Big decision could delay Expo Line

A state authority is set to decide next week whether transportation planners have done enough to make the Expo Line safe as it passes two South Los Angeles schools.

Some residents and school officials want the rail line to either be put underground or on a bridge near one or both schools.

Builders of the $862-million line say that would unnecessarily drive up costs and probably delay a transit system that could open by 2010 and provide an alternative to the Westside's traffic congestion.

The rail line follows a long-dormant right-of-way along Exposition Boulevard and will eventually connect downtown Los Angeles, USC, South Los Angeles, Culver City -- and one day Santa Monica.

But the tracks are slated to run next to the Foshay Learning Center and Dorsey High School.

Read the rest of the story here.

--Steve Hymon

Comments

[Alan K. Weeks]

Let us hope the CPUC can make logical decisions. Farmdale should have been an at grade crossing. A small group of racial ajitators has blown this crossing into a full scale war. Second best the CPUC should close Farmdale and have MTA build a pedestrain overpass. "This is a tug of war" between sanity, rationality and common sense vs. Political Correctness run amok

Alan W

[Bookkeeper]

I agree with Alan Weeks, but the "PC run amok" crowd yelling "environmental racism" is being incited by the same group of people who are suing the city over the Pico-Olympic partial one-way plan, requiring a full EIR, if you look at their website as noted in Hyman's article totday: Neighbors for Safe Rail (I think it's right, check the article) is headed by Tract 7260, whose head Mike Eveloff has been trying to block any re-development of Century City until the City does a comprehensive community plan accounting for existing traffic, etc. That group calls itself Fix Our City, and is supporting another HOA with their "legal expertise" and money.

The Cheviott for Light Rail group as also quoted by Hymon is totally correct: This Neighbors for Safe Rail which is shoring up the Damiion/ "environmental racism" crowd just wants to block ALL light rail through the westside, especially anywhere on or south of Olympic/ Pico, by raising endless obstacles and driving up costs and stalling tactics. Their reasons are totally xenophobic, to block people from South and East L A from easier access to their neighborhood via mass transit, but as with Molina/ Antonovich fighting the Measure R and "subway to the sea" from different points of view, there are all kinds of forces converging to kill the Expo II and Subway any way they can.

They are doing great harm to the majority of the city in the process, including the vast majority of residents in central/ south/ east and West L A.

[surfdaddy]

All rail rapid transit in the Los Angeles region should be grade separated. People should look at the Green Line in the El Segundo area as it passes the Toyota Sports Center. The elevated structure is quite clean lined and blends well into the surroundings. More importantly there are NO conflicts between people and trains. These cheap skates among our leaders act as if this were a cost that will be fully depraciated within a few years. The amortization period for this kind of capital investment is between 100 and 200 YEARS!. With proper maintenance it would be INDEFINITE!. What IS a waste of taxpayer's money is the misuse of the technology mode selected for these routes. Due to danger and possible liability costs these trains will be operated at much below their potential and dseigned capability. By the way...I resent the person that said the desire for grade separation was racially motivated. I am a white, 71 years old, retired U.S. Air Force officer(electronics and air traffic control), and retired State transportation/telecommunications manager. I grew up in L.A. and attended L.A. High(Class '55) which is the next high school North of Dorsey High. CHEERS!

[Interurbans]

Why is there such a big problem that seam to be only in the eyes of the agitators about the Farmdale Ave and the Foshay Learning Center crossings? With two High schools Two middle schools and three elementary schools that are directly adjacent too, or within blocks on the Gold East LA Line there is no problems there, why?

The Farmdale intersection with Expo Ave does not even warrant a traffic signal. There will be barriers at both schools to prevent anyone from crossing the tracks except at Farmdale or Western Ave. that are protected. Will crossing the tracks be any less safe than crossing the street?

If we must be so protective of the students at the two schools and take the responsibility and judgment away form them, then bridges can be built similar to the bridges on the Blue Line or highway pedestrian crossings.

Alan F

[Dan W.]

For argument's sake, if we are assuming that these students have the mental capacity to avoid an oncoming train with the safeguards already provided in the plan, and that overpasses and underpasses for pedestrians aren't considered to be enough, wouldn't it just be cheaper just to move these schools then put the whole line underground?

I was in London in September, and where I stayed there was a major commuter rail at grade crossing. There was an underground crossing for pedestrians and a gate for autos. Funny. Nobody was stupid enough to walk across the tracks when the gates were down.

How have they ever survived all these decades without grade separation for every rail crossing?

[richard schumacher]

Despite the cost MTA should consider making both of these elevated crossings to protect the trains from potentially lethal debris tossed by vandals. Completely enclosed pedestrian bridges are an alternative but they would quickly turn into toilets. (Or hey, maybe the LAUSD and the Cheviot Hills Homeowners’ Association would assume shared responsibility for maintaining them; hmm, who should volunteer to be chief janitor?)

[Robert]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who found all this a bit peculiar. Please, it's a city, and it's incumbent on everyone to know how to navigate around it despite cars, trains, etc.