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Example research essay topic: Transportations In Los Angeles And The Bay Area - 2,915 words

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Transportations in Los Angeles and the Bay Area Abstract Los Angeles and Bay areas of California have the sophisticated transportation system at global level. Modern transportation policies have highlighted greater capital investment in rail transportation than in highways and tried to dispirit automobile usage through transportation demand management. The present paper focuses on the transportation system of Los Angeles and the Bay Area of California State. Transportation system in theses two areas is advancing to overcome the traffic problems. Still additional transportation facility is required within existing transportation rights of way to reduce impacts and maintain sensible system costs. This may be achieved from new bus ways, best transit services, or additional high occupancy vehicle lanes, other operational expansion, transportation control measures and other transportation management systems improvements.

Transportation systems in the two urban areas in California In the State of California rail mass transit is very common to the City of Los Angeles. There has always been some type of permanent rail system in Los Angeles from 1874 to 1963. Statistics indicate that Los Angeles had the world's leading rail transit system with 1100 track miles, operated by the Pacific Electric Railway during the 1920 s and 1940 s (Frederick, 2003). Economy of California depends greatly upon its transportation infrastructure. The states vital role in the world economy makes its transport systems very important to people inside and outside its borders. Map- 1 California High Speed Corridor Los Angeles Los Angeles, a major city of California, is the intercity hub which transport passengers and shipping endlessly between sea, land, and air ports.

It has an even active intercity commuter system made up of freeways, roads, buses, light rail and subway. Los Angeles transportation infrastructure is an established and widespread transportation system. The transportation system in Los Angeles consists of arterials and collector routes, freeways, transit and rail. With in a decade, variety of transportation policies have been developed such as increasing a subway system, commuter rail, freeways, high occupancy vehicle lanes, and designated freight corridors (Frederick, 2003). The organization around the principal freeway corridors are the characteristic feature of the Los Angeles region. The Santa Monica Freeway (I- 10) is the central east-west corridor, which takes hundreds of thousands of vehicles daily through a series of urban commercial centers from Santa Monica on the Pacific Ocean to Palm Springs in the Mohave Desert.

Three freeways connect the region's central districts in the northwest-southeast direction, paralleling the Pacific Ocean- the San Diego Freeway (I- 405), the Harbor-Pasadena Freeway (I- 110), and the Golden State Freeway (I- 5). The chief freeway crossing point each handle hundreds of thousands of vehicles every day, and the whole regional system carries millions of vehicles each day. Map- 2 Los Angeles Public Transportation Map The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) is responsible for organizing the regions mass transit system, which comprises of buses and light rail, heavy rail, and commuter rail lines. The Metro Rail system is a generally above-ground light rail network serving the hub areas with trains and subways.

However, the greater part of the mass transit riders utilize the MTAs vast bus network. Metro link is very significant in the Los Angeles region's bus and rail system by transporting commuters into the city from remote areas. The booming commuter rail system managed by the Southern California Regional Rail Authority runs 142 daily trains on 507 miles of track on seven lines stretching as far north as Ventura, as far east as San Bernardino and as far south as Oceanside. All MTA subway and elevated stations have elevators. Metro subway and light rail stations have signs that exhibit the station name and are color coded to demonstrate which rail line serves that particular station (APTA). Union Station of Los Angeles is the chief regional train station for Amtrak, Metro link and Metro Rail.

The major routes for visitors who arrive by car or bus are Interstate 5, Interstate 15, U. S. Route 101, and Interstate 10. Interstates 5 and 15 connect to all cities to the north and south. Highway 101 moves west towards Santa Barbara before veering north towards San Francisco.

The I- 10 joins to all cities to the east. The first freeway of California was the 110 Freeway, which is also identified as the Pasadena Freeway or the Arroyo Seco Parkway. Modern freeways in Los Angeles are straighter, wider, and fit for higher speeds. Around 6 a. m.

to 10 a. m. on weekdays which are rush hours, the period of peak traffic congestion occurs, and in the evening between 3 p. m. and 7 p. m.

Traffic can occur at nearly anytime, mainly before main holidays and even on normal weekends when one otherwise would not anticipate it. The city has a wide-ranging street grid. Arterial streets attach freeways with slighter neighborhood streets, and are frequently used to bypass gridlocked freeway routes. The block designations are separated by Main Street (east and west) south of Downtown Los Angeles and 1 st Street.

North of downtown, east and West Street designations differ from street to street owing to its mountain terrain. Los Angeles is also recognized for its car tracks, or police pursuits, which can last for several hours because of the regions many interconnected freeways and the large street grid. Police helicopters are operational with infrared machinery and very bright search lights for the apprehension of fleeing suspects at night. Los Angeles rail system- The rail system of Los Angeles includes subway lines, averages 276, 900 trips a day, 0. 4 % of the 65 million taken daily (Holy Rail Rachel Dicarlo). This evaluates with rider-ship of 699, 599 voyages for Washington, D.

