Appendix C9. Written Comments

Transcription

1 South Bay Metro Green Line Extension Transit Corridor Project Draft EIS/EIR Project Scoping Summary Report Final Appendix C9. Written Comments

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7 Mr. Randy Lamm, Project Manager South Bay Metro Green Line Extension Metro One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA RE: Project Scoping Comments Dear Mr. Lamm: On behalf of Redondo Beach District 4 residents who live adjacent to the alignment of the South Bay Metro Green Line Extension, I submit the following comments for consideration in the Draft EIS/EIR: 1. Noise and Vibration: chose technology and operating parameters that minimize noise and vibration impacts on neighboring areas. Where visually acceptable, soundwalls should be considered to reduce noise impacts. 2. Crossings: construct grade separations at major intersections. Maximize safety and minimize traffic disruption of at-grade street crossings. 3. Public Safety: adequate policing will ensure public confidence in the safety of passengers and neighboring communities of transit facilities. 4. Cleanliness: design features that lend themselves to clean stations, trains and soundwalls. Moreover, the operating budget for the extension must provide adequately for cleaning, graffiti removal and other maintenance so that stations are good neighbors to the communities in which they are located. 5. Integration of Freight and Passenger Rail Service: Any alternative to be considered must be planned in such a way that freight service is not diverted to night time operations that would create unacceptable noise and vibration impacts on neighborhoods. 6. Parking: Parking planned for stations must be adequate so as to avoid spillover impacts into residential neighborhoods and commercial districts. Thank you for your public outreach and for your consideration of the concerns of residents of District 4 in Redondo Beach. Sincerely, Steven Diels Councilmember District 4 Redondo Beach 415 Diamond Street Redondo Beach, CA

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22 8433 Holy Cross Place Los Angeles, CA FAX: Mr. Randy Lamm, Project Manager South Bay Metro Green Line Extension Metro One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA RE: Green Line Extension Project Scoping Comments Dear Randy: The El Segundo Employment Area is the major employment center served by the Metro Green Line. With regionally significant employers such as Northrop-Grumman Corporation, Boeing Satellite Systems, Raytheon Company, Mattel Corporation, DirecTV and Chevron, the El Segundo Employers Association (ESEA) is keenly aware of the importance of an efficient and effective regional transportation network, of which rail is an important element. Accordingly, ESEA is pleased to offer the following comments with respect to the scoping for the Green Line Extension Draft EIS/EIR: 1. Alternatives to be Studied: ESEA supports the request by the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) that, in addition to the alternatives that have already been identified during the scoping process, the existing Green Line LRT technology be examined for the Freight Track Alignment Alternative (Harbor Subdivision). There are two aspects to this subalternative: technology and vertical profile of the alignment. a. Technology: Our initial feeling is that, if the Freight Track Alignment is ultimately chosen for an extension of the Green Line, then the technology should be the same as the existing Green Line LRT technology. Like the SBCCOG, ESEA questions the viability of introducing an additional rail technology into the Metro rail system, inasmuch as doing so may lead to significant cost and operation inefficiencies in a system that can ill-afford additional cost burdens. At first look, Metrolink style commuter trains would appear to be a poor fit for the corridor. We are less familiar with so-called self-propelled rail vehicles (SPVs) and look forward to learning whether and how their performance characteristics might be suitable to this corridor. b. Vertical Profile of the Alignment: the existing Green Line configuration through the dense El Segundo Employment center is totally grade-separated so as to eliminate conflicts with our heavily traveled surface arterials and so as not to impede access to our many employment sites that are so important to National defense. We believe that, if an extension is built in the Freight Track Alignment, it should be similarly 1

23 grade-separated, i.e. elevated. In particular, an at-grade alignment has the potential to seriously impact the El Segundo operations of Northrop Grumman Corporation, an engineering development and manufacturing center that employs about 5,000 people. Please refer to Northrop Grumman s letter to you dated May 27, 2010 for additional details on these potential impacts. 2. Aviation Blvd. Widening Right-of-Way Requirements: For many years ESEA has supported the County of Los Angeles proposal to widen Aviation Blvd. between Imperial Highway and Hawaii St. (north of Rosecrans), assuming that such widening can be accomplished in a way so as to not unacceptably impact businesses in the corridor. The right-of-way needed for such a widening may be in conflict with right-of-way that would be needed for rail alternatives in the Freight Track Alignment. As pointed out by the SBCCOG, the Draft EIS/EIR analysis should not a priori simply assume that the rail transit project has priority. Rather, the costs and benefits of the widening project should be factored into the evaluation of each alignment alternative. For example, if using the Freight Track Alignment would preclude the widening project, then everything else being equal that would be an argument in favor of using the existing Green Line Alignment. In the interest of brevity, ESEA also agrees with points raised in the SBCCOG s May 24, 2010 letter regarding: noise and vibration; interface with the Crenshaw LAX Line; integration of freight and passenger rail service; right-sizing of parking facilities; and cleanliness of trains and station. ESEA has had along history of working closely with the MTA and its predecessor agency, the LACTC, and we look forward to continuing that relationship with you so as to successfully address the issues raised in this letter. Thank you for considering our views. Please contact me at your earliest convenience to arrange a follow-up discussion. Sincerely, Donald H. Camph Donald H. Camph Executive Director CC: ESEA Board of Directors Jacki Bacharach, SBCCOG Paul Maselbas, L.A. County Public Works 2