Garcetti Meets With President, Transportation Secretary to Pursue LAX Transit Funding

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti met with President Barack Obama and Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to seek federal funding for mass transit and restoring the Los Angeles River Monday.

Garcetti was greeted personally by Obama on "his first trip" to the nation's capital as mayor, mayoral spokeswoman Vicki Curry said.

Curry did not provide details of the meeting, only saying that the pair had a "good discussion."

Garcetti met Foxx Monday evening, according Curry. Garcetti said last week he would ask Foxx for federal funding to help build a people mover at Los Angeles International Airport and expand the city's commuter rail network, including bringing "mass transit into the airport."

Curry said she was unable to elaborate on what was discussed in their talk, saying only that it was a "good" meeting.

A planned Crenshaw Line connecting the Expo and Green rail lines will run near the airport, but will not stop there. The existing Green Line stops 2.5 miles from the airport.

Garcetti also met with White House Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett to talk about a Los Angeles River revitalization project and other issues, Curry said. City Councilmen Bob Blumenfield, Gil Cedillo and Mitch O'Farrell, who were also in Washington to support Los Angeles River issues, participated in that meeting.

- City News Service