The transformation of Crenshaw, a united march and a one-of-a-kind lady make the top three stories of 2015.
Despite Crenshaw being closed for weeks throughout the year and traffic and detours to the Cren/LAX line, workers continued to transform the Crenshaw Corridor.
Metro board agreed this year to look into steps to ensure that affordable housing is built around public transportation hubs, including creating a $10 million fund and setting a goal of building 35 percent affordable housing on Metro-owned land. The affordable housing measures are being considered as Metro is constructing the Crenshaw line to connect to the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
Additionally, a grant program that was created to assist small businesses impacted by Southland light-rail construction topped the $1 million mark.
Metro’s Business Interruption Fund has doled out more than 60 grants of varying amounts to “mom-and-pop” businesses, most of them located along the path of the 8.5-mile, $2.06 billion Crenshaw/LAX light rail line that will connect the Expo and Green lines.
The public was invited to help select the winners of a contest to choose a name and piece of art work for the tunnel boring machine (TBM) that will soon begin digging twin tunnels for the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project.
Since June, 2015, more than 200 entries were received when the contest began. The top 10 name finalists are Lorena (Lorena Weaver), Sojourner (Sojourner Truth), Maya (Maya Angelou), Eleanor (Eleanor Roosevelt), Harriet (Harriet Tubman), M.A.C. (Make A Change), Sally (Sally Ride), The Africana, Rosa (Rosa Parks) and Athena. The winning name and art work will be displayed on the side of the huge TBM machine during the lowering ceremony in early 2016.
The West Angeles Community Development Corporation (WACDC) along with Metro, the mayor’s office, the Empowerment Congress West Area NDC and the Greater Leimert Park Village Crenshaw Corridor BID invited the community to the attend a Pedestrian Improvement Planning Meeting, where future plans for the Crenshaw District, including implanting trees, bus shelters, sidewalk repair, landscaping, crosswalks, public art and street furniture, were discussed. There are 822 new trees planned for the Crenshaw District.
