Vol. 3 No. 4 • October 1985

4,RTID REILILPTIAI

Speakers—Among officials speaking at hearing were Councilman Michael Woo, Assemblywoman Gloria Molina, Senator Art Torrez, andCouncil President Pat Russell.

Metro N

M ore than 250 persons, in-cluding bus riders andlocal elected officials,

crowded into the RTD hearing room tohear public testimony and offer supportfor additional resources to preventfurther fare hikes and service cuts.

The September 28 public hearingwas convened by the RTD Directors toreceive public comment on possibleservice cuts and/or fare increases tobe instituted in December or later.These proposed actions are in antici-pation of federal budget cuts of up to$7 million in annual operating sub-sidies allocated to the District.

If Congress does not reduce masstransit subsidies this fall, the servicecuts and/or fare hikes will not be nec-essary. If the budget cuts are slight,service and fare adjustments will bedownscaled.

A total of 51 lines that presentlyoperate on weekdays, Saturdaysand/or Sundays are under consider-ation for elimination or reduced ser-vice. If the Board opts not to raise faresand make up the funding loss solelythrough service cuts, only about 1% ofthe District's annual boardings wouldbe affected.

Hearing Probes

Ways to Prevent

Fare Hikes,

Service CutsShould the Board opt to raise fares

instead of cutting service, the currentbase fare of 850 could increase by asmuch as a dime. Express and monthlypasses would increase accordingly.

"Because of these possible budgetcuts, the District has no recourse but toconsider raising fares or trimming ser-vice," RTD President Nick Patsaourasnoted at the day-long hearing. "Thelines under consideration for possibleelimination or curtailment are amongthe least used and most heavily sub-sidized."

One alternative Patsaouras pointedout is for Los Angeles County Super-visors and the 84 cities in the region togive RTD a portion of their Proposition

A transit tax funds to cover the opera-tional costs for current levels of busservice.

"The county and cities have thefinancial means to maintain this ser-vice until next July or permanently ifthey choose," he said. "Instead, manylocalities are banking their Prop. A dol-lars while the regional public transitSystem is fraying at the edges.

"With the help of the League of Cal-ifornia Cities, we hope to meet withlocal officials and lay the facts on thetable. One fact is that lt costs RTDnearly $3 every time someone boardsa bus on one of the 51 low-demandlines. As a result, we can't afford tomeet demand elsewhere."

At the hearing, City Council Presi-dent Pat Russell said the Council waswilling to discuss the proposal, noting,"there's an absolute need for sinceredialogue."

RTD Directors will discuss the mat-ter in the ensuing weeks and an-nounce a decision in mid-November,when the federal budget is expected tobe finalized. At that time, the Districtwill know exactly how much federaloperating subsidy—if any—will bereduced.

For Improved Efficiency

RTD will install state-of-the-art computerized fare-boxes on all RTD buses by the summer of 1986. Thenew fareboxes accept all U.S. coins, tokens, ticketsand doller bilis. Pictured is the new farebox, show-ing one aperture for the Insertion of coins andtokens and another for the insertion of dollar bilisand tickets. Districtwide Installation of the new fare-boxes is set to begin next January.

Metro News Bulletin

2

October 1985

News Briefs PITO

A Diesel In Their Future—RTD's female mechanic workforcenearly doubled this year-22 new diesel bus mechanics. Thenew hires, all graduates of the Harbor Occupational School'sautomotive training program at San Pedro, begin at Mechanic"C" grade, performing repairs on RTD's fleet of 2,600 buses.RTD already employs 23 female mechanics. All told, womennow represent 5% of the District's mechanic workforce. Shownstanding (Ar) are Carole Chang, Della Torres, Alicia Castillo,Lupe lbarra and Celestine Vierra.

Jackson Keynotes COMTO Confab

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson keynoted the recent AnnualMeeting and Training Seminar of the Conference of Minor-ity Transportation Officials at the Biltmore Hotel in LosAngeles.

Rev. Jackson discussed the challenges and plight ofminorities in the mainsteam of American industry.

He joined Texas Rep. Mickey Leland and a slate ofprominent local and national leaders from the corporateand public sector, who addressed an array of contempo-rary issues relative to the conference theme, "Building anEffective Transportation Community through Unity, Train-ing and Economic Opportunity."

