E Line Closer to Extend Through Montebello and Pico Rivera
‘Extending the E Line from East LA to Whittier will offer access to jobs — including the creation of as many as 16,000 good-paying union jobs in construction — educational opportunities, and housing which will deliver economic benefits to many of our most vulnerable residents.’
WAVE NEWS SERVICES
The long-awaited extension of Metro E Line nine miles further east from its current terminus at Atlantic station in East Los Angeles to Lambert station in the City of Whittier has taken a major step toward completion.
The Board of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has approved the certification of the final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 Project.
This finalizes the environmental review for this two-phased project that will extend the line through the cities of Montebello and Pico Rivera via Washington Boulevard.
“The Eastside has been waiting many decades for this extension,” said Supervisor and Metro Board Director Hilda L. Solis, who represents the region. “Extending the E Line from East LA to Whittier will offer access to jobs — including the creation of as many as 16,000 good-paying union jobs in construction — educational opportunities, and housing which will deliver economic benefits to many of our most vulnerable residents.
“I look forward to continuing the work to improve transit connectivity for our Eastside communities.”
The Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 rail extension will provide commuters in a high travel-demand corridor relief to the limited transportation systems currently available.
The Eastside Extension will include three new underground rail stations with the new Atlantic/Whittier and Commerce/Citadel stations and the Greenwood station at street level. Additionally, a new Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) will also be added and located in the City of Montebello.
The initial segment from East Los Angeles to Greenwood Station in Montebello will include approximately three miles of light rail transit (LRT) underground, a half mile of aerial transit, and 1.1 miles of track at street level for a total of 4.6 miles of new rail line from the current terminus at Atlantic Boulevard.
“This project would not be where it is today without the invaluable contributions of our local leaders, including Supervisor Janice Hahn,” said Solis. “I am thrilled to celebrate this achievement with our community.”
“People are already commuting every day between the Westside and Downtown LA and the eastern communities I represent like Commerce, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, and Whittier,” said Supervisor and incoming Metro Board Chair Janice Hahn.
“But what they haven’t had is a fast, affordable single-seat ride to get where they’re going. With the Board’s support for this project today we are on the path to making the Eastside Extension to Whittier a reality and transforming how so many people in these communities move.”
Metro engaged with communities throughout the environmental study, and the project team will continue to coordinate with cities, property owners, third-party utility owners, and other key local, state, and federal agency stakeholders as the project develops throughout the design and re-initiating the National Environmental Policy Act.
Funds for this phase come from the Measure M transportation sales tax measure approved by voters in 2016.
Measure M allocates $6 billion for this project in two funding cycles. Cycle 1 allocates $3 billion for the Washington Alternative beginning in 2029 and Cycle 2 allocates $3 billion for the second alternative beginning in 2053. The second alternative is being evaluated through the San Gabriel Valley Transit Feasibility Study.
