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February 5, 2008
How You Vote Today Could Bring A Subway in 5 Years (When It Rains Cats & Dogs)*
Alternative 9 combines a Wilshire and Santa Monica alignment for two subways
Update*: Metro called to strongly emphasize that the projected 10-year-period (three for environmental studies, seven for construction) is the reality under the most ideal circumstances (that circumstance is if we had the funding today). Metro confirms this is the timeline and the 5-year hypothetical may have been misheard or said. At the meeting, the freakily fast timeline was mentioned in the context of a community member asking why can't it be done faster by having double shifts or 24-hour shifts.
At last week's meeting between Metro and the public about the Westside extension, Metro said that a subway (or subways) could be built and finished in five years.
Wha?? We don't have to wait 10 years? Holy!!! Yes, that's right, we could have all this pictured above or some variation thereof in five years from now.
But wait, what's the catch? Oh yeah, money.
Funding is the theme game here folks. So why does your vote today and in November count? One reason is the candidates' view (or lack of one) on public transit. The second is the war in Iraq. Yeah, we said it.
Last October, the LA City Council voted to support a pullout from Iraq, saying the war is diverting money from local governments. New York City did the same.
Mayor Villaraigosa also took a shot at the feds on Mayor TV (video below): "The federal government has been almost absent in addressing the issues of our cities... the investments that need to be made with respect to housing, infrastructure; it is absolutely criminal that the federal government has failed to address to those issues."
When you go out to vote today, keep in mind what you want for this nation and for this great city. If you want to get LA moving again, some choices might be better than others. Just sayin'.
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Also, if you live in LA city, you'll want to vote NO ON PROP S which takes funding from public transit projects and diverts it to highway and road construction. Obviously not a sweet deal.
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Er, did I say no. I actually meant yes. Whoops.
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that was not misheard. i distinctly remember the metro spokes woman saying that at january 31st meeting. it was in response to someones question.
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I heart it too jerjozwik. But in good faith to keep the dialogue going, Metro may chime in for the record. Yes, it was said that night and yesterday Metro said It was "hypothetical," but that means it's still possible, even if the odds are one to a billion.