Stop the Washington Blvd. Light Rail Train Project

PETITION FOR MONTEBELLO, AND PICO RIVERA RESIDENTS, AND LOS ANGELES COUNTY RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS AGAINST THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY GOLD LINE TRANSIT CORRIDOR PHASE2 EXTENSION WASHINGTON BOULEVARD ALTERNATIVE.

I, the undersigned, declare that I am a taxpaying resident of Los Angeles County, and I am firmly opposed to the proposed Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Light Rail Project known as the Gold Line Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 Extension, Washington Boulevard Alternative. I oppose this project for any, or all, of the following reasons:

1.If the light rail is constructed, there will be two tracks down the middle of Washington Boulevard, and they will be fenced-in. It will be the same as a barrier wall down the middle of Washington Boulevard, which cannot be crossed-through by vehicles, or pedestrians, and it will eliminate left turns either onto, or off of Washington Blvd., except at widely spaced-apart intersections. School children and parents will be in danger on school days in South Montebello. According to the Metro's own Environmental Impact Report (EIR) this will cause more traffic, congestion, and bring heightened danger to the neighborhoods north and south of Washington Boulevard. These problems will also lower the neighborhood's property values.

2.According to the Metro EIR, in order to make room for the light rail, which will be constructed down the middle of Washington Boulevard from Telegraph Road to Lambert Road in Whittier, one traffic lane in each direction will be eliminated. Traffic on Washington Boulevard will become impossibly congested, especially at rush hours.

3.Have become aware of the Transportation System Management (TSM) Alternative, which was detailed in Metro's own Environmental Impact Report (EIR), and I believe that the TSM Alternative will be a much better method of public transportation than the Metro Light Rail system. By using electric buses instead of rail cars the TSM Alternative will cost a fraction of the rail system.It can be up and running in 6 months to one year, and there will be no need for any major construction along the Washington Boulevard route. Using the TSM Alternative instead of constructing the Metro Light Rail will also save taxpayers approximately $1.65 billion.

4.The Gold Line light rail will cost taxpayers at least $1.7 billion to build. It may be possible to start using the TSM Alternative at a cost of $17 million, which is one one-hundreth of the $1.7 billion cost of the Gold Line. Even if the TSM cost is doubled to $34 million, that is still one-fiftieth of the cost of the Gold Line. Therefore, I believe building the Metro Gold Line Light Rail system will be a huge waste, and misspending of taxpayer's money if it is constructed.

5.Because the Gold Line Light Rail informational, or scoping meetings about the light rail were conducted in a secretive and false manner, it is clear that the Metro people did not want the residents of South Montebello and South Pico Rivera to know how bad the light rail system would be if it is built in those neighborhoods. They did not tell the residents about the meetings, and they did not hold any meetings in South Montebello or South Pico Rivera.

 Currently total door to door signatures exceed 1900 then add online signatures to total.

Edmund Veloz    Contact the author of the petition