The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) has published the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 project, which will extend the L.A. Metro L Line in phases from east Los Angeles to Whittier, Calif.
L.A. Metro notes the rail line will bring a much-needed connection into southeast Los Angeles and the Gateway Cities by offering a one-seat ride to downtown Los Angeles and beyond –– continuing all the way to University of Southern California and Santa Monica, Calif. Corridor cities along Washington Boulevard and the East Los Angeles neighborhoods along Atlantic Boulevard will also have better access to regional transit such as the L.A. Metro A and B Lines, Montebello Bus Lines and Metrolink, as well as key destinations in the area.
The initial project build-out will go to Greenwood Station in Montebello, Calif., a 4.6-mile route that includes three miles of light-rail transit underground, a half mile of aerial and 1.1 miles of street level transit. It will add three new stations:
- Atlantic/Whittier (underground)
- Commerce/Citadel (underground)
- Greenwood (street level)
The project also includes a Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) located in the city of Montebello.
The Final EIR summarizes revisions to the project since the release of the Draft EIR in June 2022, including improved train access to a proposed maintenance and storage facility in Montebello, as well as design refinements to the rail track crossovers to make train operations safer and easier to maintain.
The L.A. Metro Board of Directors will consider certifying the Final EIR at a meeting in the coming months. The full FINAL EIR can be found here.
