Governor Signs Surfliner/LOSSAN Reorganization Bills

Saturday, Governor Brown signed the two bills (SB 1225 and AB 1779) to facilitate local agencies assuming management of the Pacific Surfliner and San Joaquin intercity-rail routes. Streetsblog previously published an an in-depth piece exploring the history and challenges involved.

While the LOSSAN Technical Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday at Metro’s headquarters building, this will mostly entail nothing of consequence beyond an update as to the next steps of the process. The real action will be on October 15th when the LOSSAN Board meets (again, at the Metro headquarters building).

I am inclined to agree with the comments to my post that Metro is applying to be the managing agency that regional politics and tensions are such that Metro's application is by no means a slam-dunk to succeed. I hear whispers there are several other LOSSAN Board member agencies that are also interested in applying. And of course the LOSSAN Board has to work out the touchy issue of the composition of the reconfigured joint powers board that will assume control of the service. That process will lay bear what level of mis-trust, suspicion and regional tensions exist among the key players in this drama.

You can sure I'll be keeping an eye on this process.