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Gateway Cities honors Pico Rivera with platinum Energy Action Award; executive director outlines fiber network, electrification work
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Summary
Gateway Cities presented Pico Rivera a platinum Energy Action Award and outlined regional projects — a 10 Gbps fiber-optic network, building electrification assistance, and transit projects such as the 605 expansion and East Side Line extension — that will involve Pico Rivera.
Pico Rivera — The Gateway Cities council presented Pico Rivera with a top-level Energy Action Award and briefed the City Council on regional infrastructure projects, including a high-speed fiber network and building-electrification programs.
Hector, identified in the meeting as executive director of Gateway Cities, told the council that Pico Rivera had earned a platinum award in the program’s fifth year and credited the city’s sustainability work for the recognition. He said the award process considered a single flagship project per city, and Pico Rivera’s combined efforts put it ahead of peers.
Hector described several regional efforts that will touch Pico Rivera: an Environmental Impact Report update and related work tied to the 605 freeway expansion, the East Side Line light-rail extension whose EIR is being submitted to the federal government, and a State Energy Commission–selected building-electrification program to support resident upgrades such as electric-panel work and EV charging connections.
On broadband, Hector said Gateway Cities is building a 24-city fiber-optic network with two-direction redundancy. He described the network as offering ten times the typical municipal bandwidth, saying it will deliver 10 gigabytes per second service to city buildings and that Pico Rivera will be among the owners of the network. "We're giving you a Ferrari for free... we're parking it in your driveway and then giving you the keys," he said, urging the council to decide how to use the capacity.
The presentation noted the fiber project is approximately 25% complete and expected to be finished by year-end; staff said Metro coordination and local decisions by each city will determine how the network is used in individual jurisdictions.
Council members congratulated staff and noted the value of improved digital access, especially following remote-learning gaps during COVID-19; several members highlighted the project's potential affordability and improved service for residents and city operations.
The council accepted the presentation and the meeting proceeded to the regular agenda.
