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L.A.'s 'Big One'

A mega-quake in America's second most populated city is due. 50-year-old buildings could come crashing down, killing thousands. Los Angeles will come to cinemas to see a blockbuster called San Andreas in which Los Angeles will be wiped out by an apocalyptic earthquake. Most of those in the audience will be wondering how long before it happens for real. The southern section of the San Andreas fault that runs near the city and has not had a huge earthquake of more than magnitude 7.5 since 1680. According to seismologists, an earthquake is more than a century overdue. Are southern Californian residents ready and prepared for a catastrophic earthquake?

"A big earthquake is inevitable," Los Angeles' said Dr Lucy Jones, a US Geological Survey seismologist, told The Telegraph. "Each earthquake that happens increases the probability. We know a lot about earthquakes, we know it will happen. We know everything but the time." Dr Jones is worried. She stays up at night because of the number of old concrete buildings that have not been retrofitted and could collapse into a pancake. The expensive retrofitting process involves reinforcing buildings, for example with steel braces. Weak earthquakes in recent months had me thinking on whether Los Angeles can withstand a major hit. In the first five months of 2014 there were five quakes of more than magnitude 4.0. The first time that has happened since 1994, sending jitters through Los Angeles. "LA was built in the 50s and 60s and all of the buildings from that time have some real problems," she said. Dr Jones herself would never live in one. According to a recent study by the University of California there are 1,451 concrete buildings that have not been retrofitted, including about 50 hotels, 50 churches, and 25 nursing homes. It has been estimated that 5% of these about 75 in total would collapse in a large earthquake. The question is which ones. "We are looking at what would happen in an earthquake and taking it all the way through to evacuation," said Dr Jones. "The problem with Southern California is we have 23 million people. Even if we were able to predict an earthquake in LA and evacuate, how many people would be killed on the freeways trying to get out?"

Since the 1980s many sensors has been installed. Including in a hole drilled a mile down into the San Andreas fault. According to the USGS the aim is to achieve a "better understanding of what happens on and near a fault during the earthquake cycle and to aid in predicting the time and severity of future quakes". "There's a lot of people scratching their heads and trying to come up with a method of prediction. It's a learning process," said Tim McCrink, a senior geologist with the California Geological Survey. The San Andreas is 30 miles away from downtown Los Angeles. Even an 8.0-magnitude quake on it would be expected to kill fewer people. It is estimated that would kill up to 18,000 people, make several million homeless, and cause up to $250 billion in damage. According to Dr Jones it would "hit all of downtown" which is stocked with concrete buildings that haven't been retrofitted. Such a quake on that fault is only likely to occur once every 2,500 years, but no one has any idea when the last one was. The USGS is doing a great effort to try to come up with  warning system. Its now time the residents try to come up with their own evacuation plan.

Allen, Nick. "Los Angeles Awaits Earthquake That Could Be the 'Big One'" The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 19 July 2014. Web. 04 Mar. 2015. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10978030/Los-Angeles-awaits-earthquake-that-could-be-the-Big-One.html>.

I-710 Freight Problems

An average 37,000 to 213,000 vehicles pass through Interstate 710. It is considered the largest infrastructure project in the nation. High levels of air toxins along the 710 have been linked to various health problems. What is the city of Los Angeles doing to reduce emissions and help its citizens?

A story was published by two physicians on KCET about a 12-year-old boy named Jimmy. “He came to see me at a community clinic in southeast Los Angeles after falling at school. While taking his health history, I discovered that he was diagnosed with asthma at age 5. His mother mentioned that Jimmy is unable to play a full game of soccer because of his asthma; and when I listened to his lungs, I noticed poor air movement. Jimmy told me that he suffers frequent asthma attacks, which sometimes causes him to miss school.” According to the Department of Public Health, one in 11 children in Los Angeles County has asthma. African-American children have the highest rates of asthma 25 %. Compared to Hispanic children 8 % and non-Hispanic white children 7 %.

Jimmy lives close to the 710 Freeway, a major transportation corridor for moving goods from the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. Air pollution from this freeway is a major contributor to asthma in Southeast Los Angeles; and children are most vulnerable. When Jimmy plays soccer on a field near the freeway, he is forced to inhale the exhaust fumes from the trucks rolling by. Low-income communities similar to where Jimmy lives experience the health impacts of freight. Mostly by breathing diesel exhaust on a daily basis in their own neighborhoods next to highways, ports and rail yards.

A physician took a look at the disease and seeked ways to prevent it. He believed medical professionals needed to work closely with scientists and policymakers to battle pollution. He said, “solutions exist to overhaul today's conventional freight vehicles into a low-carbon transportation system that cleans our air, improves our public health and helps us meet our climate goals.” Los Angeles need to stop worrying about how much money this will cost the economy and start worrying to helping the next generation be as healthy as they can be. Too many times has there been a child diagnosed with asthma. You can't live under these conditions. This needs to stop Los Angeles!

