A state regulatory agency's recent approval of a street-level crossing for a light-rail line next to Dorsey High School in South Los Angeles has left some officials generally pleased and some community members up in arms.
The California Public Utilities Commission's (CPUC) unanimous approval allows for an amended plan of the crossing to become reality. The amended plan calls for construction of a street-level — or "at-grade" — station with some safety enhancements on Farmdale Avenue.
"With the station comes additional safety enhancements, and that's how we are addressing concerns," said Gabriela Collins, a spokesperson with the Exposition Construction Authority, a public entity established to oversee the construction of the Expo Line project.
Some community members remain concerned about the at-grade crossing, however, and say they see it as unsafe for students in the area.
The CPUC conducted a study and determined that underground and aerial crossings are not feasible at the Farmdale station and surrounding areas, Collins said, adding that the agency has come to the conclusion that a street-level station with safety features is appropriate.
The Farmdale station is designed to offer a new commuting option to Dorsey faculty, staff, students and other community members. The safety enhancements at the station will include security cameras, bells and flashers, vehicle and pedestrian crossings with quad and pedestrian gates and more. Also, trains will come to a complete stop at the station, and won't go more than 15 miles per hour while in the area of the school.
"It's safer for pedestrians and vehicles," Collins said.
Eighth District Los Angeles City Councilmember Bernard Parks shared similar sentiments.
"I am pleased the California Public Utilities Commission has given the green light for the Farmdale station, removing the final hurdle in the approval process for Phase 1 of the Expo Line," Parks said in an e-mailed statement. "With the added improvements to ensure pedestrian safety, residents can look forward to a new, state-of-the-art light-rail train that is both quick and efficient for passengers, as well as safe for pedestrians."
Tenth District City Councilmember Herb Wesson responded to the decision in a prepared statement: "In terms of improving safety and moving the project forward, the Commission's decision is significant. As a community, we want to reap the benefits. But we also want to avoid problems. So, monitoring the project in all respects will continue to be a priority."
A spokesperson for the community group that began the Fix Expo Campaign to raise concerns about original plans for the light-rail line near Dorsey High said that community members feel abandoned by the decision — dissatisfied with the station's construction and doubtful of the safety enhancements.
"We have never been opposed to the rail line — we've been opposed to the way it's being built," said Damien Goodmon, executive director of the United Community Associations Inc., which seeks to bring together the community to focus on issues such as traffic, safety and environmental inequalities.
The Expo Line route for its first phase will run from Downtown to Culver, with much of its east-west course through South Los Angeles along Exposition Boulevard. The first phase is expected to open sometime next year, and planners hope that a second phase will continue from Culver to Santa Monica in the future.
Construction on the second phase of the project has yet to begin, but it could start next year and be completed in 2015, according to Samantha Bricker, chief operating officer of the Expo Authority.
Crossings near schools could remain a concern among residents of areas near the second phase, as well.
Kaylee Davis is a student who interned for the Los Angeles Sentinel, a sister paper of the L.A. Watts Times.
Image from thesource.metro.net.
Read more stories from the L.A. Watts Times »
Leave a comment