History of the Proceeding

The subject of this application is a proposed light-rail transit line to serve between the Union Station in Los Angeles and Sierra Madre Villa Boulevard in Pasadena. Applicant Los Angeles to Pasadena Metro Blue Line Construction Authority (Blue Line)¹ intends to utilize the former right-of-way of the AT&SF Railroad for much of its route. The total length of the project is 13.6 miles over exclusive and semi-exclusive right-of-way. Between 200-250 trains per day, operating at speeds up to 55 miles per hour, are expected. It proposes 28 street crossings at-grade and 41 separated crossings in the cities of Los Angeles, South Pasadena, and Pasadena. (Exh 18, pp 31-34) Public Utilities Commission (Commission) permission is required for these crossings. (Public Utilities Code Section 1201.)

Blue Line asserts that under its funding legislation that provided funds for construction of the project there is an urgent need to complete quickly. For this reason Blue Line has adopted the "design-build" methodology. Construction between crossings has been progressing in anticipation of a favorable Commission decision so as to minimize any time loss awaiting regulatory approval. This has the advantage of shortening the time of construction, although reviewing bodies are faced with the argument that hundreds of millions of taxpayer's dollars are already invested and are at jeopardy if approvals are not obtained.

Planning for the project began at least as early as 1980 (Exh 18, p 4-10) and progressed under the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission and the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Various environmental authorizations in conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) were obtained. Because of financial difficulties MTA suspended completion of the project in late 1998. At that time the Legislature passed and the Governor signed Senate Bill 1847, establishing the Blue Line. Blue Line was given the responsibility of completing the project begun by MTA. Upon completion the project will be returned to MTA to operate.

Light rail transit differs from rail rapid transit, such as BART in the San Francisco Bay Area, in that it is composed of trains of up to three cars, generally has closer-spaced stations, usually operates at lower speeds, has shorter stopping distances, and is less costly to build and operate. (Exh 18, pp 17-18.)

Authority for the first portion of this project was obtained through Decision (D.) 95-09-067, D.95-01-043, D.95 02-030, and D.00-12-007. The 14 applications in this last phase of the project were filed between October 11, 2000 and June 8, 2001. By Ruling dated February 21, 2001 Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Sheldon Rosenthal consolidated the applications for hearing and decision. Following meetings between the parties, primarily Blue Line and the Commission's Railroad Crossing Engineering Section of the Rail Safety and Carriers Division (Staff), amendments to most of the applications were filed between April 11, 2001 and June 8, 2001. (Exh 39) From that date forward the applications remained stable until December 12, 2001. At that time Blue Line announced an agreement with Staff on a reconfiguration of East and West Pasadena Avenue crossings (Exh 55) which were the subject of Application (A.) 01-06-011.