-transit plan to be disclosed

By Sue Doyle, Staff Writer

Bracing for an onslaught of 3 million new motorists, bus and subway riders to hit the county's already clogged transit system by 2050, Metro is unveiling a plan today to help steer the region away from commuting madness.

Relying on $39 billion coming into Los Angeles County through 2030, the transit plan identifies money to add more than 300 60-foot buses, extend the Orange Line to Chatsworth, build the Exposition Line from downtown to Santa Monica and add some freeway improvements. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board is to vote on the plan in June.

If nothing is done to the county's freeways and rails, morning traffic speeds by 2030 will drop 40 percent from today, with cars maintaining a steady crawl between 15 mph and 20 mph, said Carol Inge, Metro chief planning officer.

"To keep speeds up at today's level or improve them, we need to go beyond this plan," Inge said. "And we need to change people's behavior at the same time."

County residents need more mass transit options to help ease roadway congestion, Inge said.

Up to $60 billion more transit projects are recommended by Metro's staff to the must-do list - from building a subway through the Westside, linking the Gold Line to Montclair, connecting the Green Line to Los Angeles International Airport and adding car-pool lanes on the 101 Freeway from Woodland Hills to Silver Lake.

Money for those projects has not been identified.

Plans to add car-pool lanes to the 101 Freeway in the past were met with loud opposition from many South Valley homeowners who stood to lose their homes for the roadway widening. They formed the Coalition of Freeway Residents.

Gerald Silver, who spearheaded the group and serves as president of Homeowners of Encino, said the fight will rage on if officials again push for the lanes.

"The group would be resurrected," said Silver. "If they're spoiling for a fight, we're prepared to take Caltrans on again."

Richard Close, president of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association, is also a longtime opponent of the lanes.

On Tuesday, Close said he wants to see what these freeway plans include and whether there's a balance between transportation and community needs.

"It is our goal to preserve our community and not turn Sherman Oaks into a transit corridor," Close said.

Meanwhile the agency is reviewing ways to fatten its coffers and net $60 billion for the projects, from adding toll lanes, developing public-private partnerships and boosting the sales tax by a half-percent, which requires voter approval.

About two-thirds of transit project are paid for through local sales tax and local money, Inge said.

Angelenos pay the second-highest sales-tax rate in the state at 8.25 percent, with 1 percent going to transit projects. It provides the largest chunk of Metro's $3 billion budget - about 67 percent - which last year generated $1.8 billion for the agency.

With a 45-day public review starting Wednesday, residents can speak out about the package of projects. Several public hearings are planned for Los Angeles through April.

"We need the public to visualize with us what the county can look like with a whole package of these," said Inge.

sue.doyle@dailynews.com 818-713-3746

Copyright 2008 - Los Angeles Daily News

****

Los Angeles Times - March 13, 2008

MTA proposes host of projects
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority release? its latest long-range plan this week, warning that road speeds could severely decline unless a plethora of road and rail projects are built by 2030.

The blueprint calls for the continued construction of more carpool lanes on freeways where they don't yet exist, as well as the completion of the Expo light rail line to Santa Monica and either a busway or light rail line along Crenshaw Boulevard in South Los Angeles.

Also called for in the plan are a number of projects totaling $60 billion in funding. Among these are the closure of the 710 Freeway gap between Pasadena and Alhambra, a subway extension to Santa Monica, and a light rail line in downtown Los Angeles that would link existing and future lines.

The MTA board is expected to adopt the plan in June. The complete plan can be viewed online at www.metro.net

- STEVE HYMON

Copyright Los Angeles Times 2008

****

RESPONSES TO #151 VENTURA/HOLLYWOOD FREEWAY ISSUES
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 2:25 PM

Dear Mr.Silver:

Thank-you for using my response to the 405 Freeway issue dated 3-23-07. Now it seems they attacking the Hollywood/Ventura freeway. When does it stop??????? Between the buildings on Ventura Blvd between Sepulveda blvd. and Balboa and widening of the freeways we will soon be one mass of concrete.

If we would properly attack the issue of illegals in this city and send them on their merry way,there would be no need to widen our freeways and build these enormous buildings, that only put money into the developers pockets. I have nothing against the people coming in the country if they would do it the right way like my ancestors and many other law abiding people have done in the past. I am going to follow this letter up with
an e-mail I received from one of my friends telling what the Australians have done in their country re: this matter.

