Metro Gold Line ridership record

 

 

SUPERVISOR MICHAEL D. ANTONOVICH     Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, 5th District     869 Hahn Hall of Administration ~ 500 West Temple Street ~ Room 869     Los Angeles, CA 90012                                          www.antonovich.com

       

 

PRESS RELEASE

Contact:  Tony Bell, Communications Deputy    Office:  (213) 974-5555   Cell: (213) 215-5176    E-mail:  tbell@bos.lacounty.gov

 

 

   July 11, 2008                                                                                                              For Immediate Release

 

ANTONOVICH ANNOUNCES METRO GOLD LINE

SETS ALL-TIME RIDERSHIP RECORD

 

LOS ANGELES COUNTY – The Metro Rail Gold Line set new weekday ridership records for the month of June, as Los Angeles County commuters increasingly turned towards public transportation for their daily commute, announced Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.

 

"The cost-effective, convenient alternative to driving propelled the Gold Line to an all-time high in ridership," said County Supervisor and MTA Director Michael D. Antonovich. "It is vital that funding of the Gold Line extension through the San Gabriel Valley is provided now by the MTA to secure federal funding.  We only have two months for Congress to act – but MTA funding is required first. "

 

The Metro Gold Line from downtown Los Angeles to Pasadena, set a new ridership record for the second month in a row, with 26,338 average weekday boardings -- up 31.8 percent in over last year.

 

To expedite plans to extend the Gold Line to Azusa and the Ontario Airport, the MTA must take action to provide both $80 million and a commitment to operate the extension before the federal fiscal year expires in October, to allow the San Gabriel Valley congressional delgation to pursue federal matching funds this fiscal year.  

 

"When the MTA asked the San Gabriel Valley to support the passage of Proposition 1B in 2006, the promise was made that the Foothill Extension would receive funding from the bond if it passed," said Antonovich.  "The MTA needs to fulfill that promise to the San Gabriel Valley, and allow our Congressional leaders the opportunity to leverage those dollars to bring new federal dollars into the County."   

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