Politics & Government

Garcetti to Lobby for People Mover, Mass Transit at LAX in DC

The mayor is also talking with transportation secretary about bringing mass transit to the airport.

Mayor Eric Garcetti will travel to Washington, D.C., next week to lobby in favor of a people-mover and other transit improvements at Los Angeles International Airport.

Garcetti told KNX radio he expects to meet with Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx on Monday to detail his transportation plans and "to look at ways that we can bring mass transit into the airport."

"We'll probably have a people-mover, is what we're looking at. We can probably do this in six years. I know that seems like a long time, but around here it's not. We might even be able to accelerate that," he said.

Find out what's happening in Venice-Mar Vistawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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

"We cannot be a world-class airport if we don't have a public transit link," Garcetti said during the question-and-answer session on KNX.

Find out what's happening in Venice-Mar Vistawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Councilman Mitch O'Farrell will also be in Washington, D.C., next week to lobby on behalf of a Los Angeles River revitalization project. The City Council earlier this year officially backed the most expensive and comprehensive of four revitalization options being considered by Congress.

Council members Gil Cedillo, Bob Blumenfield and Joe Buscaino will also be part of the delegation of city leaders going to Washington, D.C.

Former City Engineer Gary Lee Moore, who was recently named interim port director, and Public Works Commissioner Barbara Romero are also joining the group.

City News Service


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