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Good News for Subway to the Sea & Downtown Streetcars? Villaraigosa Makes Major Changes on Metro Board
Photo by jeffkingla via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
Mayor Antonio Villariagosa today appointed two heavyweights--Councilmember Jose Huizar and LA Department of Transportation General Manager Rita Robinson--to the Metro's Board of Directors. “With our passage of Measure R, our effort to aggressively build a modern public transportation system in Los Angeles County demands strong leadership,” Mayor Villaraigosa said in a statement.
"It is an honor to join the Metro Board of Directors,” Robinson said. “Creating much-needed synergy between the DOT and Metro and providing the best transportation options for Los Angeles will continue to be my focus during these challenging economic times." Traditionally, the two agencies have not played well together. It was reported earlier today that the city's DASH and Commuter Express fleet would soon be operating in a deficit.
Huizar has been a big transit advocate, especially in regards to the downtown streetcar project.
Today's appointees replace Councilman and former LAPD Chief Bernard Parks, who resigned in January, and David Fleming, who yesterday was appointed by the mayor to the Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors. Villaraigosa and former Assemblyman Richard Katz also serve on the 13-member board, which has four seats for the city of Los Angeles.
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