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14 Minutes from NoHo to Century City via Subway
'Santa Monica Subway: Alternative 4' is one of the 17 routes presented by Metro
Last night, a packed room of community members at LACMA listened attentively to Metro present nineteen options to serve the Westside. This first in a series of three public input meetings (two more meetings next week) was exciting -- wheels are in motion to get Los Angeles moving, even if that reality be around ten years from now.
One of the most interesting facts coming out of last night's presentation came in 'Santa Monica Subway: Alternative 4,' a route that would go from both the Valley and Hollywood to the Westside. David Mieger, Metro project manager for the study, mentioned that traveling from the Metro Red Line North Hollywood Station to Century City would take 14-minutes.
Part of this estimate comes from few stops between the two city centers: two in the Valley, two in West Hollywood, one in Beverly Hills and finally Century City. Notice that Hollywood and Highland is skipped in lieu of a swing cut off from Universal City to Santa Monica and Fairfax.
In essence, if only this route were to be built, there would be three subway lines. The first would be the Red Line as we know it today, traveling from North Hollywood to Union Station. The second would be from North Hollywood to Century City and beyond. The third would be from Union Station to the Westside.
If last night was a governing board deciding which route to build first, a Wilshire Blvd. subway would be built, based on the public comments from the Miracle Mile/Mid-Wilshire audience. No one from West Hollywood spoke, no one from The Valley. If no one from these areas comment on the Santa Monica alternatives, will we surely only get a Wilshire subway? However, Metro said that when the Valley extension of the Red Line opened, the ridership doubled from 60,000 to 120,000, practically overnight.
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Two more meetings discussing the alternatives are to take place next week in West Hollywood and Westwood.
Previously on LAist
- Which Way, LA? Metro Has Some Plans for the Westside
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