Metrolink: Understaffed and Underfunded

The Sept. 12 crash of a Metrolink commuter train with a U.P. freight train resulting in 25 deaths has brought attention to Southern California's regional rail system, revealing that it is a weak 'stepchild' to the larger, better funded LA MTA.

1 minute read

September 22, 2008, 10:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


"The commuter rail service known as Metrolink -- Southern California's only true regional mass transit carrier -- gets little money and even less political respect.

It is guided by a board weighted with officials from small cities across five counties, which chip in to cover Metrolink's expenses and connect their local transit networks.

Unlike the larger Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which has billions of dollars to run light rail lines, subways and buses across Los Angeles County, Metrolink operates on a relative shoestring."

From "Metrolink woes: Let us count the ways" (LA Times, Opinion, 9/20):

"More people have died on its trains in the last 10 years than on any other line of similar size in the U.S. Over the last nine years, 74 people have been killed in incidents involving Metrolink.

Only New Jersey Transit, which carries five times as many people over six times the distance, has suffered more fatalities over that period – 79."

Saturday, September 20, 2008 in Los Angeles Times

View form second story inside Southdale Mall in Edina, Minnesota with escalators and model cars parked on downstairs floor.

The Mall Is Dead — Long Live the Mall

The American shopping mall may be closer to its original vision than ever.

March 21, 2024 - Governing

View of Austin, Texas skyline with river in foreground during morning golden hour.

The Paradox of American Housing

How the tension between housing as an asset and as an essential good keeps the supply inadequate and costs high.

March 26, 2024 - The Atlantic

Houston, Texas skyline.

Report: Las Vegas, Houston Top List of Least Affordable Cities

The report assesses the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households.

March 22, 2024 - Urban Edge

Aerial view of Anchorage, Alaska downtown with mountains in background at golden hour.

Anchorage Leaders Debate Zoning Reform Plan

Last year, the city produced the fewest new housing units in a decade.

March 28 - Anchorage Daily News

Young man in wheelchair crossing zebra crosswalk.

How to Protect Pedestrians With Disabilities

Public agencies don’t track traffic deaths and injuries involving disabled people, leaving a gap in data to guide safety interventions.

March 28 - Governing

Aerial view of mountain town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado in the winter with snow at dusk.

Colorado Town Fills Workforce Housing Need With ‘Dorm-Style’ Housing

Median rent in Steamboat Springs is $4,000 per month.

March 28 - CBS News

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.