Metro Westside meetings: Yes, the Westside wants the subway

So tell me if this sounds sexy to you: Attend the Early Public Scoping Meeting to give your input on the Alternatives Analysis portion of the Westside Extension Transit Corridor Study.

Yeah -- Thought so. Now you see why politicians call all this the "Subway to the Sea" project, or the "Wilshire Corridor" project -- even as Metro officials say they're not allowed to call it that. To Metro, it's the "Westside Extension Transit Corridor Study."

Why such a cumbersome name? Well, Metro's gotta go through some very stringent -- as in time-consuming -- steps before building a subway line anywhere.

That means that Metro can't just say the Westside peeps want a subway; it needs to first hold formal "Early Public Scoping Meetings" to do an "Alternatives Analysis" as part of the "Westside Extension Transit Corridor Study" to document that Westsiders do indeed want a subway line. Jody Litvak (laughing, left) of Metro went so far as to say the meetings' purpose was to help figure out "what, if anything, would be built."

But basically, the project has come down to this: bring the subway to the Westside. Yep -- on Wednesday, I went to one of these "Early Public Scoping Meetings" at the Beverly Hills Public Library, along with 60 to 70 other people. And all of them, except one Sandy from Westwood, wanted the purple line to run along Wilshire all the way to the beach.

Doing exactly that would mean Angelenos would be able to get from downtown L.A. to the beach in 35 minutes -- faster than by car most times of the day.

Even the rather transit-unfriendly Beverly Hills seems to be behind the project. Allan Alexander, former mayor of Beverly Hills, took the mike to state that the 18 members of the Transit Committee unanimously agreed on a Wilshire subway line with two stops in the city: one at La Cienega Boulevard and the other Beverly Drive. Allan also noted that the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce supports the project.

And even Cheviot Hills -- which has gotten a lot of flak for its anti-Expo-Line stance -- showed support for public transit. A rep from Light Rail for Cheviot Hills spoke in favor of extending the subway along Wilshire.

The question wasn't about whether or not we want a subway to the sea; WE WANT IT! Instead, the public comments focused on refining and improving the plans. And these suggestions focused NOT on the Purple Line -- which would run on Wilshire -- but on the proposed extension of the Red Line, extending it west from the Hollywood and Highland station to run along Santa Monica to meet the Purple Line where Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards converge.

The main concern with the Red Line extension: That first segment between the Hollywood / Highland station to the next station west -- currently mapped at Fairfax and Santa Monica -- runs diagonally through a historic residential neighborhood. People who live in this area came out full force -- not to oppose the extension, but to request that the route be drawn differently.

A couple of suggestions came up. The first: running the subway west on Hollywood to La Brea before dipping south to Sunset, to run west until Fairfax before dipping down to Santa Monica. The second: Running the subway west farther on Sunset to ease traffic on the Sunset Strip.

Another interesting suggestion came from bicyclists, who suggested making the subway more bike-friendly, so as to make things convenient not only for bikers, but for other passengers. More deets on this later --

Couldn't make the meetings? You can still put in your two cents, even if it's just to say that yes, you do really want a subway to the sea. Let yourself be heard by the Nov. 1 deadline for public comment for this phase, lest you get shouted out by the few anti-transit people. You can fill out this Web form, call 213.922.6934, e-mail WestsideExtension@metro.net, or go old school and write a letter to David Mieger, AICP, Project Manager and Deputy Executive Officer, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (METRO), 1 Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

What happens after Nov. 1? Metro will take in the comments, then make its recommendations to the Metro board -- hopefully to go ahead with the subway. The board will then decide what to do -- hopefully to go ahead with the subway. At that point, the project will go through an environmental analysis (yes, more meetings), then go through the engineering and funding processes, then actually get built.

I asked David Mieger of Metro when the Expo Line was at this "Alternatives Analysis" phase, to gauge how long it would take for the subway to the sea idea to get to that stage. David said that Expo was at this stage in 2000! However, the Expo project went on the shelf for two years before gaining steam again in 2003. If we can avoid this shelving thing, we could get the Purple Line extended quicker.

