L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn greets Little Tokyo Business Association President David Ikegami at the Southeast Gateway Line groundbreaking.
By ELLEN ENDO, Rafu Shimpo
ARTESIA–The Southeast Gateway light rail line (formerly West Santa Ana Branch) took a major step toward becoming a reality Oct. 24 with the announcement of a $23l million grant from the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA).
Los Angeles County Supervisor and Metro Board Chair Janice Hahn broke the news on Oct. 26 at the groundbreaking for utility relocation, the first phase in the construction process. The grant is part of the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP).
Utility relocation entails working with 34 utilities to move power lines and relocate underground pipes. “Once we have the funding that we need from our federal partners, we can build the tracks and stations without any issues. This first phase means that the Southeast Gateway Line is not just shovel-ready, it means we are putting those shovels in the ground,” Hahn said.
When completed, the Southeast Gateway Line (SGL) will stretch 14.5 miles from the Slauson/A (Blue) Line Station and include nine stations, passing through Bell, Bellflower, Cerritos, Cudahy, Downey, Florence-Firestone, Huntington Park, Los Angeles, Paramount, South Gate, and Vernon with Artesia being the southern terminus. The line will also include a new C Line Station at the 105 Freeway.
Should the line extend to Union Station, a portal at the Little Tokyo/Arts District Station could be added. According to State Sen. Bob Archuleta, former Pico Rivera mayor, “The new line will provide access to 40,000 jobs thanks to Supervisor Hahn.” He also indicated that the goal for SGL is to become a dependable alternative to driving for two million people in southeast L.A. County.
Hahn emphasized, “People are taking two or three buses … to get to work, to get to school, to get to doctors’ appointments.”
She expressed appreciation to Gov. Gavin Newsom and his team for recognizing the importance of the line to the future of the region. “I thank the entire Metro Board for prioritizing this project,” she added.
U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia pointed to the project’s anticipated economic impact and noted, “Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins and I have discussed (the fact that) this project will not get built without significant federal support.”
It is anticipated that construction of the new line will take approximately 10 years to complete.