L.A. Metro to Release Final EIS/EIR for Regional Connector

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) announced Jan. 11 that it will release its Final Environmental Impact Statement/Report (EIS/EIR) for the Regional Connector Project on Jan. 20, 2012, for a 30-day public review period. Metro has also scheduled two community open houses Feb. 7 and 8 in Downtown L.A. to allow the public to learn more about the project and the report.

The Regional Connector, a Measure R transportation project, is a proposed fully underground light rail line that will connect the Metro Gold Line to the Metro Blue Line and soon-to-open Expo Line. The Final EIS/EIR contains recommendations for the nearly 2-mile alignment and three station locations. The report also includes recommendations for environmental mitigations for the project.

The Metro Board is expected to consider the report recommendations at its Feb. 23, 2012, board meeting. Pending funding approval, construction could begin in 2013.

The Regional Connector will connect the Metro Gold Line, Blue Line and Expo Line enabling passengers to eventually travel from Montclair to Long Beach and from East Los Angeles to Santa Monica as a “one-seat ride.” By providing continuous through service between these lines, the Regional Connector will improve access to both local and regional destinations and greatly improve the connectivity of the transportation network for the region.

The Regional Connector Transit Corridor Study commenced in 2007 with the development of the Alternatives Analysis, which looked at over 30 potential alternatives. In 2009, the Metro Board of Directors approved the initiation of the Draft EIS/EIR to analyze four alternatives. In late 2010, a fifth alternative was added to the study. This fifth alternative was identified as the “Locally Preferred Alternative” in October 2010. The LPA was then further refined to address community comments regarding potential construction impacts. Portions of the Draft EA/EIR were recirculated during the summer of 2011.

Public comments on the Final EIS/EIR will be accepted through Feb. 20, 2012. The report will be available at metro.net/regionalconnector.