corridors, with our local transportation system we can get you to
those rail corridors," Baghdanian said. "We already tie into the L.A.
Metro bus system. But we need something regional, reliable, clean and
flexible in its scheduling. If we can provide that, then urban
land-use planning will really work."
City staff members will go to the City Council at the end of June
or the beginning of July with a request for $30,000 in funding to
hire a consultant and examine an east-west connection between the
Gold and Red lines, a connection Baghdanian called the "missing
link."
"Burbank and Pasadena will also go to their respective councils
with the same request," Baghdanian said. "We estimate it will cost
about $90,000 for this initial assessment, which take somewhere
between six to nine months to complete."
He said the study would determine what type of system would be
most feasible for the area, either express bus lines with dedicated
traffic lanes or light rail lines.
The route of the proposed system would also be discussed, with the
Ventura Freeway (134) or Colorado Street being two possible
alternatives.
Funding opportunities will also be examined.
"Transit funding is a critical thing. It is not something that
makes money," Baghdanian said. "So it is imperative to be at the
forefront, to have a plan, so that when funding opportunities come up
at the regional, state or federal level, we are ready to lobby for
these funds."
He added that cities that have systems that can support mixed-use,
transit-oriented funding will have a better chance at receiving those
funds.
Baghdanian said that being able to link to the Red Line and on to
the Orange Line, a dedicated busway from North Hollywood to the
Warner Center scheduled to open in August or September, also would
make an east-west link attractive to county or federal transportation
agencies.
