Advocates Push for Development of the Metro Rail Line in Washington's Southeast District
In Washington, D.C., Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn is leading a delegation of local elected officials to advocate for federal funding for the Southeast Gateway Metro Rail Line. The project, which has recently completed its environmental process, is a 19-mile light rail line that will stretch from Artesia to Union Station, serving 1.4 million residents and generating an estimated $5 billion annually in business opportunities.
The project was originally proposed over twenty years ago and has gained significant support in recent years. Earlier this year, Hahn held a renaming contest in which thousands of residents across LA County voted to name the project the 'Southeast Gateway Line.' The new name was chosen to better reflect the project's reach and potential impact on the communities it will serve within the local community.
The specific agency involved in the project is the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro), a regional transit agency. The engagement with the federal government typically involves local and federal government collaboration for funding and approvals. The project has already received funding from voter-approved sales tax measures Measure R and Measure M, with nearly $2 billion in local sales tax allocated for its construction.
The delegation includes Paramount Councilmember Vilma Cuellar Stallings, Paramount Councilmember Isabel Aguayo, Artesia Mayor Pro Tem Ali Taj, Maywood Councilmember Heber Marquez, South Gate Vice Mayor Maria Davila, Downey Mayor Mario Trujillo, and Lakewood Councilmember David Arellano. Vilma Cuellar Stallings, who also serves as the President of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments, stated that the communities along the line are unified in supporting the project.
Artesia Mayor pro tem Ali Sajjad Taj expressed gratitude for Supervisor Hahn's leadership and stated that the project will ignite economic growth, create union-paying jobs, and provide affordable housing. Metro plans to begin utility relocation and pre-construction work for the Southeast Gateway Line later this Fall, with major construction expected to begin in the next few years.
Supervisor Hahn had previously criticized the project's former name (the West Santa Ana Branch) for hindering its funding and attention. The new name, the Southeast Gateway Line, is expected to attract more support and funding, making it eligible for federal funding. The line will pass through 12 communities including Cerritos, Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, South Gate, Cudahy, Bell, Huntington Park, Vernon, and unincorporated Florence-Firestone.
The Southeast Gateway Line is a crucial project for the region, as one-in-five residents along the route do not have their own car and rely on public transit. The project is expected to significantly improve the quality of life for residents by providing a reliable and efficient public transportation option. Supervisor Hahn and members of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments are hopeful that their advocacy efforts will result in federal funding for the project, furthering its progress and bringing much-needed transportation solutions to the communities it will serve.