RTD officials, including local COMTO President DuaneJohnson, participated in the four-day conference.

Students Gain Experience

Eighteen area high school students worked at RTD thissummer in a nine-week City of Los Angeles Summer YouthEmployment Program.

Participants, who ranged in age from 16 to 20, served in11 departments as office aides earning money while gain-ing office skills. Working 25 hours weekly, the studentsperformed tasks that included labeling books and docu-ments, preparing documents for microfilming, operatingIBM personal computers, typing, filing and answering tele-phones. Some even developed cost-saving clericalmethods.

RTD Hosts Public Transit Industry

RTD was the host agency to some 3,000 delegates,speakers and their spouses t the 1985 annual meeting ofthe American Publ' Tran tion (APTA) October5-10 at the

Represent ves -from more: t1arr30 American andCanadian transit agencies attended the annual event tobestow honors and discuss issues and probiems commonto the national public transit sectoi.

Panel discussions and vvorkshOps focused on a varietyof topics, ranging from federal funding of transit operationsto improved bus maintenance techniques. The conferencealso featured displays dreateä by local bus companies,highlighting public erfrieres growth in the LosAngeles region. I _

RTD provided information about the city, technical in-spection tours of District facilities and transported delegatesto conference activities.

Curtain Closed (Temporarily)for Hollywood Service Center

Due to extensive renovation work, RTD's HollywoodCustomer Service Center at 6249 Hollywood Blvd. hasbeen closed until November 1. The temporary center islocated across the street at 6258 Hollywood Blvd. and oper-ates weekdays from 10 AM to 6 PM.

Metro News Bulletin

3

October 1985

Metro Rail Update

Congress Remains Supportivof Construction FundingT he eyes of the transit industry are fixed on Capitol

Hill to see how federally financed transportationprograms—particularly RTD's Metro Rail—will

fare in the FY'86 budget appropriations process.Interestingly, recent headlines following the process

have overlooked the most critical fact: Congress clearlysupports the subway project! The most noteworthydebates on the Hill have not been over "if," but rather "howmuch" should be allocated for Metro Rail's construction.Ironically, even the Reagan Administration, which wants toabandon public transit support, has repeatedly validatedMetro Rail as the nation's most cost-effective new railproject.

Meanwhile, the gasoline tax dollars are still pouring intothe federal mass transit trust fund, which is dedicatedsolely for the development of transit projects. The annualincome of this account now exceeds $1.8 billion. Congressrealizes that this is a self-sustaining trust fund, which doesnot contribute to the federal deficit. Thus, congressionalleaders have proceeded with allocating these trust funddollars for worthwhile, cost-effective projects, like MetroRail, despite resistance by the Administration.

As of this writing, the U.S. Senate was preparing transitfunding legislation that included construction dollars for theinitial 4-mile downtown segment of the 18-mile Metro Railsubway. The Senate Appropriations Committee hasaccepted its Transportation Subcommittee's earlierrecommendation of $85 million for Metro Rail for the 1986federal fiscal year, which began this month. This recom-mendation goes to the full Senate for vote and then on forthe final congressional compromise by House and Senateconferees.

A compromise is necessary because on September 12,the House approved a higher appropriation of $117 millionfor Metro Rail's construction. Further, the House legisla-tion mandated that the federal Urban Mass TransportationAdministration (UMTA) enter into a full-funding contractwith RTD 30 days after this year's federal transportation billbecomes law. The House bill also directs UMTA to release$129 million in Metro Rail construction funds from previouscongressional appropriations.

The conferees' amended transportation bitt will becomepart of the FY'86 Continuing Resolution, which will go tothe President for signature.

Altogether, RTD is seeking $605 million in federal gaso-line tax money-48% of the construction cost for MetroRail's first phase. This will be matched by previously com-mitted state and local transit funds and revenues frombenefit assessment districts, which will be created aroundthe five stations along the 4-mile, downtown-to-Alvaradoroute.

OTHER DEVELOPMENTSPossible Route Adjustments. Recent House fund-

ing legislation directs RTD to develop, for public reviewand consideration, alternatives that would avoid tunnelingthrough high-risk methane gas areas in the Fairfax District.(The western segment of the 18-mile Metro Rail route wasto be constructed in the Fairfax District, which containspockets of methane gas. RTD engineers were aware ofgeologic conditions since the preliminary engineeringphase and had taken this into consideration when theyproposed deep-bore tunneling in the area. Special pre-cautions were incorporated in the design and constructionplans to minimize possible risks. In recent weeks, how-ever, some community leaders and congressional repre-sentatives became uncomfortable with the plan—safetymeasures notwithstanding—and pressed for this currentlegislation.)

RTD anticipates it will take about a year to completeadditional environmental impact studies that will consideralternatives, though all of these options will still terminatein North Hollywood.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles City Council President PatRussell will appoint a 10-person panel of experts to reviewthe District's tunneling and safety procedures pertaining tothe first phase of the project, which calls for construction ofa subway linking Union Station and Alvarado and WilshireBoulevard, via the Civic Center, Hill Street and SeventhStreet.

"We have assured Council President Russell that we willcooperate with the committee and the panel of experts intheir work effort," notes General Manager John A. Dyer.The panel's work, which will be subject to public review,should be completed by the end of the year and prior to thestart of construction.• Preconstruction Activities. All systems are go forMetro Rail. Design work on the first 4-mile constructionsegment is near completion. The properties necessary forconstruction purposes have been acquired, and utilityrelocation plans are nearly complete. Bus rerouting plansin the downtown/Alvarado area are also underway.

Metro News Bulletin 4 October 1985

S Focus On Passenger

ECURITRTD Task Force Moves to Reduce Transit Crime

"

I n an effort to provide the safestpossible ride for its passengers,RTD has formed a task force to

develop an effective program to reducetransit crimes even more.

"While our own statistics show adrop in crime aboard the buses, weknow there is more that can be done,"said RTD Board Vice PresidentGordana Swanson, who chaired thefirst task force meeting last summer."While our basic responsibility beginswhen someone boards one of ourbuses, we recognize that by workingwith the community, we can helpimprove conditions where we have nacontrol, such as at a bus stop."

Swanson said District activities tominimize criminal incidents an busesgo back two decades. In the 1960s,

RTD bus operators stopped carryingchange; in the '70s, silent alarms wereinstalled an buses. In addition, theDistrict's Transit Police Force wasformed in the late '70s to combat crime,and it has proven highly effective.Recent efforts include installation ofcameras an buses (see related article).Despite these efforts, the overall in-crease of crime in society requiresmore coordinated efforts, notes Swan-son.

Thus the creation of the Transit LawEnforcement Policy Task Force, whichis composed of representatives fromthe county Board of Supervisors, theoffice of Mayor Bradley, the LosAngeles City Council, the Los Angelesand Inglewood Police Departments,RTD management and Transit PoliceForce, the county Sheriff's De-partment, and District and City Attor-ney's offices. While the task force willformulate policies and guidelines forthe crime prevention program, an inter-agency management committee willprovide staff support to actuallyimplement the program.

The goals of the task force are asfollows:

• lncrease commitment by respon-sible agencies toward working fora reduction in the rate of transit-related crime.

• Enhance transit crime data col-lection procedures and bettercommunication of statistics be-tween agencies.

• Improve analysis and utilizationof crime data.

• lncrease police presence at busstops, through redeployment ofpersonnel or creation of addi-tional transit crime preventionunits.

• Improve bus stop design andlighting.

• lmprove interagency coordina-tion in dealing with transit crime-related issues.

"With bus ridership in Los Angelesstill at record high levels and both lightand heavy rail systems coming in just afew years, it is critical that we worktogether to minimize our current prob-lems and plan for a future when publictransit will be even more a part of ourlives," says RTD General ManagerJohn A. Dyer. "This task force will be akey element."

Dyer added that RTD Transit Policevehicles now display new signage inorder to make them more easily identi-fiable.

ible andap,write to:L90001

Metro News Bulletin

5

October 1985

RTD Continues Police Task Force

Based on a successful crime-fighting pilot project in theSecond County Supervisorial District, RTD and LosAngeles County have joined hands establishing a per-manent expanded crime suppression task force.

The RTD Board approved a contract September 12 touse funds provided by Supervisor Kenneth Hahn from thecounty's share of Proposition A revenues to deploy sixadded transit police officers. The full-time officers and acrime prevention connnnunity relations officer will conducttransit crime prevention and awareness workshops, aswell as beef up RTD police patrols in the Second District,where RTD has logged the highest crime rate.

The Second District includes South Central LosAngeles, Carson, Culver City, Gardena, Hawthorne,wood, Lawndale, Lynwood, and unincorporated areas inthe Southern portion of the county.

The effort comes on the heels of a six-month pilot projectbetween December 1984 and June 1985 during which asimilar task force was deployed to fight crime in the area.District studies show the task force approach helped re-duce transit crime in the area by 6%, despite a 17% in-crease in bus ridership.

The contract provides $360,000 and funds the programfor a 12-month period beginning October 1 with the entirecost of the program to be paid by the county.

Those interested in learning more about RTD's crimeprevention effort may call (213) 972-3258.

Protection Takes On Many Forms—RTD has taken numeroussteps to safeguard passen gers and District facilities fromundesirable behavior. Officer Marvin Merriweather (top, Page 4)patrols El Monte Station, while James Willis (c) and Leo Metoyerassist bus patron (bottom). New surveillance cameras (I) pro videadditional security for passen gers and operators alike.

Camera Enhances Security

You might call it candid camera. That's because insidenearly a thousand RTD buses, cameras are recording thecandid activities of passengers in an effort to enhancesecurity for RTD riders.

"Based on studies done in San Diego and Oakland, wefound that these surveillance cameras had a deterringeffect on crime," says RTD Transit Police Chief JamesBurgess. "In Oakland, for instance, a local televisionstation on its nightly news program ran a film of an incidentthat took place on a city bus. The crime was solved."

The cameras, mounted on a partition located just behindthe driver, looks down on passengers, observing and film-ing activities as they unfold. Above the small red light andthe large eye of each camera, a sign reads: "For YourProtection—Continuous Picture Recording Aboard ThisBus."

Passengers' reception of this new security measure hasbeen very positive. One elderly woman wrote RTD aboutthe camera, noting, "It's the next best thing to havingpolice officers on the bus. Even though it can't actually stopa crime in progress, it at least makes a person think twicebefore doing something wrong."

RTD began installing the cameras in March, and theeffort is the largest of its kind underway in the nation.

F ines for Transit Crime up. . . and that's the law!

On January 1, 1986, a new law goes into effect, in-creasing to $250 the maximum fine for misdemeanorcrimes committed on RTD buses and other public buses inCalifornia. Maximum fines will be raised from $50 to $250for the following crimes:

Fare evasion

▪ Misuse of transfers, passes, tickets or tokens with theintent to evade fare payment

▪ Playing radios and other sound equipment in a clearlyaudible manner

Smoking, eating or drinking on buses

Spitting or engaging in loud and unruly behavior

RTD transit police officers are authorized to issue cita-tions for these offenses; last year they issued 1,700.

Metro News Bulletin 6

October 1985

Accessible Services

RTD Celebrates Misability Awareness Month'R TD joins other agenciesthroughout the nation in offer-ing assistance and infor-

mation for disabled persons duringOctober, "Disability Awareness Month."

In addition to regular services pro-vided daily to the disabled, RTD is spon-soring special activities. Demonstra-tions of lift-equipped buses are beingoffered to organizations that serve thesenior and disabled community, andRTD has launched new programs thismonth to assist wheelchair patrons.

One is an information program thatincludes the publication and distri-bution of the fall issue of ACCESS,RTD's quarteriy newsletter, and a newbrochure that advises patrons how toboard and exit District buses while ac-commodating wheelchair patrons.

The other is an innovative safety pro-gram, which is receiving considerableapplause from wheelchair patrons.Starting this month, RTD is installing anew strap that will serve a greatervariety of wheelchairs than those pre-sently accommodated.

These efforts are just part of an on-going program aimed at one goal: toprovide 100% fixed-route accessibleservice throughout the District's ser-vice area.

In 1974, RTD became the nation'sfirst transit agency to adopt a policy of

full accessibility. Planning sessionswith the disabled and senior com-munity, other transit properties, ad-visory committees and various stateand local agencies have resulted inconsiderable progress.

Early meetings with local senior anddisabled groups culminated in theestablishment of the Citizens' AdvisoryCommittee on Accessible Transporta-tion (CACAT) by the RTD Board ofDirectors in 1975. By 1978, RTD hadpurchased its first fleet of 200 lift-equipped buses and published its firstaccessible service line map.

To monitor the progress of its ac-cessible service program, the Boardformed an Ad Hoc Committee on Ac-cessible Transportation in 1983. By the

RTD's new wheelchair securementstraps can be used on a larger variety ofwheelchair models.

Before, a clamp under the wheelchairposition on accessible buses secured thechair by holding a single rear wheel. Thatclamp, however, does not fit all chairmodels now on the market.

The new straps, consisting of two beltsthat secure the wheels on both sides,pro vides the necessary safety for wheel-chair patrons.

end of the year, RTD was operatingaccessible buses on over half of itsroutes. Installing and retrofitting lifts areonly a few examples of the tasksinvolved in achieving the District'sgoal. Equally important is drivertraining—not only in operating wheel-chair lifts and securement devices, butalso in making the bus operators awareof riders' special needs.

The District's hefty investment ofsome $24 million dramatically under-scores the extent of its commitment tothe program. This, along with thebehind-the-scenes efforts in planning,operations, marketing and communityrelations, has yielded commendableresults.

The District now operates accessibleservice on 167 of its 245 bus lines.Some 1,600 buses serve those lines,and wheelchair lift operational reliabilityis now at a record 91.8%. All of thesefactors are attributable to the markedincrease in ridership by wheelchair pa-trons. Weekday ridership has reached arecord 80 boardings, up 64% over thefall quarter of 1983.

"RTD's accessible service programhas established milestones in thepublic transit industry," notes RTDDirector Jack Day, who chairs the AdHoc Committee on Accessible Trans-portation. "However, we will not be-come complacent with our accomplish-ments. Rather, we stand committed toexpand our program even more untilour goal of total accessibility is met."

A doggone ideal

Training pups to guide and rideNo, we have not gone to the dogs. Actually the dogs

are coming to us! On a recent Saturday, nearly 20International Guiding Eyes puppies-in-training arrivedat the RTD operating division in Pomona to get their"crash course" in public transportation. Their trainersworked with RTD drivers and traveled around certainareas of Pomona, teaching the puppies how to enterand exit the bus as well as how to crouch under theseats or otherwise stay out of the aisles. The youngdogs also were exposed to sounds typically heard onbuses bells ringing, doors closing, fare boxesoperating) and how the bus feels in motion. The pupsare in training for the Guiding Eyes program and some-day soon will be assisting blind citizens in the dailyactivities of life . and that includes boarding buses.

THE NEW SECUREMENT STRAPS

Metro News Bulletin

7

October 1985

RTD On The Move 4-* RTO

A CleanerAlternative

RTD TestsMethanolFuelR TD is leading the way toward

cleaner air in Southern Cali-fornia. Among other efforts,

the District has launched a two-pronged experimental approach toclear the air of exhaust emissions bybuses and meet Environmental Pro-tection Agency standards for newdiesel buses in the next decade.

The District is currently researchingthe use of methanol fuel as an alter-native to diesel, which RTD buses nowuse. Recently the District and theAmerican Public Transit Associationcosponsored an international work-shop to explore the use of clean-burning methanol fuel to operate publicbuses. The workshop brought togetherfor the first time in Los Angeles RTDmaintenance staff and other U.S. pub-lic transit agencies, about 40 technol-ogy experts from local, state and fed-eral governmental agencies in additionto an international consortium of transitindustry suppliers and engineeringconsültants from Europe, South Amer-ica and New Zealand.

"This is the first time such a forumhas been held to exchange informa-tion and develop plans for testingmethanol fuel in the public transitindustry," explains Rich Davis, RTDDirector of Equipment Maintenance."While our aim is to reduce exhaustemissions by our buses throughoutour extensive service area, we alsorecognize that our research could

Tests—RTD mechanics conduct exhaustemission tets as Pellegrin (above, left)evaluates results.

yield similar benefits for both pub-lic transit and the trucking industryworldwide."

Extensive tests of methanol-fueledcars and vans in California have shownthat methanol engines emit virtually nosmoke or hydrocarbons that help pro-duce smog. Moreover, methanol canbe produced cheaply from America'sabundant coal reserves or from grainand other organic materials.

Only about a dozen methanol fueledbuses in the world are being testedtoday, including two in the San Fran-cisco Bay Area, Davis noted. RTDplans to order 30 methanol buses next

year and conduct the largest test of itskind over a 24-month period.

