LACMTA and OCTA already own most of the PE WSAB and UP alignment ROW, which were part of the original purchase from SP, and the Alameda Corridor deal.

OCTA is currently politically dysfunctional and can't seem to make any real decisions, and stick with them. And, when the use of the PE in OC was looked at a few years back, all of the average 80+ year old Councilmembers of the OC member cities along the ROW told folks that they didn't ever want any of those evil awful trains in OC.....

The PE WSAB/UP LA County segment project analysis shows that route would clearly outperform the passenger counts from the current Blue Line (over 90,000 daily), that nearly 1/3 of the estimated riders would be "new" transit passengers, and this project would be the second lowest cost per passenger in LA County in terms of cost/benefit. But that's just that really stupid "smarty pants" math stuff again, right?

The Gold line extension to Azusa Pacific completely refutes the argument that the trains don't entice new riders, by offering a real mobility and access alternative. This has certainly been the case in this extension in the congested 210 corridor. From user surveys, it has been estimated that between half and one third of these folks are new transit users.

Measure M is in trouble, and rightly so. Primarily this is because the cadre of arrogant folks running this measure effort were, for the most part, more interested in sucking up to City of LA and Valley political interests, while ignoring many of these "LA" only projects performance and cost effectiveness issues. The political reality is that the permanent extension of the existing sales tax (which this does...)requires a two thirds vote. And, that this measure might actually require some support from the other 60% of the Counties voters, that don't live in the City of LA, to pass, too.... Oh well?

But, from many of these always clearly knowledgeable and well informed comments, it is reassuring to know, just how much all of these awful evil trains surely do suck.....