Exposing Expo Series Introduction

The Expo Line controversy: At-grade rail. Dorsey HS. LAUSD. CPUC. Environmental racism. Fix Expo. Expo Communities United. And Damien Goodmon.

Many still don’t understand how or why I became the driver of the entity most critical of Los Angeles’ newest light rail line. And so for the next couple of weeks, I’ll write the Exposing Expo series, with the belief that by bringing to light the many interactions, information and uncovered documents, more can get a clearer picture of the 600 pound guerilla that is the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority, an agent of MTA.

Because the process, fellow transit advocates, is very revealing and rather interesting. Indeed, what has become a tenacious brawl, began rather innocently and with the best of opinions of Expo staff.

“Work with staff,” I was told.

“Just ask questions and they’ll be honestly evaluated and fully answered,” I was led to believe.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

What will be illustrated is an arrogant and willfully ignorant Expo Board that continues to downplay the safety issues, mounting public pressure and pending legal actions that if unaddressed will derail the largest public works project in their districts.

What will be revealed is an unethical and snide Expo staff acting defensively and immorally under the crisis of transparency.

What will be exposed are actions of people who claim they’re transit advocates, which are more in line with that of agency apologists and public relations front men.

I will never disclose the contents of private conversations, and I legally can’t mention anything discussed in mediation, but pretty much everything public will be made available for the world to see.

Important questions will be answered, such as:

• Why did MTA really walk away from $320 million federal dollars for the project by withdrawing the Expo Line from the FTA New Starts application process?
• Why has Expo suddenly dropped their projected Phase 1 ridership from 43,400 to 27,000?
• Why does the Expo Authority continue to claim they’re building a line like the Gold Line when the majority of the design is identical to the Blue Line?
• Why is the Expo Line really designed 100% grade separated in the City of Culver City?
• Why are some Friends 4 Expo leaders really opposed to an overpass at Dorsey HS?
• What is Section 4f of NEPA and how is it applicable here?
• What is segmentation and just how illegal is it?
• Which City Council Member and State Senator were pressuring CPUC Commissioner Timothy Simon to expedite the Expo Line CPUC proceedings?
• Who did Friends 4 Expo Co-Chair Darrell Clarke assault at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium to warrant repeated explicatives?
• How is the Expo Line design environmental racism?