LOS ANGELES METRO BLUE LINE LIGHT RAIL SAFETY ISSUES

Light rail transit systems have become popular because of their relatively low cost; ability to operate both on and off city streets, with intermediate capacity for transporting passengers; and frequent stops in urban areas. Most LRT systems operate portions of their systems in city streets, within median strips and in transit malls. Successful operation of LRT systems in the urban environment depends on integrated light rail and traffic signal controls. The operation of LRT systems in shared right of way presents a situation for accidents because of other users (motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists) in the right of way. Many safety problems are the result of motorists' and pedestrians' failure to obey or understand traffic controls. The Metro Blue Line (MBL) is a 22-mi LRT system that operates from downtown Los Angeles to the city of Long Beach. Approximately half of the MBL route runs parallel to an existing Southern Pacific railroad right of way, travels at speeds of up to 55 mph, and traverses 28 at-grade street crossings in areas of high traffic volume. The MBL Grade Crossing Safety Program was initiated in March 1993 to evaluate various ways to discourage or prevent illegal movements being made by vehicles at grade crossings that are causing train and automobile accidents. The safety program includes four elements: enforcement, engineering, legislation, and bilingual public education.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1994/1433/1433-016.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=LOS+ANGELES+METRO+BLUE+LINE+LIGHT+RAIL+SAFETY+ISSUES&author=L.+Meadow&publication_year=1994
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309055105
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1433, Public Transportation: Bus, Rail, Ridesharing, Paratransit Services, and Transit Security. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • Meadow, Linda
• Publication Date: 1994

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: p. 123-133
• Monograph Title: Public transportation: bus, rail, ridesharing, paratransit services, and transit security
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1433
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Light rail transit; Light rail transit grade crossings; Railroad grade crossings; Right of way (Land); Safety; Subways; Traffic signals
• Identifier Terms: Blue Line (Los Angeles County Metro Rail)
• Geographic Terms: Los Angeles (California)
• Old TRIS Terms: Grade crossing safety
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00667628
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309055105
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Oct 7 1994 12:00AM