Expo Line crossing issue goes to mediation, for now

There's a wee bit of a development on the California Public Utilities Commission's hearings over the two disputed crossings along the Expo Line light-rail project in Los Angeles: the parties involved have been ordered into mediation this afternoon to try to agree on a way to solve the crossing issue at Dorsey High School.

The train, as proposed, would cross Farmdale Avenue, which runs adjacent to the high school in South Los Angeles. The Expo Line Construction Authority, which is building the  line, wants to cross the street at grade, whereas community activists say that's not safe and want the train to go under or above Farmdale.

At this point, the judge has told the parties to consider three options in their mediation: an under-crossing, over-crossing or pedestrian bridge over the tracks. If they can't agree, hearings over the crossings will resume in September.

"I would say we're happy to negotiate in good faith, and we intend to do that, and if we're not able to reach an agreement then we'll be presenting our case in September," said Samantha Bricker, the chief operation officer of the construction authority. "Our goal is to move this project forward and complete it as quickly as possible."

Damien Goodmon, of the Citizens' Campaign to Fix the Expo Line, said he was pleased that the three options in mediation did not include an at-grade crossing, but he wouldn't commit to the proposed pedestrian bridge. He would only say that that's an option that he may take back to the community for consideration.

The pedestrian bridge, according to the construction authority, is estimated to cost about $7 million. Over- and under-crossings for the train would cost millions more,  the authority says.

The other crossing dispute--at Harvard Avenue next to the Foshay Learning Center, nearby in South L.A.--isn't on the table at this time. Again, the construction authority wants an at-grade crossing and activists don't.

The construction authority wants to finish the Expo Line between downtown and Culver City by 2010. The PUC hearings are significant because decisions about the crossings could affect the cost of the project and lead to delays.

--Steve Hymon

photo: Expo Line Construction Authority

Comments

[J in Pasadena]

Here is a nice chart showing how LA has almost the fewest miles of mass transit rail in the country yet the MTA has managed to get us to the top of the list in fatalities:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/2003-01-07-rail-fatalities.htm

MTA strikes again!

[TonyR]

As a taxpayer who is going to be paying off 20 billion in LAUSD loans for the next 30 years I really have no problem with the school district using that bond money for grade separation, pedestrian bridges or whatever near Dorsey and Overland Elementary.

[browne]

My opinion is this, regardless of what side you're on one can't misrepresent the truth to get your way. I was at the hearing and it was really shocking. I truly thought METRO actually had a study supporting their position and from what I saw they didn't. It seemed to me that they implied things that simply were not true.

Should the project be delayed for a neighborhood? Who knows.

Will an at grade crossing be that dangerous? Who knows.

Should an agency misrepresent the truth so they can win a debate? I'm going to say that's a definite no.

[Bob Zwolinski]

Thank you again Steve for yet another insightful look into the EXPO dilemma.
This is truly ridiculous! I’m sure the students at Dorsey High are intelligent enough to stay out of harm’s way when the bells start clanging and the lights start flashing an the 4-quadrant semaphores start coming down and he pedestrian gates start to close.
It looks like it’s the crazed adults that are having an issue with this, not the intelligent Dorsey High students. They’re most likely laughing at this entire thing.
As for Foshay, it looks like the existing undercrossing/tunnel that has been there since the Pacific Electric days should suffice.
Hopefully whatever mediation is chosen will not hold up the construction timeline and without too much cost overrun.
I’ve been waiting decades for this line to be built!
I’m tired of driving in gridlock and taking those damn crawling buses in this town!

[Jerome H. Weymouth]

I am in favor of a flyover at Farmdale, my reasoning are that emergencies vehicle need acess to the school and the surrounding neighborhoods around them. I am a full supporter of the expo-line. I support a bridge here at Farmdale...For easy access of vehicles.....I don't believe the frightening reports of Gang fights spilling out on the tracks nor do i belive the high school students are complete morons and will cross in front on moving trians!

[Dana Gabbard]

Despite the spin Damien Goodmon has been giving this as a huge victory (see his press release: http://www.thebusbench.com/2008/08/press-release-d.html) actually this is a huge setback since the not well hidden agenda of his NIMBY allies, including the Cheviot Hills opponents of the project who famously in a memo spoke of "Our work in South L.A." (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/bottleneck/2008/07/expo-line-phase.html) was to weigh down the project with so many hundreds of millions in additional costs (supposedly to protect children) that it would kill it. Mandating a pedestrian bridge is an unnecessary expense but would also be a death blow for Expo foes.

Mssrs. Hicks and Hutchinson debating leadership in South L.A.lneed only look at this so called grassroots movement to see an example of dysfunctional politics:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oew-hicks-hutchinson11-2008aug11,0,2661841.story

[BOB2]

Unlike some "community" activitsts, I don't feel that the young people at Dorsey are stupid. Certainly they are every bit as bright when it comes to waliking through, gates, bells, and whistles, in front of a moving train, as the young people in Pasaena, at Blair High School, on the Gold Line.

It is an insult to these young people to be "used" by opponents to the Expo Line. Those opposing Expo care not one iota for these young people. It is just a ploy to stop the Expo line, by a small faction of nimby's and their front man. We had the same nonsense in Pasadena from a group called NO-BLAG, In the end they were discredited by their lies, and the Gold line has been a great succcess.

[Jimmy]

This is ridiculous. So it's safe to have multi-lane roads of speeding cars that run continuously throughout the day, can veer off the road, change lanes, or run up on the sidewalk thanks to a drunk driver, but its too dangerous to have a light rail train running on a fixed track in a straight line occasionaly? How does that make sense? If kids can navigate the absolute anti-pedestrian landscape of uncrossable streets and minimal/dangerous sidewalks that is all of southern california then they are good enough to avoid being hit by a train.

[bikinginla]

The small town I grew up in had a railroad track -- a major north/south line -- running right through the middle of town. They just taught us not to play on the tracks, and not to step in front of oncoming trains. But maybe that's too much for city kids to handle.

[richard schumacher]

Sheesh. Are these schools for mentally disabled or suicidal kids?

Fine. Whatever. But of those three options the MTA must choose overpasses. If they use underpasses or pedestrian bridges, vandals will be dropping cinder blocks onto passing trains for fun. And the BRU should be required to pay for painting out the graffiti each week.

[Darrell Clarke]

Thanks for the details, Steve.

A correction on the Harvard crossing, though: The Expo Authority's application is to reinforce and place tracks on the existing pedestrian tunnel under Exposition Blvd. in front of Foshay Learning Center, not an at-grade crossing. The CPUC is also considering an alternative of replacing the tunnel with a pedestrian bridge.

Nearby at-grade crossings at Western and Denker Avenues were already approved by the CPUC last December. Your construction photo shows the new tracks being installed across Denker in June. These crossings are very similar to crossings by schools along the Eastside Gold Line and in Portland and Phoenix.

See http://friends4expo.org for more.