East LA Braces for Gold Line Opening

The Metro Gold Line eastside extension - connecting East LA to Pasadena via Downtown - is set to begin operation in September, just a couple of months after the initial scheduled opening. Metro is currently working on last-minute cosmetic details, removing construction equipment, and testing the mechanics of the 6-mile extension. The line is projected to carry 13,000 passengers per day in the first year, but every prior rail opening in the city has far surpassed rider expectations. Primary in pre-opening considerations is safety, according to MTA, especially in the underground segment of the line - the dual tunnel system that has been constructed under Boyle Heights.

Pedestrian and vehicle safety workshops are being conducted in the communities that the new line will serve, especially those that may not have been exposed to light-rail transit, namely the largely Spanish-speaking communities east of the LA River. In addition, MTA has employed safety ambassadors to stand outside of the stations for the next 6 months, answering questions and giving instructions to curious passers-by. MTA has proven extremely diplomatic in its approach to the construction and introduction of this line, having also assisted nearby small businesses maintain customer traffic despite construction inconveniences. This is an approach MTA will want to retain for public relations with South LA communities that will be affected by the incoming Expo Line. Some residents there have fought immutably to block ground-level crossings. Residents will also want to watch for safety statistics on the new Gold Line.

And drivers take warning: cameras will be placed at every train crossing, ready to ticket those imprudent drivers who make illegal turns.

Italian Rail Manufacturer to Commence "Greening" of Downtown

AnsaldoBreda, the Italian lightrail manufacturer that has held a contract with MTA in the past, has been entrusted to build a "green" industrial plant near the LA River, in anticipation of extended contracts with Metro. The Community Redevelopment Agency is expediting its decision to allow the company to build on the exclusive site in exchange for a renewed $300 million contract with Metro. MTA criticized the Italian firm for its handling of the delivery of the 50 cars shown in the video above, but the firm has promised 650 full-time area jobs to accompany the plant and corporate headquarters. At 12% unemployment, the city is hardly in a position to turn them down.

Under the agreement, AnsaldoBreda will lease 16 of the 20 acres for 50 years, allowing the city to seek other tenants. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the CRA hope a "clean plant" on the corner of 15th St and Santa Fe Ave will anchor a string of new green technology centers in the city's emptying industrial core. The city, which purchased the prized property from the state in 2008, is demanding a $15 million deposit from the company, with annual rents approaching $1 million. AnsaldoBreda, which has produced lightrail cars for cities across the US and Europe, is anxious to be granted the new 100 car contract, which will provide the MTA with its necessary arsenal for the new Expo and Gold lightrail lines.

These negotiations are a prime example of how complex local private-public partnerships can be. The mayor's office, the CRA, the MTA, and AnsaldoBreda all have distinct goals and interests for the outcome of the agreements. In theory, everyone can win - AnsaldoBreda saves money by manufacturing locally, the mayor gets bragging rights on job creation and green technology, the CRA gets development in a blighted neighborhood, and the MTA gets its cars. But the red tape and the pricetag bargains mean it's not so easy. The LA Times published a smart article that outlines the city's plans for a grand redevelopment of the industrial wasteland straddling the river downtown. Let's hope this works, because if it doesn't, Villaraigosa will be remembered as the mayor that promised everything and delivered absolutely nothing.