Infrastructure Investment Stimulating Job Creation in Southern California

Excerpts from a panel featuring Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D. Executive Director, Port of L.A.; Art Leahy, CEO, Metro; Gina Marie Lindsey, Executive Director, LAWA; and Richard D. Steinke, Executive Director, Port of Long Beach:

"We also have the largest federal stimulus project in L.A. County: the Harry Bridges reconstruction project. That also is a big commitment: 250 construction jobs for that $25 million project. We just also kicked off a six-year expansion to the China Shipping Terminal: new wharfs, new cranes, and about 4,000 jobs at full capacity with that project." -Geraldine Knatz

"...A lot of what we depend on is discretionary cargo that comes into California. We have a very large population base, and cargo is trucked to this base, as well as Phoenix and Las Vegas. Cargo going east of the Rockies is really discretionary. It can go to the Seattle coast, it can go to Oakland, it can go to Prince Rupert, and it can all the way to the Panama Canal. Discretionary cargo is the bread butter of the two ports. We need to build infrastructure and capabilities to back that discretionary cargo, and most of that is by supporting additional rail facilities. It's not very sexy. We're building additional rail; not a lot of people see it, but it's critical for the efficient movement of cargo..." -Richard Steinke

"..Our signature project is a million square feet of new terminal space at the Tom Bradley International Terminal. That will bring us to the point where we are providing the front door that this city is worthy of. It's a $1.6 billion project." -Gina Marie Lindsey

"A few months ago, the MTA Board approved full funding for the Foothill Extension in the San Gabriel Valley, terminating in Azusa. That's one of the biggest new rail projects in the country right now, fully funded by Measure R dollars. The East L.A. line opened a few months ago...Next week we're going to have the 20th birthday party of the Metro Blue Line. The Blue Line is the busiest light rail line in the country, with 80,000 people a day. The Westside subway extension was viewed as three projects, but a few weeks ago the federal government agreed to treat it as one project. This is very important in getting the environmental and additional engineering done in one step instead of three. It also sets up that project with the potential to accelerate under the 30/10 program." -Art Leahy

Thanks to James Brasuell