West Adams Neighborhood Council

Expo Light Rail

Mar 19, 2008

PROPOSED EXPO LINE MOTION ?– WEST ADAMS NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL

Where as, there would be a substantial environmental impact to the West Adams Neighborhood Council area from the light rail Expo Line project, which will operate all hours of the day and will impact the community frequently and consistently for generations

Where as, at-grade crossings proposed at Crenshaw Blvd, Farmdale Avenue and Buckingham Road pose a grave safety risk to motorists and pedestrians, particularly the elderly, disabled and children

Where as, train crossings are predicted in upwards of every 24 - 30 times per hour per intersection

Where as, the property lines of Susan Miller Dorsey High School, Rancho Cienega Sports Center Park and Baldwin Hills Park are less than 15 feet from the proposed tracks, and several other parks and schools and large youth population are within walking distance of the tracks

Where as, West Angeles Church of God in Christ is within 50 feet from the proposed tracks, and several other churches are within walking distance of the tracks

Where as, traffic counts at the intersection of Washington Blvd & National Blvd in the city of Culver City, state of California, where a grade separation is proposed is lower than traffic counts at Crenshaw Blvd and Exposition Blvd where no grade separation is proposed

Where as, train horns, bells, whistles, crossing gates, overpasses, sound walls, street closures and crossing gates cause noise, blight, division, traffic congestion, and obstructed access to emergency services and parks

Where as, a below grade Expo Line through the West Adams Neighborhood Council area and other South LA communities eliminates these and other adverse environmental impacts

Where as, a below grade Expo Line through the West Adams Neighborhood Council area produces a higher return on the large taxpayer investment through increased ridership, reduced travel times, reduced annual operating cost, and increased capacity for spurs that can serve several parts of our region

Be it resolved, that the West Adams Neighborhood Council opposes the current design of the light rail Expo Line

Be it further resolved, that the West Adams Neighborhood Council supports beginning to build the Expo Line below grade from the USC trench through South Los Angeles as far as the existing $640 million budget will allow, while simultaneously supporting increased investment through annual government budgets and new resources like State Proposition 1B and State Proposition 1C to complete phase 1 to Culver City.