If you live in the Valley, you may want to stay out of the Orange Line right of way from here on out.

As of yesterday, Metro has begun conducting test runs on the new busway, sending huge Metro Liner busses (pictured above) up and down the converted rail corridor to make sure the behemoths actually work, and that the Line itself functions as designed.

Assuming all goes well in the shake-out phase, the Orange Line is on target for launch in the fall of this year. Whether anyone will actually ride it remains to be seen, but transit geeks everywhere have their fingers crossed.

In other transit news:

- Amongst the winners in the Transportation Bill porkfest were some real, live, worthy transit projects. One of those, the proposed Pasadena-Montclair Gold Line extension, has moved to the forefront of Metro's expansion plans, thanks to an infusion of millions of federal tax dollars.

- Almost ten years later, the fallout continues from the Red Line's troubled construction process. Metro is now set to pay between $40 and $60 million dollars to settle a dispute with their primary insurer over claims generated by the agency's tunneling efforts.

- Surprise! Transit agencies are looking to increase advertising on their trains, busses, and stations. Seems that they're strapped for cash, or something...  ¶ 3:25 PM