Another push for Congress to tackle 30/10 Initiative now — instead of some random time in the far future

From far left, L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Matthew Toledo, Los Angeles County Business Federation CEO Tracy Rafter, Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti, Assemblyman Mike Feuer and L.A. City Councilman Bill Rosendahl.

The nonprofit group Calpirg held a small rally this morning at the Wilshire/Western subway and bus stop to support Metro’s 30/10 Initiative. Members of the group also produced a list of 320 local businesses that support 30/10.

A map of the 30/10 projects. Click above for a larger image.

Attentive Source readers can say it in their sleep: the 30/10 plan seeks to use federal loans and other financing build a dozen Measure R transit projects in 10 years instead of dragging it out over 30 years.

All the familiar 30/10 themes were hit upon: building the transit projects will create tens of thousands of jobs and help give people an alternative to sitting in traffic now instead of (much) later. A few quotes from those who spoke:

•L.A. City Council President Eric Garcetti said that he’s brought up 30/10 with President Obama twice when they’ve had the occasion to meet and that Obama is impressed that L.A. County is staying on message with the initiative and is “excited” about it. On that point, it should be noted that Obama on Monday announced he wants to spend $50 billion on road, rail and runway improvements, including boosting federal spending on urban transit projects.

•Assemblyman Mike Feuer — who in 2008 helped persuade a stubborn (to put it kindly) Legislature in 2008 to put Measure R on the ballot — tackled the issue of whether the Westside Subway Extension, a 30/10 project, would improve traffic. “If we don’t build it, imagine what gridlock will look like.”

•L.A. City Councilman Bill Rosendahl noted that President Obama’s motorcade didn’t exactly improve Westside traffic during his recent visit. “You see how bad gridlock is,” Rosendahl said, noting that now rather than later would be a nice time for Obama and his friends in Congress to act on 30/10.

•Tracy Rafter, the CEO of the L.A. County Business Federation, made an interesting point — the 30/10 model could benefit other regions. And it could also spur business across the country because building a dozen transit projects in 10 years would require the purchasing or parts and services from across the U.S.

2 replies

  1. I thought the West Santa Ana Corridor went up to Union Station. On this map it doesn’t go north of the Green Line. Is that correct?