2011 shaping up to be big year for L.A. light-rail expansion

If all goes as anticipated, 2011 will mark a milestone for L.A. transit officials: It would be the first time L.A. would have three rail projects under construction at the same time.

Metro plans to begin construction of a new rail line along Crenshaw Boulevard, complete the Expo Line to Culver City and continue work on an expansion of the Gold Line from Pasadena to Azusa.

The idea is to bring mass transit to corners of the county that until now have not had rail as an option. The biggest example is the densely populated, traffic-choked Westside. Phase 1 of the Expo Line goes to Culver City, and Phase 2 is to go to Santa Monica.

The Crenshaw Line would take rail into parts of South L.A. and Inglewood, while the Gold Line extension would push L.A.'s rail network east from Pasadena to Azusa. Proposed extensions would take it to Montclair and then to Ontario International Airport.

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-- Ari Bloomekatz