African American life is obviously being expressed as something America can do without or holds no value, lets show America just how valuable we are. We need to continue to bond together and fight in numbers and Monday September 8th, TOMORROW, will be another chance to tell America its time to cut the crap, not only are we here but we belong here!
First there was “Carmageddon” and then its son, “Jamzilla.” Now, Angelenos need to brace for the “Century Crunch”—when a portion of Century Boulevard will be closed to permit the demolition of a defunct railroad bridge at the intersection of Century and Aviation Boulevards near the Los Angeles International Airport.
Beginning at 9 p.m., July 25, the bridge will be torn down to make way for a new state-of-the art elevated transit station for the Crenshaw/LAX light-rail line that will connect the nearby Metro Green Line to the Expo Line in 2019. Demolition will continue for the next 57 hours, ending on July 28.
So prepare yourselves for inconvenience during the Century Crush weekend. The Century Bridge supports an old railroad freight track that hasn’t been used in years, but it’s too narrow, old and unsafe to be incorporated into our new light rail system.
Demolition will close a portion of Century Boulevard, a major artery leading into LAX during one of the busiest travel times of the year. But as with Carmageddon, we do have choices and we should make use of them for the sake of the people who must get to this area … and for ourselves.
Great Hall and New Tom Bradley Terminal
Imagine LAX with one central ‘Great Hall’. Well courtesy of Fentress Architects you can, here are the design concepts. LAX announce architectural vision design concepts for aircraft gates to accommodate current and next-generation aircraft (such as the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner) on the westside of Tom Bradley International Terminal and a new midfield concourse at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Also attending the event will be invitees representing aviation and travel-tourism industry, airport employees, airlines, neighboring communities, businesses, etc.,D who participated in input meetings with the architectural firm. Design also call for a people mover!
Back in 2009 this was said:
LAX is embarking on its first major expansion since the building of TBIT in 1983 and Terminal One on 1984. The first phase, due for 2012 completion, calls for a massive international concourse directly to the west of the current Tom Bradley International Terminal. It will be connected via a bridge that two Airbus A380 Superjumbos can pass under simultaneously. The TBIT is currently being remodeled in advance of this program. The next phase, due later in the decade calls for a 2nd concourse linked to the first as well as an enlarged ticketing area just to the East of TBIT between T3 and T4 which will necessitate the removal of a parking garage. Eventually, an AirTram similar to JFK and Newark will connect the terminals to each other and the LA Metro Green Line. The American Eagle, American hanger, and Continental hangers will be removed. This spectacular new expansion will give LAX a facilities edge on the San Francisco Airport International Terminals which opened in 2001. This impressive model is located at the base of the old Control Tower. Note that the rest of the terminals remain largely unchanged, including the near original Terminal 3.
LAX Specific Plan Amendment Study
LAX Specific Plan Amendment Study (Doc)
About 75 people filled the crowded room Tuesday night at Chrysostom Church – Parish Hall, 530 E. Florence Ave. in Inglewood, eager to hear about plans for the 8.5-mile light rail transit project. The train will pass through Inglewood from the Crenshaw District to LAX, and employ around 350 people.
What they found, however, was a noticeable lack of information, and what most consider blatant disregard for Inglewood.
An email from the Community Leadership Council (CLC) promised project status updates from Walsh-Shea Corridor Constructors. However, the Design-Build contractor, fell short on its delivery, according to stakeholders.
Inglewood Airport Area Chamber of Commerce Vice President, Erick Holly, said, “The meeting wasn’t very productive. There were a lot of things that were left open that we should know about. They came with nothing. There were no plans or information on who they were or what they intended to do.” None of the Walsh-Shea principals were present, he said.
Historically, African Americans have been overlooked for job and contractor opportunities when major developers come through their cities to build projects. It’s a “double whammy” in regard to a minority city like Inglewood, because its L.A. neighbor tends to dominate the market.
