The Los Angeles Post

Southeast Gateway Line Clears Final Hurdle Before Construction

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Metro Board Certifies Final Environmental Report for Phase 1 of 19-mile Line Through Southeast LA and Gateway Cities

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Hahn and local elected officials during today’s Metro Board meeting.

Los Angeles – This morning, the LA Metro Board unanimously certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the first segment of the future Southeast Gateway Line. With the certification, the 14.5-mile segment of the project can now move on to the construction phase, expected to begin by the end of 2024. When completed, the 19-mile Southeast Gateway Line will serve 1.4 million residents between Union Station in Downtown LA and Artesia, running through Vernon, Huntington Park, Bell, Cudahy, South Gate, Downey, Paramount, Bellflower, and Cerritos.

“No more waiting and wondering, this project will go forward,” said Supervisor and Metro Board Vice Chair Janice Hahn, who represents the region. “The era of Southeast LA and the Gateway Cities being left behind by new Metro rail projects is over. The cities along the line are ready, future riders are ready, and now we can finally get to work building this transformational project,”

The 14.5-mile phase of the project that can now begin construction covers the line’s segment between the A Line’s Slauson Station and Artesia, and will have eight stations. 44% of residents along the line live below the poverty level. Construction and operation of the Southeast Gateway Line will create between 37,000 to 46,000 jobs and generate $5 billion per year in economic activity for the region.

This $7.1 billion project is Metro’s top priority for federal funding. Certification of the Final EIR brings the agency one major step closer to federal funding to go along with over $2 billion in local and State funds already committed to the project.

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Local elected officials celebrated the vote. L to R: Vilma Cuellar Stallings, Paramount; Maria Davila, South Gate; Ali Taj, Artesia.

Every city along the Southeast Gateway Line has entered into a Master Cooperative Agreement with Metro, showing their support for the project and desire to get it built as soon as possible. Several local elected officials from those cities attended the Metro Board meeting today and expressed support for the project:

“Many of our residents will depend on the Southeast Gateway Line to move around, and I look forward to welcoming visitors from across our region to Artesia. I’ve been on board since day one and we are more than ready to finally get to work in collaboration with Metro to get this line built.” – Ali Taj, Mayor Pro Tem of Artesia.

“I would like to express our support for this project. Once it’s fully completed, the light rail line will provide a one-seat ride between our communities and Downtown LA. We look forward to having our communities in partnership with LA Metro.” – Vilma Cuellar Stallings, Paramount Councilmember and Vice Chair of Board of Directors, Gateway Cities Council of Governments.

“This community has been long waiting for rail transportation equity and this a big step today for that to happen. Southeast Gateway Line signifies new job and educational opportunities, and it will change the lives of many in our cities.” – Karina Macias, Mayor of Huntington Park.

“I represent over 100,000 people, and I can tell you that this project will be an impactful line. As a city we are there to support this project.” – Maria Davila, Vice Mayor of South Gate.