The Expo Authority is fond of saying that the many smoking memos we've uncovered showing concern/opposition to the unsafe defective design of the street level Expo Line from agencies that have not protested the crossings through the PUC process (PUC engineers, LADOT and LAUSD) mean the agencies endorse the design.
In response to this assertion, the LAUSD Office of Environmental Health and Safety set the record straight and in the process revealed exactly the type of tactics the MTA/Expo Authority has been employed. In the letter OEHS states:
"The recent Response Document issued by the Exposition Construction Authority misrepresents the position of the District, as it states that "With these additional mitigations, LAUSD and Dorsey High School are in agreement with the pedestrian at-grade crossing concept submitted as part of the Expo Construction Authority's CPUC application for Farmdale Avenue." We must make it clear that LAUSD-OEHS believes that the safest solution to potential pedestrian-train conflicts at the Exposition Blvd/Farmdale Ave. intersection is to grade-separate this crossing. However, in discussion with the Expo Authority, we were informed that this approach was not feasible, and would not be considered further."
In the Expo Authority crossing applications and briefs before the PUC, there is no explanation as to why a grade separation is not feasible (defined as "physically capable"). Only that it would be more expensive.