If at any time you need an extra hand (I'm great at stuffing envelopes) let me know.

Thank-you for listening.

GY
Encino

****

Wednesday, March 12, 2008 3:55 PM
Gerald,

Prepare for strong opposition to your stand against the widening of both the 101 and the 405 freeways. There are many in the SFV ready to support these changes as vital infrastructure improvements necessary for the future of Los Angeles. Your intimidation tactics may hit a wall this time.

AA
Tarzana
****

Wednesday, March 12, 2008 5:06 PM

One solution to easing up the traffic, on both the 101 and the 405, would be to go back to the plan of Reseda to the sea. I know this would be difficult since some residents paid some very hefty sums to get the area rezoned. I know it would be almost impossible to have it rezoned for a freeway; however, if anyone can do it, is you.

What are your thoughts on this? This would solve a multitude of problems.

Thank you for all you do.

MG
Encino

****
If you would like to share your comments with others, please email:
gsilver4@earthlink.net

NO WIDENING, NO DOUBLE DECKING, NO ELEVATED TRAINS ON THE
VENTURA/HOLLYWOOD FREEWAY!

****

The Coalition of Freeway Residents (CFR) was instrumental in stopping
double-decking and widening of the Ventura freeway several years ago. We
organized residents, business and elected officials, all in opposition to
freeway expansion. We lobbied officials, launched several major direct mail
campaigns against expansion. But these mailings cost a lot of money, and we
need your help. Please complete the Application to join CFR at the end of
this email. Each dollar collected goes toward stopping freeway expansion.
Please do your part.

**********************

Call/fax/email these people immediately with your objections and concerns:

"Caltrans Deputy District 7 Director-Ronald J. Kalinski", Caltrans, 100 South Main Street, Suite 100, Los Angeles, CA 90012, (213)897-3656
"Mark Pisano, SCAG Executive Director" <pisano@scag.ca.gov> (213)236-1808,
Fax (213)236-1961
"Hasan Ikhrata, SCAG Director of Planning and Policy" <ikhrata@scag.ca.gov>
(213)236-1944, Fax (213)1963
"Gloria Jeff,, LA-DOT Gen. Mgr" <Gloria.Jeff@lacity.org> , (213)972-8400 Fax
(213)580-1188
"Supervisor Michael Antonovich" <rfuquay@bos.co.la.ca.us> (213)974-5555, Fax
(213)974-1010
"Senator Sheila Kuehl" <laurie.newman@sen.ca.gov>, (310)441-9084, Fax
(310)441-0724
"Assemblywoman Fran Pavley" Assemblymember.Pavley@assembly.ca.gov, (818)
596-4141 or (310) 395-3414, Fax: (818) 596-4150
"Assemblyman Paul Koretz" <jay.greenstein@asm.ca.gov>, (310)285-5490, Fax
(310)285-5499
"Councilman Tom LaBonge" <tlabonge@council.lacity.org>, (213)485-3337 Fax
(213)624-7810
"Councilman Jack Weiss" <weiss@council.lacity.org>, (818)756-8083, Fax
(818)788-9210
"Councilman Dennis Zine" <thenry@council.lacity.org>, (818)756-8848, Fax
(818)756-9179
"Councilwoman Wendy Greuel" <greuel@council.lacity.org>, (213)485-3391, Fax
(213)680-7895
"Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa" mayor@lacity.org, (213)978-0600, Fax (213)978-0657
"Congressman Brad Sherman-Michael Tou" <michael.tou@mail.house.gov>
(818)501-9200, Fax, (818)501-1554
"Congressman Howard Berman-Bob Blumenfield",
<bob.blumenfield@mail.house.gov> (818)891-0543, Fax (818)830-1990
"Congressman Henry Waxman-Lisa Pinto", <lisa.pinto@mail.house.gov>
(323)651-1040, Fax (323)655-0502
"Congresswoman Diane Watson", <diane.watson@mail.house.gov> (323-965-1422,
Fax (323)965-1113

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Coalition of Freeway Residents

Yes, I want to help! Enclosed is my check for __$25 __$50 __$100
__$500

Please make checks payable to Homeowners of Encino-CFR

Mail to: Homeowners of Encino, PO Box 260205, Encino, CA 91426

Name__________________________________Address____________________________

City___________________________________State______Zip______________________

Phone__________________________ Email ____________________________________

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