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Metro Board Approves Westside Subway (Well, Not ALL Of It)
Westside Subway proposed line via Metro
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FINALLY: The Westside Subway is a GO, says Metro's Board of Directors. Well, mostly, that is.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Board of Directors today voted to certify the Final Environmental Impact Statement/Report (EIS/EIR) for the Westside Subway Extension Project (aka or the Subway to the Sea), but they held off making a decision on two further segments of the project, thanks to ongoing objections and blocking tactics from the City of Beverly Hills.
One Beverly Hills official called the proposal to tunnel beneath Beverly Hills High School "a very emotional issue," according to City News Service.
Beverly Hills Mayor William W. Brien said that while residents of the city are "enthusiastic supporters'' of the subway extension, they object to tunneling beneath "the historic core of Beverly Hills High School,'' which may "preclude future construction'' at the campus.
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Despite Beverly Hills' NIMBY attitude about moving folks across town under their precious land (yeah, we said it), today's vote is really good news for the project.
The Westside Subway, which extends Metro's existing Purple Line, will provide a rail link between Downtown and other communities with the western portion of the county for the first time in decades. The project is partially paid for with Measure R funds approved by voters in 2008. Metro is also seeking matching funds from the federal New Starts program. The project has been included in the Obama Administration’s proposed FY13 Budget to initially receive $50 million. Full Congressional approval of project funding contained in the federal transportation bill is required.
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