1. SMART
Yes it is dumb to design the system around a car, but they did. It is not fatal, but, once again the realities of how we have severely underfunded infrastructure, which leave you choosing a more affordable, but way less than optimal solution set, which this project represents.

Yes, SMART is a work in progress, and it is not being operated at the level of frequency, to attract the kind of ridership, a more optimal service level, necessary to attract a much higher share of potential trips, at a lower cost per passenger, and much higher net traffic relief, which also saves money.

Yes, SMART could easily use another $300 million in double track, critical grade separations, equipment, and a direct connection to the Pier for a cross platform transfer to the Ferry's, in order to achieve a service level and connectivity, to reach a much more optimal cost benefit outcome. But, these investments can still be made over time, so the sky has not yet fallen, although you wouldn't know it by some of the more delirious rantings posted. All part of the vast all encompassing evil SMART/NWP conspiracy, you see?

Yes, SMART has made some questionable decisions, and created some f their own problems. The SMART Board and regional leadership is borderline dysfunctional and highly divided over this project. That has lead to a history of the project appearing to be often micromanaged by the very factions on the Board, opposed to the project. SMART management seems to have been poorly focused, in the planning and especially the roll out of this project, and the project has had the appearance, too often, of being fraught with problems that other projects seemed to have either anticipated and/or dealt with in a much more timely and effective manner.

All of those real criticisms of the vast "evil" SMART "conspiracy" to do unspeakable harm to all of mankind, those issues that may be subject to fair criticism are almost all fixable, and as of this morning, the 101 still sucked. Some folks want to make SMART "smarter", that will take raising the money and the political will, which means that if you like this project and want it to succeed you should support those changes.

2. Busways

As someone who has done a number of busway studies, and been to places like distant Ottawa, and been both a "student" and close observer of the MTA Orangeline. Complaints about the Orangline reaching capacity are both true, especially at the NOHO subway, but these issues are also the result of how MTA has chosen to operate the Orangeline, because I would have no problem doubling the current seat capacity with branching like Ottawa uses, and most of those non US systems that operate a lot more buses and seem to carry a lot more vehicles and folks than our HOV/Busways.

That being said, spending 3 billion to convert the Orangeline busway to LRT, and fix Zev Yaroslavsky's most expensive political mistake (not builing LRT on the Chatsworth branch in the first place), in order to add only an estimated 15,000 more daily riders is among the worst performing projects in the LA County sales tax measure. Because with properly operated bus service levels, I think it would be easily add as many as 15,000 daily by creating more direct connections and higher service frequency by a branching strategy.