De-car-ing: Took the Metro 704 down Santa Monica there and back.

Top image courtesy of Metro; photos by Siel

Comments

[Desdemona Bandini]

I want a subway, I live on the westside. For the love of God, give me some options! :-) Great blog!

[Jody Litvak]

Thank you for summarizing our meeting about Metro's Westside Extension Transit Corridor Study and providing people information on how they can give us their input. There is another opportunity, just added, if people want to show up, see our presentation, ask questions, and provide input in person prior to the November 1 close of the comment period during scoping. The City of West Hollywood has invited us to Plummer Park at 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard on Monday, October 29 at 6:00 p.m.

[Ron]

Great post Siel! This is exactly what went down at the meeting. There is ENORMOUS community support for a subway system down Wilshire Blvd. The traffic is just THAT bad. No matter what they do with the bus lines, it's still taking the bus, and in image conscious Westside, that's socially unacceptable. However, a subway makes travelling downtown FAR MORE CONVENIENT. Subways are hip, urban and people won't question your social status if you take it.

[Dan W.]

I went to the Santa Monica meeting and everyone there supported some sort of rail, be it subway or monorail.

I think the "Pink Line" from Hollywood/Highland to Century City via Santa Monica Blvd. is just as important. While Wilshire is denser, if the "Pink" line goes from the Valley down Santa Monica Blvd., it will make life easier for those many commuters who commute southwest. The Red Line serves well those heading southeast from the valley.

As for Santa Monica versus Sunset, the Pink Line should not go west on Sunset any farther than LaBrea. Traffic on Santa Monica Blvd. is worse than the Sunset Strip. Also more people will be able to walk to Santa Monica Blvd from north and south than will be able to walk to Sunset. The City of West Hollywood will lobby for Santa Monica as well, less they be left out of the rail system.. Santa Monica Blvd. also has one of the four busiest bus corridors in the whole MTA system. I know traffic can be a pain on Sunset, but this corridor is just needed more on Santa Monica Blvd., west of La Brea. After Sunset/LaBrea or Sunset/Fairfax, it needs to catch Santa Monica Blvd. by Fairfax if not at LaBrea.

[Allan Alexander]

Your summary of the meeting (including what I stated at the meeting) was very accurate and appreciated. For those who are interested in reading the Beverly Hills Mass Transit Committee Report which you refer to, go to the City of Beverly Hills home page at www.beverlyhills.org and click on "shortcuts" at the top and then scroll down to Mass Transit Committee. The Report is found as the the second document entitled MTA Final Report (January 2007) Click on it and the Report will open. The Report explains in detail why the 18 member Committee unanimously recommended the Wilshire alignment straight down Wilshire from the Western/Wilshire station through Beverly Hills (with two stations in Beverly Hills) and then turning southwest under Santa Monica Blvd. to Century City and beyond.
Allan Alexander

[Alan Fishel]

It is good to see the overwhelming interest to have an alternative to driving to get from Los Angeles and from Hollywood to the Beach.

I do not know how hard it would be to connect the Red line at Highland Ave but a line from Hollywood through West Hollywood to connect to the Purple line en west Beverly hills would be well used for through as well as for local stops along the way. This would give Valley residents a fast way to the beaches and be able to leave their car at home and give some of the beach community back some space now used for parking.

Would an elevated line work between Hollywood and Highland and the connection with the Purple Line in West Beverly Hills? This could be a two rail or even a monorail if a direct Red Line would be to expensive to build do the connection with the Red Line in Hollywood and the cost of a subway Vs a light weight infrastructure elevated line.

With the Purple Line there should be a stop at Century City Santa Monica and Avenue of the Stars or Century Park West before the Wilshire and Westwood station.

As for the Expo Line as the map shows the northern direct route is the ONLY choice for so many many reasons including being with in 100 feet of 0 (zero) residents on the direct route Vs 100’s of residents on the detour, 3 crossings Vs close to 20 crossings as well as longer in time and route miles.