Currently, Californians depend on trucks, trains and ships powered by diesel fuel to deliver  food and merchandise. California's freight is the largest ozone-causing emissions and diesel pollution. Movement of freight is also a major contributor to climate change, including emissions of carbon dioxide and black carbon. According to a report released last year by the Union of Concerned Scientists, states “cleaner freight alternatives would reduce emissions well beyond today's cleanest diesel and natural gas trucks. More efficient engines, advanced emission controls and cleaner fuels can make conventionally powered trucks, trains and ships less polluting.” Existing state policies for freight transportation are insufficient to meet upcoming federal air-quality deadlines. An analysis by state and regional air-quality officials shows that California freight needs about a 90 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions including Los Angeles to reach air-quality standards over the next two decades.

“We urge Gov. Brown, the California Air Resources Board, and other state agencies to take all necessary action to transition to a more efficient freight system, one that relies on the cleanest alternatives...For example, planned upgrades to the 710 Freeway could include a mandatory zero-emission freight corridor for heavy-duty trucks.” - Don Anair. Transforming Los Angeles freight system will provide cleaner air, a safer climate, and improved health for all of its communities. When that happens, everyone will breathe easier.

Aguilar, Felix, MD, and Don Anair. "Addressing Health Concerns Over the 710 Freeway Corridor." KCET. N.p., 19 Feb. 2015. Web. 01 Mar. 2015. <http://www.kcet.org/socal/departures/710-corridor/addressing-health-concerns-over-the-710-freeway-corridor.html>.

The Statistics

California traffic problems are bad. Since we are in February I am going to tell you the traffic data of monthly vehicle miles of travel report. This report estimates the number of vehicle miles that motorists traveled on California State Highways using a sampling of up to 20 traffic monitoring sites. Various roadway types are used to calculate vehicle miles of travel. According to California Department of Transportation Traffic Census, 25.7% of people traveled on weekends on California State Highways in February. Now 74.3% traveled on weekdays. As I looked through the monthly comparisons. California's estimated vehicle miles of travel on the State Highway System for February 2014 is 14.54 Billion. In January 2014 the estimated vehicle miles of travel was 13.51 Billion. That was a 7.6% increase in a month. On February 2013 California State Highways had 14.09 billion estimated vehicle miles of travel. An increase of 3.2% from 2013 to 2014. As you see the California traffic problems is getting worse by each month and year.

According to a Los Angeles Times article, California's population grew by roughly 332,000 people. A 0.88% increase from July 2013 to December 2013. Between July 2012 and July 2013, roughly 170,000 more people came to California from other countries than people left the state according to some estimates. At the same time, nearly 103,000 more people left California for other parts of the United States than came into California. The result was an increase of 66,000 people who came to California from elsewhere. The more people there are in the California the more cars are in the roads. The point is that the California traffic is going to increase thus get worse. With some problems there are solutions. One of the solutions are using the subway to your destinations rather than drive there. At times you will arrive sooner to your destination if you use the subway than if you drive there. So why not use it. You have nothing to lose but everything to gain.

Reyes, Emily Alpert. "California Population Grows by 332,000 to 38.2 Million." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2013. Web. 20 Feb. 2015. <http://articles.latimes.com/2013/dec/12/local/la-me-california-growth-20131213>.

United States. State of California. California Department of Transportation.Traffic Census. Caltrans, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2015. <http://traffic-counts.dot.ca.gov/>.

Beverly Hills could be obstacle in subway extension

The city of Beverly Hills can be an obstacle for the long delayed Westside subway extension. Municipal leaders, school district officials and residents resist a possible route that would tunnel under homes and the city's emergency preparedness center, Beverly Hills High School. Beverly Hills Unified School District recently hired an attorney who would be looking into the project's environmental review. Lisa Korbatov, the school board's vice president said, “We want to work with the experts and do everything we can, but if it comes down to a lawsuit, we won't shy away from it.”

The city and school officials support the Westside extension and favor running the tunnel under Santa Monica Boulevard with a station at Avenue of the Stars. That route will avoid tunneling under Beverly Hills High School. But the transit agency unveiled, the station could be moved to Constellation Boulevard and Avenue of the Stars. The shift would require tunneling under homes in the city's only high school. Ken Goldman, president of the South West Beverly Hills Homeowners Assn., said “You know, they changed it on us. Alot of people in Beverly Hills feel they were duped.” Metro officials say “...from a ridership standpoint, the station makes more sense on Constellation. Santa Monica site would be close to a golf course,...the Constellation station would be close to shopping areas,... As Metro board member Zev Yaroslavsky said, “It's the center of the center.”

