New Light Rail Line Brings Hope To L.A. Neighborhoods

"The Gold Line will carry riders on a nearly 14-mile trip through some of the region's historic neighborhoods, including Chinatown, Lincoln Heights and Highland Park. It will also carry the high expectations of urban planners, who see it revitalizing stagnant communities, spawning new housing and creating a public demand for more trains that might beget even more improvements. "We see the line as a springboard, a way to bring about real, day-to-day change to these neighborhoods, a way to help local communities that have struggled for too long," said Los Angeles City Councilman Ed Reyes...Rick Thorpe, chief executive of the Gold Line construction authority, agrees. "There's a lot of promise with this line," he said. "It penetrates the heart of a lot of neighborhoods, and they are going to see great benefit."

Thanks to Christian Peralta