Sonnenschein Team Convinces Judge to Stop Construction of Dangerous Rail Crossings Near L.A. Schools
A team of Sonnenschein lawyers in San Francisco and Los Angeles recently scored a victory for community groups in Los Angeles who want the city's transit authority to redesign two proposed light rail crossings to protect students and other pedestrians at nearby schools. Following more than a year of hearings and public comment, our team, including Ivor Samson and Andrew Cahill, convinced a California Public Utilities administrative law judge to deny the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) applications for at-grade crossings near the two schools, which are located in a poor section of South Los Angeles. Community groups represented pro bono by Sonnenschein pointed to the dangers posed by at-grade crossings and called for some type of grade separation to protect children and pedestrians near the two schools. The commissioner's ruling will require elevated pedestrian overcrossings. The decision was rendered on Oct. 22 and now must be ratified by the full commission.