Not sure how much you have been following along but the Crenshaw District IS getting its own Light Rail/Subway. Last week the planned light rail received a boost from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority staff recommending a $1.27 billion contract to build the line. The Line will begin at The Aviation Station along the Green Line, travel north along La Cienaga( meet a soon to be people mover at Century Blvd that will that take travelers directly into the soon-but-not-too-soon Grand Terminal at LAX), touch the eastern tip of Westchester with a station at Hindry to serve the Westchester community. The Light Rail will hit a slight right along Florence, cutting through Downtown Inglewood and finally hitting Crenshaw Blvd in Hyde Park at Crenshaw and Florence. The train will continue north along Crenshaw all the way to expo, submerging underground after Slauson Ave. with a subway stop at Leimert Park at or around Vernon amd another subway stop at MLK Blvd with a underground entrance to the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. Bravo!
On June 27, the full Metro board is scheduled to vote on the contract and whether to approve Walsh/Shea Corridor Constructors as the contractor.
Check out this awesome timeline of the Crenshaw/LAX Line posted to Chairmen Mark Ridley-Thomas’s website. The timeline features committee meetings, ground-breakings, and more, all the efforts to build to the Crenshaw Line “for the people and the community it cuts through. It really lays out of the struggles Crenshaw/LAX Line is running into and the amount of time the project has already been delayed in one way or another.
A Westchester community group seems a little tee’d off that LAX is planning to build a new runway closer to homes and businesses in the area. The group has began seeking mediation with the city of Los Angeles. Council voted 10-3 to move forward on the proposal to demolish the North Runway at LAX and rebuild it 260 feet further north despite intense opposition from residents.The one-page letter addressed to the city clerk comes two days after the Los Angeles City Council approved, on a vote of 10-3, a proposal to move the airport’s northernmost runway 260 feet closer to Westchester homes and businesses. Airport officials say the change is vital to improve safety and increase operation efficiency. The city has five business days to respond to the request for mediation. If it chooses not to accept it, the alliance will have about 30 calendar days to file a lawsuit, according to Douglas Carstens, an attorney for the alliance.
This is all part of a $4.76 billion project is intended to upgrade the airport’s layout to accommodate larger aircraft like the Airbus A380, but Westchester and Playa del Rey community groups have claimed the project would increase traffic congestion and air pollution.
The annual Empowerment Congress Summit this year will feature a mayoral debate jointly hosted by the Empowerment Congress and the Second Supervisorial District. Residents are encouraged to not only attend but submit questions for candidates. I have been to couple politcal and community open houses and I’m kind of glad questions have to be submitted in advance, because the things some people ask, you swear they just like to hear themselves on the mic. The candidates forum will take place at 9 am on January 19, 2013, at the University of Southern California’s Bovard Auditorium. All are welcome to and encouraged to attend. Five of the best questions will be posted on Chairmen Mark Ridley-Thomas website for us to vote, (Chairmen Ridley-Thomas is really exercising our democratic right with all this voting, but I like it!) and the top vote-getter will be provided to the moderator for possible inclusion in the mayoral debate. If you would like to attend the Summit in person, click here to register or you can stream the debate also from Chairmen Ridley-Thomas’s site. Can someone thro Ridley-Thomas a Gatorade, this man is putting in work! Keep Up The Good Work!
With the under construction Crenshaw Line, Metro is now considering options for a rail to directly to connect to LAX or rail or subway that will connect to a people mover that will take travelers from the rail directly into LAX. Metro is expected to contribute a little over a billion for the project, with Los Angeles World Airports hopefully picking up the rest. There are several options on the table and being that this project is said to have a lot of support behind it, Metro is forecasting the project should be up and running by 2020.
“- Two options for subterranean stations inside the central terminal area, west of Sepulveda Boulevard (a small people mover would still be necessary to take people around the airport). — Another option includes a station serving as the epicenter of a giant transportation center near Parking Lot C, with buses, trains, vans, and cabs nearby.
I wanted to give you a quick update on our filing deadline at midnight tonight. I am so grateful to my supporters for their tremendous response so far to my emails asking them to donate before the end of the year.
We are on track to meet our goal, but we are just $2,500 short. Can I count on you to click here to contribute an extra $25, $50, $100 or whatever you can afford by midnight tonight?
I know how passionate you are about the future of our city. Our next mayor must be tough enough to stand up to special interests and put our city back on track. I am the only candidate who has stood up for the people over the power brokers time and time again.
Don’t let this moment pass. Your contribution will make sure that we have the resources to let voters that they have a candidate who is in their corner.
P.S In 2013, adopt a pet from your local shelter, like my friend Penny.
SouthLA 