LA Metro sets Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 community meetings

As environmental work continues for the Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 project, Los Angeles Metro will hold four community scoping meetings on February 22-27 in Pico Rivera, South El Monte, Montebello and Whittier to review two build alternatives: light rail transit via State Route 60 and on Washington Boulevard in addition to a transportation systems management (improving bus services), and a no-build alternative.

The Eastside Transit
Corridor Phase 2 project area consists of portions of eight jurisdictions
including the cities of Commerce, Montebello, Monterey Park, Pico Rivera,
Rosemead, Santa Fe Springs, South El Monte, Whittier, and unincorporated areas
of Los Angeles County.

The scoping meetings are
the first step in the preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement/Report (DEIS/DEIR) in accordance with National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

The public will learn
about the proposed project, provide input on the alternatives and the
evaluation process used to identify and mitigate environmental impacts.

The format of the
meetings will include an open house followed by a presentation to inform
participants of the environmental process and provide an opportunity to ask
questions about the study and submit comments.

Since 2007, Metro has
conducted an Alternative Analysis and has prepared supplemental technical
studies to identify feasible routes to extend the Metro Gold Line Eastside
Extension to cities farther east of Los Angeles.

Every day, approximately
50,000 commuting trips leave the area bound for central Los Angeles and 115,000
daily work trips are made within the study area, itself. These existing
conditions, combined with projected population growth of 24 percent and
employment growth of 15 percent over the next 30 years, illustrate the need for
additional transit alternatives.