Zero Emissions Transit Announces Non-Profit Board That Will Oversee Approval and Implementation of Dodger Stadium Gondola
Los Angeles — Zero Emissions Transit (ZET) today unveiled the seven accomplished civic leaders who will make up its board of directors and lead the organization’s efforts to bring more zero-emission transit solutions to Southern California. The announcement comes the same week as California Clean Air Day, a day when non-profits, government agencies, and businesses all come together to highlight ways to improve air quality and reduce air pollution.
Last month, the leading climate and civic non-profit Climate Resolve announced that it had formed Zero Emissions Transit, a new non-profit supporting organization focused on advancing emissions-free public transit solutions in the Los Angeles region. Through a framework agreement, Los Angeles Aerial Rapid Transit’s (LA ART) proposed zero-emission aerial gondola connection between Union Station and Dodger Stadium will be donated to Zero Emissions Transit as its inaugural project.
“I am thrilled to have this all-star team help ZET and Climate Resolve deliver cleaner air for all of Los Angeles,” said Climate Resolve Executive Director Jonathan Parfrey. “Now, more than ever, we need zero-emission transit solutions to create a greener, cleaner, and more connected Los Angeles. The aerial gondola project will be the first of many more zero-emission innovations that will help reduce air pollution and improve the quality of life for all Angelenos.”
The board will consist of:
- Suja Lowenthal will serve as Board Chair. She currently serves as the City Manager for Hermosa Beach and previously served for ten years on the Long Beach City Council.
- Dr. Felix Aguilar will serve as the board’s Treasurer. In addition, Dr. Aguilar is a family physician and a National Board Member of the American Lung Association.
- Jordan Lang will serve as the board’s Secretary. Lang is the President of Aerial Rapid Transit Technologies, which is donating the LA ART Gondola project to ZET.
- Boardmember David S. Kim most recently served as Secretary of Transportation under Governor Gavin Newsom and previously served as a top transportation official in the Obama Administration.
- Boardmember Dr. Marc Futernick is an Emergency Physician in Los Angeles and a Climate Resolve board member.
- Boardmember Hilary Norton currently serves as Chair Emeritus of the California Transportation Commission and is a former Chairwoman of the Los Angeles County Business Federation (BizFed). She is the Executive Director of FASTLinkDTLA, a downtown Los Angeles non-profit transportation management organization (TMO).
- Boardmember Lucinda Starrett is a partner at Latham & Watkins. She serves on the board of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, with other non-profit commitments, including the Downtown Women’s Center. She is also a founding board member and past Los Angeles Parks Foundation chair.
Climate Resolve is a leader in the fight against climate change and helps communities most disadvantaged by climate change impacts. Climate Resolve organized California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment and has developed on-the-ground climate resilience projects in Pacoima, Boyle Heights, Compton, and several other communities across the state. Zero Emissions Transit, with LA ART as its inaugural project, will be the latest in Climate Resolve’s ongoing efforts to reduce emissions and create a cleaner and greener Los Angeles region where everyone can thrive.
The gondola project was announced in 2018, and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is the lead agency for its environmental review process. Since then, the project team has spoken to thousands of households and met with dozens of community organizations and transportation and environmental advocacy groups that support this sustainable urban transit solution. As a result, close to 6,000 have signed up to support the project. In response to stakeholder input, the project scope has expanded to include elements that increase the mobility, accessibility, and environmental benefits of the aerial gondola, including an additional passenger station, pedestrian connections, and improvements to LA State Historic Park.
The zero-emission aerial gondola would provide the first permanent transit connection to Dodger Stadium since it was built nearly 60 years ago. Rather than sitting in traffic, fans will enjoy free fares to Dodger games and a scenic ride from downtown to Dodger Stadium in just seven minutes.
The system could take up to 3,000 cars off the road before and after each Dodger game, concert and other community event regularly at the Stadium, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing pedestrian safety. The gondola will also provide local benefits outside game-time periods, including a “Community Access Program” that would allow residents and employees of businesses close to the project to ride the gondola for an LA Metro fare at no additional cost. The gondola will operate year-round to provide community access to transit and transit access to parks, serving visitors and creating the transit link to Dodger Stadium.
“Living in downtown Los Angeles, I worry about the impact that cars and traffic have on my health and quality of life,” said Inez Gomez, resident of William Mead Homes. “The LA ART project makes sense. It would have a dramatic impact on game day traffic in the neighborhood. Saving time and frustration for fans and neighbors and improving safety in our community.”
More than 340 businesses in Chinatown, El Pueblo, and Lincoln Heights have signed up to support the project. “Chinatown is home to many unique and diverse small businesses that were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Icy Zheng, owner of Eighty Eight Hair Salon. “We are glad to be welcoming visitors back after a difficult few years and are excited to work with LA ART to find ways to encourage Dodger fans to visit Chinatown before taking the gondola to a baseball game.”
At Dodger Stadium, a full-sized gondola cabin exhibit will be on display for the rest of the season. Visitors will be able to experience what it’s like to ride inside an aerial gondola and learn more about the project and Zero Emissions Transit.
For more information about the project visit www.laart.la.
For more information about Climate Resolve visit www.climateresolve.org.
Project renderings, photographs, and video clips available for download on Dropbox.
