In a total reversal — kind of like a Dodger fan switching to the Giants — the Montebello City Council has voted to join the Washington Boulevard Coalition of cities supporting a light-rail line that would travel from East Los Angeles to Whittier via Atlantic and Washington boulevards.

Before this year, Montebello was a member of the SR-60 Coalition advocating for the Gold Line Eastside extension alternative which would follow the 60 Freeway from East Los Angeles to South El Monte.

But in March, council members voted to support both routes. Now they favor only the route to Whittier.

An environmental report analyzing the all options is expected to be completed in 2021.

One reason for the change could be four new members on the City Council; and even the lone holdover, Mayor Jack Hadjinian, said he always has been a proponent of the Washington Boulevard route.

Hadjinian said the Washington Boulevard alignment would provide an opportunity for transit-oriented development and would be better than the 60 Freeway alternative.

“The Washington Boulevard alignment is walkable,” Hadjinian said, while “the 60 alignment is not walkable. You have to drive there. On Washington, you can walk to the train and go to downtown (Los Angeles) or Whittier. The Washington alignment is longer, cheaper to build and moves more people.”

Councilman Salvador Melendez, who was elected last November, agrees.

“We’re talking about the southern part of our city,” Melendez said. “This project alone … can really change the southern part of our city.”

Former Councilwoman Rosie Vasquez, who supported the 60 Freeway alignment when she was on the council — and still does — said she’s disappointed in the council’s action.

“The 60 Freeway (alignment) would bring the city of Montebello a lot of riders who would stop at the shopping center, which would bring us thousands and thousands of dollars in sales tax,” Vasquez said.

“Washington Boulevard has nothing to bring to us,” she said. “There’s just manufacturing, no sales tax.”

Whittier Councilman Henry Bouchot, a member of his city’s committee overseeing efforts to bring light rail to Whittier, said Montebello’s decision “is a testament to the growing strength of our coalition.”

“It shows that cities in our region are really taking note that the Washington alignment may be the superior option,” Bouchot said. “You can go from the terminus in Whittier to Santa Monica with stops at a casino, a major shopping center and a hospital.”

Interim South El Monte City Manager Rachel Barbosa said she respects what Montebello is doing, but the proposed light-rail line along the 60 Freeway also has support, including from the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments.

“We are opening to working with the Whittier coalition,” Barbosa said.

“It’s a shame our communities are being pitted against each other,” she said. “Ideally, if both coalitions could work together, we can make this decision for ourselves and not leave it to the Metro board.”