Valley Subway a Pipe Dream, Leaders Agree

With the region’s subway plans foundering, San Fernando Valley lawmakers and community leaders agreed Monday the transit system will probably never extend past North Hollywood, and vowed to instead begin work on a better local bus system.

“We must finish the subway, declare victory and move on to other forms of technology that are affordable,” said County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, a member of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Others echoed Yaroslavsky’s opinion during the Valley Transit Summit II, a gathering sponsored by the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley that drew 100 people to talk about the future of local public transportation.

“There are many ways we can make buses operate better for a fraction of the cost of rail,” said Ryan Snyder, a transportation consultant and longtime bus advocate.

There has been a growing realization among residents and officials that the subway system, once envisioned to connect the San Fernando Valley to downtown Los Angeles, will not be built west of the North Hollywood station.

The most reasonable alternative, agreed many, is an improved bus system, perhaps using dedicated lanes to connect passengers with shops and jobs.

Several speakers suggested the Valley copy Curitiba, Brazil, which serves about 70% of its commuters with buses. Transit authorities there operate buses of various sizes, some circling the city in massive loops and others running to and from the city center on routes that resemble spokes on a wheel.

Some said that for buses to lure passengers from private vehicles, transit authorities must first change the perception that buses are unsafe and inconvenient.

Many who attended the gathering also called for the creation of a Valley transit district, an agency independent of the MTA that would allow Valley representatives to decide how to spend local tax dollars on local buses.

Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Northridge) made the most provocative suggestion of the meeting when he said all local mass transit programs have failed and local governments should build more freeways.

To gauge the popularity of buses, McClintock asked: “Let’s see some hands on how many people took the bus here?”

Three hands went up.

“In other words, we’ve reached a consensus for others, but not for us.”

MTA representatives conceded that funding shortfalls and cost overruns have made it nearly impossible for the beleaguered agency to afford a Valley rail line.

“The MTA has to stop looking for a gourmet appetite system and start looking for a cafeteria appetite system,” said Glendale Mayor Larry Zarian, an MTA board member.

Yaroslavksy said the MTA’s financial troubles may make it difficult to complete subway stations in North Hollywood and Universal City. Some said they are not even sure the MTA can afford to improve its bus system.

Mark Pisano, executive director for the Southern California Assn. of Governments, said about $1.1 billion will be required to fund needed improvements to bus systems and roads in the San Fernando Valley over the next 20 years.

The improvements will come, he said, only if taxpayers are willing to pay for them.

“The question is: Are we willing to invest in mass transit,” he said.

Another topic of the local transportation summit was a survey of Valley commuters.

According to Economic Alliance President Nate Brogin, an informal survey of about 900 Valley commuters found they are most concerned about the safety, punctuality and cleanliness of any public transit system. Most who responded said they would not wait more than 10 minutes or walk more than three blocks to ride public transportation.