City leaders and residents of Beverly Hills argue that the Constellation option might threaten homes and the high school because of explosive methane gas, old active oil wells. These problems were encountered during the construction of the Red Line years ago. More recently in Europe and Asia. Once the Westside extension is finished, noise might be a problem and the vibration from the trains could damage buildings and the high school which was built in the 1920s. “I don't know what the reason is for running under the high school” said City Councilwoman Nancy Krasne. “If there is a major disaster, we have 2,200 students there and every bit of our emergency equipment and earthquake supplies.”

“If the station is located on Santa Monica, pedestrian tunnels with moving sidewalks could be installed to move subway riders to and from portals on the Constellation.” city leaders say. Dave Sotero, a Metro spokesman, defend the transit agency saying, “He has not received any noise or vibration complaints from subway operations for at least 15 years. Nor have there been any substantiated claims for property damage. There's lots of experience building in this environment. The oil fields are much deeper than the subway tunnel, which will run about 50 to 70 feet below the surface. We will also use establish practices to ensure safety.” Metro board members approved a detailed study that must be completed before any option is selected. It will weigh the pros and cons of the Constellation and Santa Monica stations as well as tunneling through areas with earthquake faults, methane gas, and active and abandoned oil wells.

Weikel, Dan. "Beverly Hills Could Be Obstacle in Subway Extension." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2010. Web. 13 Feb. 2015. <http://articles.latimes.com/2010/oct/30/local/la-me-subway-20101030>.

L.A. New Subway

Los Angeles will get a subway. Not how they imagined but it's a start. The subway will cut through heavily populated Wilshire Boulevard. Is the most promising corridor in Los Angeles for rail rapid transit. Connecting downtown L.A. to western coastal suburbs. This news didn't come without a fight. From court battles to congressional debates. There was decades of delay over safety and environmental concerns.

       The multi billion dollar Purple Line Extension won't be as previously described. It would end miles from the ocean, and even this far it will take around 20 years. In my opinion that is too long for a city of Los Angeles to wait. The first Purple Line segment is being financed with a $1.2 billion grant and a $856-million loan from the federal government. When the entire subway is complete, riders will get from downtown to the coastal suburbs in about 25 minutes. The purple line is expected to to boost average weekly ridership to about 215,000 daily boardings. According to Los Angeles major Eric Garcetti, “This will help people get to where they need to go, cut traffic and boost the economy.”

In the mid-1980s the subway extension came to a halt after a methane gas leak from the ground. This contributed to a 22 year delay of the project. A team of tunneling and transportation experts said the line could be safely built because improvements and boring machines and construction techniques. Brian Taylor, a transportation expert and professor at UCLA, rebottle their idea. He said, “despite improvements in tunneling, construction of the line will be complicated by webs of utility lines, old oilfields, pockets of gas and seismic conditions.” I agreed completely that seismic conditions would be a challenge. Los Angeles is notorious for earthquakes. It only takes a jolt to crack the concrete and bury the subway with the earths crust.

Even with construction underway people are still questioning whether the $600 million to $700 million a mile cost of the Purple Line could benefit more people. Though officials say the Purple Line will reduce traffic, the project's environmental analyst indicates there will be only limited relief on Wilshire and near by streets and little to no relief for the freeways. Metro officials argue that the only way to relieve traffic is if more subway and light rail are added and linked together. 

Santa Monica's mayor predicted the subway will encourage a significant shift away from the automobile. “If the car is king of L.A., then the Purple Line will be the queen of L.A.”

Weikel, Dan. "L.A.'s Not-quite 'subway to the Sea' Finally Breaks Ground."Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 07 Nov. 2014. Web. 06 Feb. 2015. <http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-westside-subway-20141108-story.html>.

Introduction

Los Angeles is known for the beautiful weather. It's why Hollywood came here in the first place. Films started being shot in the Los Angeles area because they could be shot at most times during the year, due to it always being sunny. It's also located on a coast. Not everything is beautiful about Los Angeles. The Los Angeles infrastructure is urgent of repairs and replacement. It's like I hear about failures in the infrastructure every month. From main line breaks to major freeways in bad shape. I choose this topic because Los Angeles is my future home. I'm not going to live in city with a poor infrastructure. So I might as well know what the city is doing about it and contribute myself. I want Los Angeles to be as beautiful as the angels themselves. I have some questions about my topic. What is Caltrans doing to repair the freeways and roads around southern California? How long will it take and how much money will it cost to replace all the aging water pipes? Is the city of Los Angeles prepared for the next big earthquake? Are the citizens of Los Angeles willing to pay for the repairs and replacements?