C. 's Metrorail subway, 664, 700 trips for Boston's subway T, and the city of Chicago L's 644, 200, all of which are dwarfed by New York City's 6. 0 million average daily weekday trips taken (Transit Ridership report APTA). Though, light rail lines of country have the third main daily rider-ship in the USA. Metro controls the city's rail network, the Metro Rail. It is composed of three above-ground light rail systems that are Gold Line, Blue Line, and Green Line and one underground subway with two branches named as Red Line and Purple Line. Los Angeles has 73 miles of rail linking dispersed areas from Long Beach to Pasadena, and Norwalk and El Segundo. Map- 3 Los Angeles train map The extensive bus services of the city are the Metro Local, Metro Rapid, and Metro Express services.

Metro manages three types of bus services which are discriminated by the color of the buses. Metro Local buses are painted in an off-orange color. Metro Rapid buses are differentiated by their bright red color. This bus service has limited stops on many of the county's more heavily traveled main streets. Presently, Metro Express has been put into operation on two lines, 450 X and 577 X. Metro Express buses are dark blue in color and intended to offer best, reduced-stop service along Los Angeles's widespread freeway network.

The LACMTA runs North America's largest fleet of CNG-powered buses. Air transport The Los Angeles metropolitan area is at the top in the world for developing number of airports. It has 5 major commercial airports, and many more general-aviation airports. Los Angeles International Airport is the major airport in the city. Bay Area In Bay areas, transit trips are increasing day by day.

Since many years, more than 30 billion miles were logged on the Bay areas freeways, and over 475 million travel trips were taken. MTC calculates that the number of trips will boost to 28. 5 million each day, growing wear-and tear and making other demands on Bay Area roads. The long-range transportation investment strategy of MTC for the province taken up in 2005, as the Transportation 2030 Plan, deals with these emergent needs. 620 -mile freeway system of Bay Area is the workhorse of the transportation set of connections. Statistical data indicates that in 2004, vehicles passed through more than 30 billion miles on Bay Area freeways, about 60 percent of all miles driven by trucks and passenger vehicles in the region.

In the freeway system, there are 323 miles of diamond lanes that permit people in carpools, vanpool's and buses to bypass jamming during peak commute hours. In 2004, carpool lanes approved 16 percent of the vehicles and 29 percent of the people in the peak commute hour on freeway sections with carpool lanes. This is a minor decrease as compared to 2003, when carpool lanes carried 31 percent of people in the peak commute hour. Bay Areas freeway system is well outfitted with ultra-modern devices designed to enhance freeway good organization and better serve travelers. More than 450 miles of freeway are operational with roadway sensors and video cameras that can sense slow-downs. Center freeway system of the region is supplemented by 800 miles of state highways.

The majority of these state-owned roadways are the major access road connecting communities in the outer suburban and countryside of the Bay Area. These highways consist of State Routes 12, 29 and 37 in the North Bay, State Route 4 in eastern Contra Costa County, State Route 1 along the San Mateo County coastline, and State Route 152 in southern Santa Clara County. Few of state highways run through the centre of urban Bay Area Transportation which includes El Camino Real from San Jose to San Francisco (State Route 82) and San Pablo Avenue (State Route 123) from Oakland to Hercules in the East Bay. Toll Bridges Seven nationalized toll bridges and the Golden Gate Bridge grace the San Francisco Bay. The Local Roadway Network Bay Area cities and counties possess and retain more than 19, 000 centerline miles of local roadways. In local Roadway system of the region, more than 7, 000 traffic signals are synchronized to decrease the amount of time people spend waiting at red lights during weekday peak travel periods.

In main bus corridors, signals are automatic to give better treatment to buses that are running late so they can get back on timetable. The Public Transit System In Bay Area, Buses provide under half of all service miles and transmit almost two-thirds of all passengers. BART, commuter rail, light rail, ferries, and door-to-door vans and taxis bring the remaining third elderly and disabled riders. A total of 21 major intermodal terminals are the hub of a regional Transit Connectivity Study planned to advance the ease and competence of transmitting between transit systems. The operators of this area have long been identified as leaders in maintaining the transit system reachable to persons with disabilities. at present, the transportation system is best viewed which run more than 90 percent of the regions buses and 95 percent of transit centers and rail stations that are accessible to persons using wheelchairs.

The regions airports and seaports are gateway to the rest of the country and the world for tourism, business travel and trade. Major international airports in San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose are well known to the residents. The airports and seaports of Bay Area make substantial ground traffic in adjacent areas (Bay Area Transportation: State of the System 2005). BART consists of 104 miles (167 km) of track and 43 stations.

The system utilizes a 5 ft 6 in (1, 676 mm) broad rail gauge, as contrasting to the 4 ft 8. 5 in (1, 435 mm) standard gauge mostly found in the United States. The broad gauge was chosen to give greater stability in part because of the designed Golden Gate Bridge route and to provide wider seats, aisles, and a smoother ride for the lightweight aluminum and fiberglass cars (BART, 2007). The BART system runs five lines, but most of the network consists of more than one line on the similar track. On each line, trains usually run every fifteen minutes on weekdays and twenty minutes during the evenings, weekends and holidays. BART service starts at around 4: 00 a. m.

on weekdays, 6: 00 a. m. on Saturdays, and 8: 00 a. m. on Sundays. These service ends every day near midnight with station closings timed to the last train at station (BART Service Hours, Holiday Schedule.

