SGV Connect 30 – Changes for the Gold Line and California’s Climate Crisis

SGV Connect Logo Black (2)

This week’s SGV Connect features an update on construction plans for Phase II of the Gold Line Foothill Extension and a discussion of two recent reports on climate change.

First, Kris Fortin interviews Habib Balian, CEO of the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority. Recently, the Authority has been in the news because of changes to its construction plans and schedules. You can read more about the changes at the Inland Valley Bulletin or Bloomberg News.

Then Damien Newton interviews Streetsblog California editor Melanie Curry. Last week, Curry wrote about a state report that illustrates how California is failing to meet its own greenhouse gas emission goals. The primary culprit? Too much driving. Newton and Curry discuss the state of climate advocacy in California and what individual choices everyone can make to help reduce the impacts of the global climate crisis.

SGV Connect is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit Foothill Transit. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.” 

  • This project was effectively designed in the late 1990s and yet won’t open until 2030 realistically. Dump the car/VMT inducing parking structures plus as many of the LOS-required overpasses as possible and rebid the project as a railway only. There are plenty of contractors in from the Midwest who can come in and do this project at a lower cost than the giants that had to bid the parking-fat project that will be *not* on time and is apparently *over* budget as things stand now.

  • Express Lanes were birthed by the Bush 43 administration:

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/16/AR2008031603085.html

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG