A week from today, on May 28, the Metro Board of Directors will consider the agency’s 2010 budget. We need your help to ensure that the Gold Line Foothill Extension receives its fair share of Measure R funds so we can get the line open to Azusa in 2013. The proposed budget includes less than $127,000 for Foothill Extension, while giving tens of millions of dollars to projects that are still being studied. This level of funding will delay our project by four years.
Fortunately, there is a proposal to add $10 million in funding for Foothill Extension without taking a dime from any other project. Metro’s Budget and Finance Committee has recommended approval of the motion. We need you to attend the Metro board meeting next week so you can personally tell the directors that you support the Foothill Extension and you favor funding the line so the next phase can be built by 2013.
As you know, the Foothill Extension is ready to go, and it is the only rail project that could begin construction within 12 months. That means jobs. By delaying and minimizing Gold Line funding, Metro is losing the ability to get 3.3 million people off the road and onto trains every year past 2013. Metro board members and staff say they are committed to funding the Gold Line, but so far no guarantee has been made as to when the line will be funded.
We need you to join us in demonstrating to Metro that the San Gabriel Valley wants the Foothill Extension Funded Now!
Metro Board Meeting
Thursday, May 28, 2009
9:30 a.m.
Metro Headquarters, Board Room
One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Map
A couple of hours of your morning will make an impact in the lives of millions of San Gabriel Valley Residents.
The first 30 people who RSVP will receive a free t-shirt at the board meeting!
We can’t afford to wait! Tell Metro that the Foothill Extension can reduce freeway congestion and pollution and no other local rail project meets the “ready to go” criteria for economic stimulus.
To RSVP, call (888) 977-2269, or visit www.iwillride.org/signup.php to sign up.
The MTA has not said when any of the new projects are going to be funded, the Purple Line Subway, The Downtown Connector, the Gold Line Eastside II, the Crenshaw line…all of these projects are vital to the entire region, just as the Foothill extension is vital to LA County. In my opinion, the most critical project to be funded after Expo II is not the Foothill extension, but the Downtown connector. Without the DTC – the gold line is incomplete. The gold line needs to go through Downtown. I would like to see those two projects come before this (much needed) foothill extension. The DTC will show how important the Foothill extension is the the entire region.
I will start by saying that I do support the foothill extension. However, my question is how many of you are already ridding the Gold line to show your support? Because I believe the lack of interest by the MTA to fund it is due to the lack of current ridership. For example the Orange bus line is getting extended because ridership has increased and surpassed estimates since it opened plus has more riders per day than the Pas-LA Gold line. I understand that the Gold Line takes a long time from Pasadena to downtown due to how poor this line was constructed (e.g. runs through the middle of a residential street in Highland park). But the MTA will not commit any significant funds to the Foothill extension until there is significant proof that the ridership will be worth the investment. So I conclude with this, if you will ride when it’s built, then start ridding now.