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.Both Metro(2008) and LADOT (undated[a]) operate such facilities for many oftheir express bus and rail services, but coverage is not uniform.Forexample, LADOT operates 14 commuter express lines.No park-and-ride lot serves four of these lines the 413, 422, 431, and 437 whilethe other 10 lines offer a total of 32 available lots.As a final note, while conducting the research for this book, wefound that the available information on park-and-ride lots on the Websites of several local agencies was either insufficient or incorrect.Tofoster greater utilization of available facilities, it would be helpful foragencies to provide accurate and up-to-date information on the loca-tion of lots, the cost (if any) for using the lots, the hours of operation,the level of security offered, and the availability of any other amenities,such as restrooms or refreshments.Interaction with Other StrategiesPark-and-ride lots by themselves are unlikely to reduce congestion.Rather, they must be integrated with other facilities and services thatdirectly support higher-occupancy transportations, such as HOV lanes(see Appendix B3) or high-quality transit options (see Appendixes B25and B26).Their performance can be further enhanced through addi-tional strategies that encourage travelers to carpool (see Appendix B11)or use transit rather than driving alone, including employer-based TDMprograms (see Appendix B14), employer parking cash-out (see Appen-dix B21), variable curb-parking rates (see Appendix B20), HOT lanes(see Appendix B18), and cordon congestion tolls (see Appendix B19).APPENDIX B5Officers at IntersectionsTraffic officers are often used to streamline the flow of traffic throughbusy intersections before and after special events or when traffic sig-nals are impaired.This same strategy can be extended to reduce trafficcongestion on a daily basis by placing traffic officers to help control thebusiest intersections during rush hours.Traffic officers at these inter-sections can actively manage traffic, deter vehicles or pedestrians fromblocking intersections, and discourage any other driving behavior thatmay directly or indirectly exacerbate congestion.This strategy is currently employed in many cities and statesthroughout the United States.Examples include Washington, D.C.,Atlanta, Toledo, Houston, and Seattle.The strategy was also recentlyimplemented in the city of Los Angeles (L.A.Office of the Mayor,2005).Evaluation of StrategyCost/Revenue ImplicationsRating: Medium cost.This strategy entails significant ongoingoperational costs in the form of traffic-officer salaries.If officers arediverted from other duties to control intersections (that is, if additionalofficers are not hired to staff this function), then there is still a corre-sponding opportunity cost stemming from the strain on resources toperform other duties such as patrolling or responding to calls thatthe officers could be performing if they were not assigned to trafficcontrol.239240 Moving Los Angeles: Short-Term Policy Options for Improving TransportationShort-Term Effectiveness in Reducing CongestionRating: Medium.Existing evidence suggests that this strategy is arelatively effective short-term measure for reducing congestion.A pilotstudy conducted by the City of Los Angeles found that, by placingofficers at some of the city s busiest intersections, the travel times alonga series of routes that passed through those intersections were reducedby an average of 31 percent.At one of the busiest intersections, theamount of time spent waiting to pass through the intersection wasreduced by 70 percent (Jeff, 2006b).Inappropriate or illegal driver or pedestrian behavior can exac-erbate congestion at busy intersections.Drivers and pedestrians oftenblock the intersection and impede the flow of cross traffic.One studyindicates that the presence of traffic officers may deter such behav-iors (Pigman, Agent, and Green, 2006).The study tested various tech-niques and procedures to reduce speed in work zones and found thatthe presence of traffic officers was most effective in reducing driversspeed.Likewise, the presence of traffic officers may reduce congestionby deterring drivers from entering the intersection square when theycannot pass all the way through.Long-Term Effectiveness in Reducing CongestionRating: Low.While placing officers at busy intersections can helprelieve current traffic conditions, it will do little to stem future system-wide growth in travel and congestion.In addition, triple convergence islikely to erode, over time, any short-term congestion relief.Mobility, Accessibility, and Traveler ChoiceRating: Good.Using officers to help control busy intersectionscan improve the traffic flow and, in turn, reduce congestion for driversas well as bus riders.In addition, it may also help make intersectionssafer for pedestrians and cyclists.SafetyRating: Good.The presence of traffic officers at intersectionsshould have the effect of deterring dangerous driving, cycling, 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