Air and Traffic Monitoring Reports
What better way to ring in a New Year than the release of boring number crunching monitoring reports on the 101 freeway and the air quality in the port area.On the 101 freeway the LA Times reports that a slight improvement in traffic flow has been found since the opening of the Valley busway -- though most motorists may not feel the change.
Snip from the Times: The study of the freeway, conducted by researchers at UC Berkeley on behalf of The Times, determined that traffic through the south San Fernando Valley from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. has sped up about 7% — from an average 43 mph to 46 mph. And since the 14-mile busway opened Oct. 29, the amount of time that morning commuters waste being stuck in congestion — defined as traffic slower than 35 mph — has declined about 14%, the study found.As for the Harbor, the LA Times, Daily News, Daily Breeze, and Long Beach Press Telegram are all reporting that LA and Long Beach are joining sides to monitor air pollution in the harbor area.
Snip from the Daily Breeze: Setting aside their normally competitive ways, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will join forces to measure the air pollution emitted in and around the two harbors, officials said Thursday.Here's to better air in 2006!
The commissions that oversee the two ports are scheduled to vote next month on an agreement allowing the two agencies, which typically seek an edge over each other in maritime matters, to coordinate the collection of data particulate matter and other harbor emissions.
Posted by Anonymous @ 12/30/2005 08:56:00 AM
2 Comments:
Nice to see this blog covering harbor issues. I hope the ports are finally serious about tackling air pollution, which impact all of us not just those near the booming ports. In terms of the LAHC, I'm hearing conflicting signals. On one hand, bold, encouraging comments from Freeman, on the other hand the possible marginalizing of groups like PCAC.
Amen to cleaner air in 2006!
The two ports must immediately enter into a working partnership with the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) to make sure that this data is used in a responsible manner.
Otherwise we fear that it will become just another weapon in their spin arsenal, used to make the public think the the problem has gone away on its own.
When the SCAQMD says the air is safe, the public will believe it, and not before.
Furthermore, as the two ports are emitting over 3000 TONS of toxic, carcinogenic diesel particulates this year, leading to over 300 premature deaths and over $2 BILLION in externalized health care costs, we need ACTION NOW to clean up these emissions, not stalling while they do more "studies".
Thank you for covering this literally life and death issue.
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