LACMTA releases supplemental sections of the Draft EIS/EIR for study

The public review and comment period for the supplemental environmental assessment/recirculated sections of the Draft Environmental Impact Report for Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Regional Connector Transit Corridor project begins July 22. For this review period, comments are limited to only the revised chapters and sections and the new chapter provided in the new document released July 22. Comments received on the original Draft EIS/EIR during the previous comment period will be responded to in the Final EIS/EIR. The Regional Connector project would implement a light rail connector in downtown Los Angeles that would directly link the tracks of the LACMTA's Gold Line light rail system with its Blue Line and future Expo Line. The project would run from the current Blue Line terminus at 7th Street/ Center Station to a point on the Gold Line. Previously, the Draft EIS/EIR was made available for a 45-day public review on Sept. 3, 2010. The document included five alternatives: no build, transportation systems management and three alternatives utilizing light rail transit technology: fully underground, underground emphasis and at-grade emphasis. Refinements, including the approach in and out of the underground station at First Street and Central Avenue on the eastern end of the alignment, have since been made to the LPA in response to comments received on the Draft EIS/EIR. The LACMTA Board will consider certification of the Final EIS/EIR at the Dec. 8, 2011 board meeting. The Los Angeles City Council and Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors must also approve the project. The supplemental EA/Recirculated Draft EIR sections is available at LACMTA's website: www.metro.net/projects/connector.