Someone is Listening: 7th Street / Metro Center Upgrades

May 30, 2013 5 Comments

Someone must be listening. About a month ago I wrote a post claiming that the screens at the 7th Street / Metro Center Station were poorly placed and could — with simple content changes — be much more effective for riders.

Last weekend, the most important of these changes were made.

Some banks of screens at 7th Street / Metro Center now show departure times for all four lines at the station.

Some banks of screens at 7th Street / Metro Center now show departure times for all four lines at the station.

The screens closest to the tracks on the upper level now show both Red/Purple and Blue/Expo departure times. So, when you get off the Blue or Expo Lines, you’ll be able to quickly see how long you have to get downstairs and make a transfer.

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Mapping the Screens at 7th Street / Metro Center

April 24, 2013 15 Comments

Over the past few months, a number of screens have been added to the upper level of the 7th Street / Metro Center station. Since the Expo Line opened a year ago, there are now four lines sharing this station, and the screens show departure information for the Blue and Expo Lines (which are on the upper level), and the Red and Purple Lines (on the lower level).

Unfortunately, many of these screens have been added in less-than-useful places or show less-than-useful information.

Take, for example, these two screens that show you departure times on your way out of the station (presumably, after you’ve gotten off of the train), rather than on your way in.

On the left is the view as you exit the station toward Figueroa. There's two screens telling you train departure times. Meanwhile, those entering the station (view on the right) see a blank space with no information.

On the left is the view as you exit the station toward Figueroa. There are two screens showing you train departure times. Meanwhile, those entering the station (view on the right) see a blank space with no information.

Every day, when I get off the Expo Line and prepare to transfer to the Red Line, I (and a mad rush of commuters) practically run over to the stairs to peer down at the lower level in hopes that my train is not already sitting there, ready to close its doors as I’m stuck in a crowd trying to make my way downstairs. Every day, hanging from the ceiling just above me are two screens, both of which show departure times for Expo Line, which I just got off.

I’ve always thought to myself, “Wouldn’t it be nice if that screen showed the Red Line times instead?” Then, I could simply look up and know that my train wouldn’t be leaving for another 4 minutes and I’d have no reason to rush, letting those who did need to hurry tap their cards and get down the stairs before me. I started looking around the station and I realized there are a ton of screens, but they often show riders info for the lines they just got off, rather than the lines they might be going to.

So I decided to map out the screens and try to determine a more useful way to display the same information, just by changing what is on each screen.

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Three Suggestions for Grand Park

October 30, 2012 1 Comment

I reviewed the first section of Grand Park back when it opened this summer, but now the whole park is finally open. It’s been a few weeks and I’ve been able to spend some evenings and afternoons at Grand Park — relaxing, reading, or sitting in the shade and talking on the phone. I have also attended some of the programmed events at the park (Dance Downtown, CicLAvia…).

I thought it was about time to review the park again with some of my new thoughts now that it’s completely open.

First of all, I love Grand Park. I think it’s a great civic space, as well as a wonderful amenity for those (like myself) who live nearby. I know that a lack of grass was a common complaint with the first section, but the opening of the third section has effectively assuaged my fears there. I realize the court of flags is mostly concrete, but it’s still a neat area to walk around, and I’ve been able to find my own little shady spot to sit on the grass on multiple occasions. It’s sort of the pass-through area between the other ends of the park (anchored by the large event lawn on one end and fountain on the other), but I think it also serves as a more calm and private section of the park for those wanting to stake out a little spot and relax. The flags are a cool civic monument–something Los Angeles often seems to lack compared to other cities.

Also, I’m just dying to have a huge neighborhood dinner party on the large wooden table (which I think might actually be an exhaust vent for below, but I’m not sure).

I envision enjoying an amazing community meal with all of my friends around this large wooden table.

The three sections of the park make a very effective whole when put together, but they’re still clearly split into three disjointed sections, which brings me to my three suggestions:

• Connect the Sections
• Open the City Hall Spring Street Entrance
• Don’t Overprogram the Space

Read on for explanations of each… Read more of this post

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Grand Park: Half-Way There

August 1, 2012 1 Comment

LA’s newest park opened this week with a splash (literally… there were tons of people, myself included, splashing around in the fountain’s membrane pool), but it’s only half way there.

I say this not to be negative, but because the park is actually only half open. The first two blocks (which are really contiguous as one) opened this week, but the final two will open later in the fall.

It’s hard to accurately judge the park before it’s completely open, but I’d like to give a quick review anyway.

With the lighted fountain and City Hall in the background, Grand Park feels like the open, public, and civic space Los Angeles had been missing.

First of all, I love the park. It’s been compared to Central Park in New York and Millennium Park in Chicago, with some push back from those involved in making it happen as well as those who are critical of the new park. Instead of focusing on “this one’s larger” or “this one has more art” and similar specifics, though, I think that the parks all accomplish a similar thing regardless of how different they may actually be. Its still opening week and the awe hasn’t worn off, but I’ve spent one afternoon and another evening at the park and it’s been full of people walking around, sitting at tables, reading, eating, playing in the fountain, taking pictures, and more both times. What the park does is give residents, employees, tourists, and anyone else a place to relax, a place to come together for events, a place to enjoy the beautiful weather, and a place to sit and appreciate the city. In this way, the park is very much like both Central Park and Millennium Park.

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