Douglas Johnson in the Pasadena Star News
From an article in the Pasadena Star News by Fred Ortega:
The coalition of local cities definitely had an effect on the interchange funding, said Douglas Johnson, a consulting fellow with the Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College. But he added that the Valley love fest may be short-lived.”This is all driven by self-interest; that mess of an interchange dumps so many commuters onto surrounding streets that it really extends the impact far beyond the immediate area,” Johnson said. “But for other projects like the Gold Line, the regional impact on traffic will be almost nothing.”
In that case, it may be difficult for cities without Gold Line stops, like West Covina or Baldwin Park, to lend their support, he said.
“Mayors will have to explain to their constituents why they are supporting a project that is not going to provide a direct benefit to them,” Johnson said.
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