October 26, 2009

Board of Directors
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
One Gateway Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90012-2952

Dear Board Chairman Najarian:

I am writing to express my support for a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system in the Crenshaw
Transit Corridor. The passing of Measure R and the introduction of Federal stimulus funding
presents a long-awaited opportunity to reduce congestion and increase mobility, accessibility
and quality of life for residents in the Crenshaw Corridor and surrounding neighborhoods.

Currently, the Crenshaw Transit Corridor is plagued by frequent congestion and

insufficient connections with other transportation systems in the Los Angeles area. An LRT
system will meet the needs of thousands of residents in the Crenshaw Transit Corridor who
need a fast, affordable, and reliable transportation system to access surrounding
neighborhoods. Furthermore, the construction of an LRT system will bring thousands of quality
construction, engineering, and contracting jobs to the South Los Angeles area.

In conjunction with many concerned community members, I strongly urge Metro to be

considerate of the numerous community landmarks along the Crenshaw Transit Corridor.
Specifically, I encourage you to consider below-grade stations at Crenshaw Blvd./Martin Luther
King Blvd. and Crenshaw Blvd./Slauson Ave. in order to preserve historic aesthetics at Leimert
Park and Hyde Park. In addition, I urge Metro to strongly consider below-grade light rail
between Exposition Blvd. and Florence Ave. I also advocate the extension of the Crenshaw line
to the proposed Wilshire subway system in order to create a fully integrated transportation
system in the Los Angeles area.

As a dedicated advocate of improved transportation in this region, I encourage Metro to

continually solicit, consider, and incorporate the feedback of community members that will be
most affected by this project.

Thank you for your consideration. Please contact my Deputy Director Jenny Wood at
(323) 937-4747 for any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass

47th District

Capitol Office: District Office:

State Capitol ι P.O. Box 942849 ι Sacramento, CA 94249-0047 5750 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 565 ι Los Angeles, CA 90036
(916) 319-2047 ι Fax: (916) 319-2147 (323) 937-4747 ι Fax: (323) 937-3466