Supervisor Janice Hahn, Metro, and Coalition of Local Leaders Unveil New Name for Rail Line
Elected leaders from across Southeast Los Angeles and the Gateway Cities unveil the “Southeast Gateway Line” as the new name for the rail line.
Bellflower, CA – This morning, at the Mayne Event Center in Bellflower, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, LA Metro leadership, and a coalition of local leaders, unveiled the “Southeast Gateway Line” as the new name for the light rail line that will be built from Downtown Los Angeles through Southeast LA and the Gateway Cities to Artesia.
The project has long been known as the West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor—a name that has confused residents and elected leaders alike. Supervisor Hahn has said that the bad name has prevented the project from getting the attention and funding it deserves.
The “Southeast Gateway Line” won of a six-month renaming contest launched by Supervisor Hahn in partnership with LA Metro. Over 1,100 people submitted name ideas and 4,500 voted for their favorites.
“This rail line is going to be revolutionary for communities in Southeast LA and the Gateway Cities, but its bad name has held this project back,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “I wanted to empower the future riders to pick a new name for this train – something they can connect with and that will help us deliver this project. The Southeast Gateway Line has the support of the people and this new name brings us one huge step closer to making it a reality.”
The Southeast Gateway Line, which will break ground this summer, will connect southeast LA County to Downtown Los Angeles from Artesia through Cerritos, Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, South Gate, Cudahy, Bell, Huntington Park, and Vernon to Union Station. Nearly half the residents in the neighborhoods that will be served by this line live below the poverty level, including one-in-five residents who are transit dependent and don’t have access to their own car.
The Southeast Gateway Line was included in both voter-approved sales tax measures Measure R and Measure M with nearly $2 billion in local sales tax going toward its construction.
Watch the full video of the name unveiling on the Supervisor’s Facebook page.
