Last month, the MTA Board approved an additional $54 million for an overpass in Culver City from the same source of money we've been requesting they use to build the Expo gLine underground in our South L.A. community and next to our schools and churches.
The $54 million is part of an influx of $222 million extra for the Expo Line, with not a single dollar going for putting the Expo Line underground through South L.A.
This is simply the latest act proving that this is not an issue about MTA’s access to money.
We Are Less Valuable
It’s about their failure to value South L.A. lives and communities.
The MTA is now spending more money for Expo Line Phase 1 in the ONE MILE west of La Cienega than they are IN THE ENTIRE 4 MILES IN SOUTH L.A.
If the MTA spent the same amount per mile in South L.A. as they are in the one mile from La Cienega to La Brea, they could put the Expo Line in a tunnel or trench, as we've been requesting, and still would have enough left over to paint every house on Exposition Boulevard.
But instead, they're building Expo Line Phase 1 at mostly street-level in South L.A., but totally grade separated west of La Cienega.
240 Daily Threats
MTA is building it in a way that forces thousands of our South L.A. children to walk across the tracks, with 225-ton trains coming 35-55 mph 240 times a day, while not one child will have to cross the tracks west of La Cienega.
We, in South L.A., will have 9 of our streets closed, our community divided, our traffic worsened, and our emergency services delayed, while none of that will occur west of La Cienega.
We, in South L.A., will hear 1000 train horns and crossing gate bells every day, 22 hours a day, in the middle of our residential areas and next to our schools, while no train horn or crossing gate bell will ever be heard west of La Cienega.
Call it what it is:
Plain-old fashioned environmental racism.
Two Meeting Dates
Please come to the upcoming community forums to hear about these and other very important Expo Line community updates.
The first forum is this Thursday, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Dorsey High School Auditorium, 3537 Farmdale Ave.
The second forum is next Thursday, May 29, at the Foshay Learning Center Auditorium at 6:30 p.m., at Western and Exposition.
We must stand united and show the decision-makers that we take this issue seriously.
Damien Goodmon is the coordinator of the Citizens’ Campaign to Fix the Expo Rail Line. He may be reached at dg@fixexpo.org
