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Metro Approves Subway To The Sea Application For Federal FundingMTA green-lights app for subway funding « The 818 Now
Monday, October 26, 2009 – By WeHo News Staff, West Hollywood
West Hollywood, California (Monday, October 26, 2009) - Meeting to determine which potential mass transit projects’ grant/loan applications get pushed forward for federal funding, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board gave the Westside subway, called the Subway to the Sea, its approval last Thursday.
Along with that project, they approved funding applications for several other road and rail projects, the most prominent among them the Crenshaw line and the Gold Line east from Pasadena.
The board made their decision to put forward a full package of requests even though 14 congressional offices sent a letter before the meeting asking them to refine their requests to give the applications a better chance at acceptance.
The packet submitted by Metro outlines a commitment to spend $300 billion over the next 30 years on transportation infrastructure.
The Subway to the Sea’s estimated cost of construction stands now at roughly $6 billions – adding the “pink line” through WeHo adds another $3 billions to the total.
Extension of the West Hollywood’s chance at becoming fully integrated into the urban subway system, the planners say, now depends on community support keeping attention on WeHo during the scoping process.
Regional representative for the Westside Subway Extension, Jody Litvak and chief planner David Mieger have been conducting town hall meetings as the EIR process unfolds and have explained that estimates of a “pink line” connecting the Red Line Station at Hollywood/Highland to the expanding Wilshire line.
Placement of a subway stop on La Brea at Santa Monica Boulevard, is one possibility.
Ms. Litvak said, “There’s more support for a station between La Cienega and San Vicente Boulevard, say for example at City Hall in the center of town,” she said.
That said, there remains avid support for a Beverly Center/Cedars-Sinai stop, but the Pink Line complicates a Beverly Hills preference for a La Cienega station, she explained, but there is also strong support from the public wants a junction station at La Cienega, not Beverly Drive.
However, this would require the new platform to be pushed between La Cienega and Robertson. Neither Metro nor Beverly Hills care for a Robertson station, Ms. Litvak said.
Regional representative for the Westside Subway Extension, Jody Litvak preparwes to begin a meeting in West Hollywood. Photo by WeHo News.
She said that they continue to study options, but that a La Cienega/SMB station would likely be between La Cienega and Robertson.
Ms. Litvak and Mr. Mieger continue their road show, gathering comments and insights from communities that stand to be effected by the growth of the subway system.
They make two West Hollywood-area appearances in the next few weeks, one of them in West Hollywood at Plummer Park.
The pair of Metro community liaisons will operate these community-based meetings differently than past conclaves, as each community meeting will focus on the project segment affecting that neighborhood.
All meetings are from 6 to 8 p.m.
Signing in for additional information on the Westside Subway Extension. Photo by WeHo News.
The first is Monday, October 26 at the nearby Los Angeles County Museum of Art Terrace Room, fifth floor, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles.
Relevant stations on the agenda: Wilshire/Crenshaw, Wilshire/La Brea and Wilshire/Fairfax
The meeting on West Hollywood proper and the Pink Line will be held on Tuesday, November 3, at the Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood
Relevant stations: Hollywood/Highland II, Santa Monica/La Brea, Santa Monica/Fairfax, Santa Monica/San Vicente and Beverly Center.
To see the August Update presentation go to:
Subway Update August, 2009.
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The 818 Now
Real-time news about Glendale, Burbank, Crescenta Valley and La Cañada
MTA green-lights app for subway funding
The “subway to the sea” will have a chance at getting jump-started by federal dollars after the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Board of Directors moved forward Thursday on an application for the funds, in light of criticisms from area politicians.
The board voted unanimously to apply for competitive federal grants for the MTA’s Westside subway extension and downtown Los Angeles light rail connector projects.
A group of 14 members of Congress sparked a debate about the board’s approach to the funding application when they submitted a letter this week to MTA Chairman Ara Najarian, who also sits on the Glendale City Council, urging him to include other area projects on the application.
They argued that extension’s of the Gold Line and construction of a light rail line connecting LAX to the Green and Expo lines should have been given priorities for funding.
Najarian argued that the legislators, as well as other area lawmakers who raised protests in recent days, were misguided and unaware that including five projects in an application would jeopardize the area’s chance at earning federal funds.
He added that the Gold Lines has been allocated $785 million, to be generated by Los Angeles County’s Measure R sales tax increase, while no money has yet been designated for the subway extension.
“Their money is going to be delivered, come hell or high water,” he said Thursday.
The subway could also prove much more attractive and worthy of funding in front of the Federal Transit Administration, which will consider major applications from the New York-New Jersey area, as well as Houston and Chicago, Najarian said.
The subway is projected to transport about 200,000 riders daily, while just 9,000 are expected to use the Gold Line, he said.
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