Alan Fishel

[MONORAIL]

MONORAIL...MONORAIL...MONORAIL!

What is it about MONORAIL that people don't get?

It is FAR CHEAPER. FAR easier on the eyes. FAR more fun and interesting therefore a BIGGER PULL to the public.

Los Angeles is the PERFECT city for a beautiful MONORAIL!

We could build 100 miles of MONORAIL for the price of 10 miles of a Subway!

[Mark]

Yes of course! A half a percent increase is pretty cheap considering what will be the end result. LA is one of the richest cities on earth, but with one of the poorest transportation systems, and has a dismal record on public transportation. How arrogant of us to not embrace mass transit. Do we really think that our clogged CO2 belching freeways will get better by themselves, and that cars will remain the only real choice in mass transit? Whatever the remedy is, we will have to pay more for it. No question there. So wouldn't it be best to bring our city up to world standards, and build a decent rail system, thus killing several birds with one stone? Methinks so.

[Dan W.]

That map makes me weep with joy.

Running rail on the Sunset Strip is a misuse of rail service. There are lots of roads with heavy traffic on the westside. Sunset is not special and is no more congested than Melrose and Beverly. Hipsters who don't want to suffer the indignity of riding the bus to their nightclubs can either find new nightclubs, get over their aversion to the bus or stay home. Right now, Sunset Blvd. doesn't even support an all day limited/express bus, while Santa Monica Blvd. is the 4th heaviest transit corridor in the county, after Wilshire, Vermont and Western.

The concerns of the historical neighborhood should be taken into account, but if there is a Santa Monica Blvd. alignment, sometimes referred to as the "Pink" Line, it needs to reach Santa Monica by Fairfax and go to La Cienega. This can be accomplished by the alignment heading down La Brea or Fairfax and then turning onto Santa Monica Blvd then. Going any further west on Sunset than La Brea and especially Fairfax is an inefficient use of rail. Far more people will be able to walk to Santa Monica Blvd. than Sunset.

There is a decision to be made about continuing directly down Santa Monica toward Century City or spurring to the Beverly Center / Cedar Sinai and there are good arguments to both.

Most people would agree the Wilshire alignment is the top priority, but we have a high priority need for both and both should be put in the MTA's Long Term Transportation Plan.

I'm just thrilled that the MTA is considering both alignments. We need both and I will pay any reasonable increase in fees, fares and taxes to build them.

[locomotive282]

building a branch from hollywood/highland would be an engineering nightmare and would disrupt regular service

all they need to do is continue down wilshire till they hit the beach

in fact the boreing machine is still buried underneath the ground just past wilshire and western! just put some gas in it and start digging.

the original plan was to go all the way to fairfax

as for the monorail idea...that sounds like a bad simpsons episode

yes subways cost money, yes they are hard to build, but they move heads better and faster than anything else including light rail

[Dan W.]

"building a branch from hollywood/highland would be an engineering nightmare and would disrupt regular service"

-------------------

Not necessarily.

Alternative #9 has both a Wilshire Blvd. alignment and a Santa Monica Blvd. alignment, which does not necessarily require an "interruption" in Hollywood/Highland service. In fact, it would allow a "one-seat" ride from North Hollywood to Century City in 14 minutes, a vital alternative to snaking through passes and canyons from the Valley to the Westside.

Please send an e-mail to the MTA in support of both alignments to WestsideExtension@metro.net, and say that you support Alternative #9.

Now is the time to get your feedback in.

[Dan W.]

"What is it about MONORAIL that people don't get?"

--------------

We get it. We just realize it isn't the cheap panacea to Los Angeles' transportation needs.

Monorail and MagLev is the preferred transportation method of people who's sole experience with public transit is the Disneyland monorail. There is no viable and effective alternative to below-grade rail on Wilshire Blvd. Forcing people to transfer from monorail to subway at Wilshire/Western is ridiculous.

If they want to experiment with a monorail, then do it on a corridor that has no current plans, like LAX to Metrolink via Sepulveda Pass.