This month’s MTA Board meeting began by saying goodbye to Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and Gloria Molina. Both have been long term members of the board and they were presented with recognition for their many years of service. They will be replaced by Sheila Khuel and Hilda Solis beginning December 1st.
The major item on the agenda was an approval to analyze options for the Gold Line Extension along the 60 East Corridor. Nearly every elected official whose district lays along its proposed routes was at the board meeting to speak in favor of the project.
“The Board approved going forward with a technical study of two light rail alternatives for the Eastside Gold Line Transit Corridor Phase 2 study. One alternative would extend the line to South El Monte, mostly along the 60 freeway, and the other alternative would extend the line to Whittier but eliminate the Garfield Avenue section of the route (the technical study will seek to find a different route). “
“A motion by Board Members Diane DuBois and Don Knabe asked staff to study potential connections with the West Santa Ana Branch Corridor project, which seeks to build a transit project between downtown L.A. and Santa Ana via an old streetcar right-of-way.” (Steve Hymon, November 13, 2014, Roundup of today’s meeting of the Metro Board of Directors, http://thesource.metro.net/2014/11/13/roundup-of-todays-meeting-of-metro-board-of-directors/)
During the CEO’s Report, MTA CEO Art Leahy informed the board that the MTA has completed the retrofitting of a number of current motor coaches with video surveillance monitors. Although he had no empirical evidence to support his claim, he did report a reduction of operator assaults, fare evasion, and fare disputes on buses equipped with the monitors. At the October MTA Board meeting, funding for video monitors was approved for the final 128 New Flyer buses currently on order for the MTA.
The next General Board Meeting has been scheduled for Thursday Dec 4, 2014.