The second approach is a demon-stration project regarding the feasibilityof a Catalytic-Trap Oxidizer. Thedevice is meant to reduce visible ex-haust smoke from diesel engines bytrapping the particulates produced bythe engines. The particulate trap worksmuch like a catalytic converter ongasoline-engine vehicles, capturingheated particulates from the engineexhaust and burning them before theyescape into the atmosphere.

According to Maintenance InstructorVince Pellegrin, the in-service field testof the first RTD bus began in 1984.Since then, Pellegrin has been in com-munication with the Southwest Re-search Institute, the recipients of anRTD engine for baseline emissionlevels and catalysts testing.

"So far, the Institute's findings showa reduction in exhaust emissions,"notes Pellegrin. "But the effects ofaccumulated mileage have yet to berecorded. We are essentially still in theresearch and development stage onthis. However, we are the first transitproperty to have done this much workon it."

Pellegrin said the goal of the project,besides an exhaust emission reductionlevel that meets EPA standards, is todiscover the device's effect on enginepower, fuel efficiency and overall dur-ability.

METRO NEWS BULLETIN ispublished by the SouthernCalifornia Rapid Transit District toinform the greater Los Angelescommunity of progress and de-velopments of the RTD Metro RaulProject and other Districtoperations.

Community RelationsRepresentatives

Manny HernandezSenior Representative

Jeff AlpertDowntown SectorRissa L. BernsteinSan Femando ValleyHerbert CrantonMid-Cities SectorWanda FlaggSouth Central/Harbor SectorOttis L. HendricksWilshire SectorSandra LearmanSouth Bay/West L.A. SectorNeil SotoSan Gabriel ValleyCarol TaylorNorth Central Sector

RTD BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Nikolas PatsaourasPresident

Gordana SwansonVice PresidentJohn F. DayNorman H. EmersonCarmen A. EstradaJan HallNate HoldenMarvin L. HolenLeonard PanishJay B. PriceCharles H. Storing

John A. DyerGeneral ManagerLou CollierCommunity Relations DirectorAlbert ReyesCommunity Relations Coordinator

Clarence BrownEditor

mieffaSHOP HERE

BY B'US.ERLE RIDES

FROM US.

Metro News Bulletin

8

October 1985

Fere Dealings

Riders EnjoyTheir $4 Rides

Thousands of senior, disabled and student ridersthroughout Los Angeles County are enjoying reducedfares thanks to the participation of 22 local communities inthe District's monthly pass "buy down" program.

Instead of paying the new July 1 rate of $7 for an RTDmonthly pass, many senior and disabled riders are payingan average $4. Some pay even less.

As of this writing, 22 cities have joined Los AngelesCounty supervisorial districts 2, 3, 4 and 5 in using theirshare of Proposition A sales tax revenues to subsidizeRTD monthly passes for senior and disabled residents.Cities making this benefit possible include Agoura Hills,Alhambra, Bell, Covina, Glendale, Huntington Park, LosAngeles, Inglewood, Monterey Park, Pico Rivera, LaPuente, West Hollywood, Baldwin Park, Beverly Hills,Burbank, El Monte, Hawthorne, San Fernando, SouthPasadena, Temple City and most recently Commerce andSouth Gate.

Student residents of seven local cities are also enjoyingRTD monthly pass discounts ranging from $3 to $8 off theregular $12 rate. These cities include Covina, MontereyPark, San Fernando, South Pasadena, Temple City, PicoRivera and La Puente.

etro News

RTD

REILLIPTIN

Submit all inquiries to:RTD Community Relations

425 S. Main St. Los Angeles, CA 90013 • (213) 972-6456

"Token" of Appreciation—RTD Board Vice President GordanaSvvanson and Carson Mali Marketing Director Cynthia Bergerinspect RTD fare token during recent festivities launching theRTD/Carson Mail Shop-by-Bus program. Bus shoppers nowcan get a free 85t RTD token with every $15 minimum purchaseat the mall's participating stores. RTD and Alhambra officialsrecently celebrated the renewal of their successful Shop-by-Busprogram.

Beautifying the Neighborhood—What looks like a park, isactually RTD's operating division in Venice. As part of its "GoodNeighbor and Beautification Program," the District hasattractively landscaped the property surrounding the facility andhas refurbished the fence to preserve the privacy of adjacentresidences.