BART). Map- 4 BART is directly connected to regional rail service that is Caltrain, which gives service between San Francisco, San Jose, and Gilroy, at the Millbrae Station, and Amtrak's Capitol Corridor, which runs from Sacramento to San Jose, at the Richmond and Coliseum/Oakland Airport stations. A third Capitol Corridor connection at the Union City station is intended as part of a superior Dumbarton Rail Corridor Project to join Union City, Fremont, and Newark to a range of Peninsula destinations via the Dumbarton rail bridge (Dumbarton Rail Corridor. 2007). Separate agencies that manage the number of bus services which connect to BART make the successful functioning of the system.

The main bus providers consist of the San Francisco Municipal Railway, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit, San Mateo County Transit District, Central Contra Costa Transit Authority, and the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District (Golden Gate Transit). BART is linked to Oakland International Airport via Air BART shuttle buses, which take travelers to and from the Coliseum/Oakland Airport BART station. Steps these two transportation systems have taken to improve the traffic problems in these two areas The Los Angeles and Bay area are well developed from interregional corridors and the continued work by the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority in its plan and construction of innovative freight rail lines inside the urban area. These initiatives with respect to conventional transportation developments will advance mobility within the Los Angeles basin. The MTA has developed a transit information action plan to get better the publics wakefulness of the transit systems accessibility that should result in augmented rider-ship of commuters. It has accepted that supplementary efforts in advertising be able to support in improving transport within Los Angeles County by improving user information and the understanding of services available for commuters (Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, 2003).

Action that state of California take to improve the two systems It is a fact that well-organized transportation program can only be advanced through cooperative efforts and close synchronization amongst state, federal and regional agencies, non-profit organizations and the private sector. Some of anticipated programs by now exist in basic form at varying levels of implementation. Many of the policies scheduled, have been effectively established in California, though their success is often constrained by lack of adequate resources and effectual coordination or comprehensive planning. Bigger land-use planning and transit-oriented development that decreases emissions could also influence upcoming travel patterns in ways that lessen the impacts of a changing climate. Conclusion Los Angeles and Bay areas are the prime freeway systems in the world.

At present, Los Angeles is viewed as the eventual sprawling urban area and many urban and transport planners condemned its transportation system. They gave their statement on the basis of observation that new highways are rapidly overflowing with automobiles. It has been highlighted that additional efforts are needed to improve the transportation system in Los Angeles County and Bay Areas. Many of these efforts depend on the zeal and promise of the elected officials, and community and business leaders in Southern California. Progressive planning efforts are underway in response to the existing air quality condition that exists in Los Angeles County. Transit and high occupancy vehicle systems are major part to transportation system optimization.

These elements are being developed as the backbone of the transportation network in Southern California (Frederick, 2003). Work Cited 1) American public Transport Association web 2) Frederick Mary C. A Review of the Los Angeles Transportation System, Mineta Transportation Institute. June 6, 2003. 3) Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Draft Short Range Transportation Plan for Los Angeles California, Draft Technical Document, May 2003, p 29. 4) BART. Track Warrants (May 1997).

Retrieved on 2007 - 01 - 22. 5) BART Service Hours, Holiday Schedule. BART. Retrieved on 2007 - 01 - 07. 6) (Dumbarton Rail Corridor. San Mateo County Transit Authority. Retrieved on 2007 - 01 - 07). 7) Pierre du Vair, Douglas Wickizer, and Mary Jean Buyer.

Climate Change and the Potential Implications for California's Transportation System. http: // 72. 14. 235. 104 /search? q = cache: YYMNJa 3 jpc: climate. volpe. dot. gov / workshop 1002 /dubai.

doc+Tran spoliation+systems+in+California&hl = en&ct = can&cd = 8 &gl = in. 8) web The Search for the Holy Rail Rachel Dicarlo. 9) web Metrorail Eclipses 200 Million Passengers For The First Time, WMATA. 10) web APTA. Transportations in Los Angeles and the Bay Area Outline Introduction Transportation systems are best in the two urban areas in California. At present, its roads, highways, and railroads were closed due to landslides caused by heavy rains. Transportation system in Los Angeles The system is comprised of arterials and collector routes, freeways, transit and rail.

Metro operates the city's rail network. Air transport. Bay Areas The freeway system State Routes The Public Transit System The regions airports and seaports broad rail gauge bus services Steps these two transportation systems have taken to improve the traffic problems in these two areas The MTA has developed a transit information action plan Action that state of California take to improve the two systems Improvement is done by joint effort of federal and regional agencies, non-profit organizations. 6) Conclusion I) Los Angeles and Bay areas are best freeway system but require more improvement to reduce congestion.


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Research essay sample on Transportations In Los Angeles And The Bay Area

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