Locals want red light on Expo
Community activists cite safety concerns, but city officials say plans are set.
Ashley Archibald
Issue date: 10/30/07 Section: News
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Community members from the North Area Neighborhood Development Council are rallying to oppose the new Exposition Light Rail Line for safety reasons, but it may be too late to alter construction plans despite recent reports that declare the line unsafe.
The Exposition Light Rail Line is a mass transit train that will stretch from Downtown Los Angeles to Culver City, with the expected goal of making that commute just 30 minutes.
Community members and activists are taking issue with numerous street-level crossings that they feel are inadequately protected, as well as the tracks' proximity to Dorsey High School. They also contend that the line appears similar in construction to the Long Beach Blue Line, which is considered the most deadly mass transit line in the nation, with 88 deaths and 796 accidents since it opened in 1990.
Their solution is to make all crossings at busy intersections grades separated from the street, either raised into the air or underground. This would add tens of millions of dollars to the project, by the group's own estimate, and a considerable amount of delay to the line's construction.
City officials and the Expo Authority, the organization formed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to oversee construction of the line, say that many of these claims are based on outdated information and most complaints have been addressed.
The Expo Authority denies that the line is dangerous, and prefers to compare it to the Pasadena Gold Line, a train that has had considerably fewer accidents and fatalities.
The protest effort is headed by Damien Goodmon, coordinator for the Fix Expo campaign, a grassroots organization pushing for changes in the construction of the line. Goodmon said he doesn't want to prevent the construction of the line; he just wants to make sure it's safe.
"We just want the line built in such a way that it's a good neighbor," Goodmon said.
An advocate for mass transit, Goodmon became involved with the project a year ago when he was approached by a group of citizens who were having difficulty getting their safety concerns heard by the Expo Authority.
The Exposition Light Rail Line is a mass transit train that will stretch from Downtown Los Angeles to Culver City, with the expected goal of making that commute just 30 minutes.
Community members and activists are taking issue with numerous street-level crossings that they feel are inadequately protected, as well as the tracks' proximity to Dorsey High School. They also contend that the line appears similar in construction to the Long Beach Blue Line, which is considered the most deadly mass transit line in the nation, with 88 deaths and 796 accidents since it opened in 1990.
Their solution is to make all crossings at busy intersections grades separated from the street, either raised into the air or underground. This would add tens of millions of dollars to the project, by the group's own estimate, and a considerable amount of delay to the line's construction.
City officials and the Expo Authority, the organization formed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to oversee construction of the line, say that many of these claims are based on outdated information and most complaints have been addressed.
The Expo Authority denies that the line is dangerous, and prefers to compare it to the Pasadena Gold Line, a train that has had considerably fewer accidents and fatalities.
The protest effort is headed by Damien Goodmon, coordinator for the Fix Expo campaign, a grassroots organization pushing for changes in the construction of the line. Goodmon said he doesn't want to prevent the construction of the line; he just wants to make sure it's safe.
"We just want the line built in such a way that it's a good neighbor," Goodmon said.
An advocate for mass transit, Goodmon became involved with the project a year ago when he was approached by a group of citizens who were having difficulty getting their safety concerns heard by the Expo Authority.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Transit Advocate
posted 10/30/07 @ 2:19 PM PST
It's a case of too little too late. There were numerous public meetings wherein all these issues could have been addressed. By bringing this up at this late date only serves to squelch the project. (Continued…)
Chris
posted 10/31/07 @ 8:51 AM PST
Environmental racism...that's funny. It's environmental racism if Metro builds rail lines in wealthy white areas, it's environmental racism if they build them in poor minority areas. (Continued…)
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