In a letter to Don Knabe, LA County Supervisor and chair of the Board of Directors of L.A. County’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Mayor Jimmy Delshad stated the City Council’s support of the Westside subway extension, calling for alignment that passes underneath Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards, avoiding homes and schools.
The City supports stops near Wilshire/La Cienega, Wilshire/Beverly, and a proposed station near Beverly Hills in Century City. The hot-button issue has been Metro’s proposed route to Century City, and the alignment options running under Beverly Hills High School and residences, which the City has stood unanimously against. The City also supports the construction of the alignment to Century City as the first phase in the construction process.
City staff and geological consulting firm Shannon & Wilson, Inc.?s review of the DEIS/DEIR helped the City craft their comment letter to Metro.
In previous Council meetings, City staff pointed out inconsistencies in Metro’s research, regarding tunneling depths, geological issues such as the existence of pre-existing oil wells, and under-calculation of the estimated daily rider use of the subways.
Vice Mayor Brucker expressed concern with the Metro’s assertion that seismic activity will prevent the Santa Monica alignment.
For the portal in Century City, I find that rather unpersuasive, given that the city of L.A. has already entitled and approved I believe, two 40 story towers at Westfield,? Brucker said. ?The Suncal property, which was a 50 story tower-both of those are directly positioned adjacent to Santa Monica Boulevard.
Metro’s board of directors is scheduled to select a ?locally preferred alternative? on Oct. 28.
Members of the community have said they will appeal Metro’s decision, should they not pick the Santa Monica alignment.
Over 200 residents attended the Sept. 27 Metro public hearing at Roxbury Park, vehemently objecting to track alignments under schools or residential properties. The project is approved through Measure R, which voters passed in 2008.
Below is the text of the letter from Delshad to Knabe.
