Historic First Street Bridge Re-Opening Ceremony

Join me tomorrow for the long awaited Re-Opening of the Historic First Street Bridge. Ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. for the City’s first-of-its kind historic bridge widening project. Built in 1929, the First St. Bridge is the eastside’s gateway to Downtown. It was closed to westbound traffic so the bridge could be widened for the Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension, which links Boyle Heights to Downtown.

Tournament of Roses and its Gold Line Connection

I joined the Tournament of Roses Queen and her court yesterday morning at Mariachi Plaza to promote the Metro Gold Line East Side Extension as the best way for people from downtown and the Eastside to get to all the great events surrounding the Tournament of Roses Parade, Rose Bowl game and the National Title game on Jan. 7. The great thing is during these tough economic times, with the Rose Parade being a free event and the Showcase of Floats costing very little (and free to kids 5 and under), this is a unique opportunity for families to enjoy top-notch, one-of-a-kind entertainment and not have to spend a fortune. So gather the kids, jump on the Gold Line and have some fun this New Year.

Giving Thanks this Thanksgiving

I just want to wish everyone a very happy and safe Thanksgiving. As for myself, I have much to be thankful for. First and foremost, like all of you, I am thankful for my wonderful family, my wife, Richelle, my children, Emilia, Isabella and Simon Luis (with another daughter on the way). I am thankful for my health. And as the Councilmember for District 14, I am thankful to you, my constituents, for allowing me to represent you. I have the greatest job in the world and I enjoy coming to work each and everyday to work on your behalf. I am also thankful for all the improvements that are going on in our district. We recently opened the Edward R. Roybal Gold Line Eastside Extension and had a fantastic block party celebrating its opening and the $1.4 billion in public improvement projects in Boyle Heights. I am thankful for community members like the late Ross Valencia, “Mr. Boyle Heights,” who we recently named a park after. I am thankful for a committed group of people in El Sereno who helped me fight against potentially dangerous development on Elephant Hill, or “The Heavens” as it once was known. I’m thankful that I have the opportunity to effect policy that protects our neighborhoods from the over-proliferation of unlicenced medical marijuana dispensaries. I am thankful for our veterans who have sacrificed so much so that we all can enjoy the freedoms we have in this great country and I’d ask you to please say a prayer for our men and women who are serving our country right now, many far away from their families during the holidays. Again, thank you for allowing me to be your representative. It is something that I take very seriously and to you, I am deeply thankful. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Ross Valencia Pic: Courtesy of Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council

Boyle Heights Block Pictures!

Enjoy these pictures from our Boyle Heights Block Party!
Thank you for making it such a great success!

Gold Line Will be Golden Opportunity

Today I rode with Metro CEO Art Leahy, Mayor Villaraigosa and my fellow MTA directors for a test ride on the soon-to-open Gold Line Eastside Extension. With the media invited along, we rode from Union Station to the Soto Station, which has some very eclectic but beautiful art inside. The ride itself was very smooth and I look forward to riding the line more often once it opens on Nov. 15, 2009. I'm happy that Metro has committed to adding $4.5 million in additional safety improvements and I've asked that areas around Mendez and Ramona High Schools and El Mercado be given top priority, so that those new features, which will include buffers and fencing to discourage people from jaywalking across the tracks, will be installed as soon as possible. I will continue to monitor the situation well beyond the opening as safety is the top priority for me and the other MTA directors. Beyond that, I couldn't help but think today as someone who grew up in Boyle Heights, how much this train line is going to allow kids from Boyle Heights and East L.A. to explore other parts of the City. And visa versa. I like that idea. That we're not really connecting trains. We're connecting people.

Taking a Ride on the Gold Line

Today, I joined U.S Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, Congressmembers Lucille Roybal-Allard and Grace Napolitano, LA County Supervisor Gloria Molina and Metro CEO Art Leahy on a tour of the Gold Line Eastside Extension to make sure everything is in place before it opens to the public. It was a smooth ride from Downtown Los Angeles, through Boyle Heights and East L.A. This new rail line will provide much needed transportation from the Eastside to Downtown, carrying riders over the historic First Street Bridge. This is the first time in more than 50 years that light rail has returned to the Eastside and it’s important that everything is in working order and that all safety precautions are being taken. While the Gold Line is of huge importance, we also want to make sure that people are safe and that all precautions are being adhered too. Please let your family and neighbors know about proper safety rules and enjoy the soon-to-open Gold Line. If you use Google maps to get around, Google Transit launched its Los Angeles version this weekend – be sure to check it out! Curbed LA had a good post on it.