Which Way, L.A.?

Lawsuit Shuts Down MTA Orange Line

The MTA-s Orange Line Busway will whisk commuters from North Hollywood to Woodland Hills in just 40 minutes--if it ever gets built. The $300 million project is 40 percent complete, but an appellate court has halted construction because of a lawsuit. Homeowners from North Hollywood to Woodland Hills say the route, which was originally purchased for a subway, is a waste of money. The court has ordered the MTA to explain why it didn-t adopt a cheaper alternative network of rapid bus lines. Are homeowners really trying to save public money, or are they NIMBY-s opposed to progress? Warren Olney speaks with Diana Lipari, director of Citizens Organized for Smart Transit, and former Assemblyman Richard Katz, who spearheaded the creation of the MTA. Making News: Outlawed SUV's Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena and Los Angeles are just some of the cities that prohibit trucks that weigh more than 6000 pounds in residential neighborhoods, but what about Suburbans, Range Rovers, Navigators and Hummers? Andy Bowers of Slate.com and NPR says he-s discovered the least enforced traffic regulation in Southern California. Reporter's Notebook: Villaraigosa Joins LA Mayoral Race Antonio Villaraigosa is the former Assembly Speaker who made national news as a run-off candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles three years ago. Now a City Councilman on the East Side, Villaraigosa has joined Bernard Parks, Bob Hertzberg and Richard Alarcon, all of whom are opposing Jim Hahn in ext year-s election. Villaraigosa says a citywide crisis of confidence led him to his decision.