Joined: Oct 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 2,110 Location: Cal Heights, Long Beach, CA
Re: Westside Extension Meetings « Reply #650 on Oct 28, 2010, 7:26am »
BTW, please somebody report back from this morning's meeting. (My request for the morning off was denied - my team have a huge project due on Monday.)
Of particular interest: (1) LPAs selected by the Board for both subway projects; (2) speakers in support/opposition to the Century City station; and (3) action taken on Mark Ridley-Thomas' proposal to rewrite/dilute the grade-crossing policy.
BTW, please somebody report back from this morning's meeting. (My request for the morning off was denied - my team have a huge project due on Monday.)
Of particular interest: (1) LPAs selected by the Board for both subway projects; (2) speakers in support/opposition to the Century City station; and (3) action taken on Mark Ridley-Thomas' proposal to rewrite/dilute the grade-crossing policy.
Re: Westside Extension Meetings « Reply #652 on Oct 28, 2010, 9:06am »
Sounds like people are stepping up to the Beverly Hills elitists RT @lastreetsblog: "Via Dan Wentzel: What about the psychological impact of selfish, wealthy NIMBYs thwarthing this project for two decades...".
Sounds like people are stepping up to the Beverly Hills elitists RT @lastreetsblog: "Via Dan Wentzel: What about the psychological impact of selfish, wealthy NIMBYs thwarthing this project for two decades...".
Priceless...
This was in response to someone in Beverly Hills complaining about the psychological effects of the subway being put under Beverly Hills High School.
Joined: Mar 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 3,990 Location: Palms, LA, CA
Re: Westside Extension Meetings « Reply #656 on Oct 28, 2010, 10:17am »
Zev talked about the importance of building the station at Constellation (the entire station would serve Century City as opposed to half of it serving the golf course if built under Santa Monica Blvd), Beverly Hills High School opposition, and safety (hazards of methane). He asked for additional studies of the route options and safety. He said that Beverly Hills is no different than Westwood, where the line will also go under houses, and the safety issue must carefully be studied everywhere.
Zev talked about the importance of building the station at Constellation (the entire station would serve Century City as opposed to half of it serving the golf course if built under Santa Monica Blvd), Beverly Hills High School opposition, and safety (hazards of methane). He asked for additional studies of the route options and safety. He said that Beverly Hills is no different than Westwood, where the line will also go under houses, and safety issue must carefully be studied everywhere.
Joined: Oct 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 2,110 Location: Cal Heights, Long Beach, CA
Re: Westside Extension Meetings « Reply #661 on Oct 28, 2010, 10:25am »
Item 22 - acceptance of the DEIR and the LPA for the Westside Subway Extension - has passed, with Yaroslavsky's amendment.
BTW in his final comments, Yaroslavsky stated very clearly that Constellation is better because it is in the center of Century City, as opposed to Santa Monica Blvd, which is on the tangent of Century City.
He also said that if the subway is unsafe under Beverly Hills, then it is unsafe everywhere. His point being: don't worry, it is safe.
This is a historic day, I wish I could've been there.
« Last Edit: Oct 28, 2010, 10:27am by metrocenter »
Why doesn't the Valley lobby its politicians to repeal the Robbins law?
Because it's too late. The valley already has BRT instead of LRT, and tearing it down would mean wasting a new investment and stopping existing transit service for years.
I refuse to accept that the San Fernando Valley has to be stuck with a measly busway for all eternity because of the actions of some NIMBYs and a crooked politician 20 years ago.
One option is an at-grade modern streetcar running on Ventura Blvd. in a transit only lane between Universal City and Warner Center.
If were going to have a "subway", I'd put it under Ventura Blvd. to Universal City and then Olive to the Burbank Metrolink (and possibly HSR) station.
In any event, the San Fernando Valley deserves an east-west rail line of its own from Pasadena to Warner Center however you get there and they shouldn't have to go without because of the actions of a corrupt politician and his band of NIMBYs.
Joined: Mar 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 3,990 Location: Palms, LA, CA
Re: Westside Extension Meetings « Reply #668 on Oct 28, 2010, 4:31pm »
Now, the interesting thing to see will be if these things can actually be built in ten years. Of course, our transit dreams can start being shattered starting Tuesday night. Time will be of essence now. The federal loans must be secured as fast as possible within the next two years, before more political "change" comes.
Re: Westside Extension Meetings « Reply #669 on Oct 28, 2010, 5:21pm »
Here's the historic vote!
Yes, the public comment began with much hand-wringing by Beverly Hills people about the “safety of the children”, but never made a clear connection between that and a subway tunnel under the high school.
One good note I hadn't thought of, from Charles Adelman, was that a station at Constellation better serves all the people who work at the Fox studio south of Olympic.
To counter the usual BRU stuff about not reducing traffic congestion I emphasized that the subway will provide fast, reliable trips of less than 1/2 hour from Westwood to Downtown and adds rush-hour capacity of more than half of the Santa Monica Freeway.
Also, did anyone catch what staff said at the beginning about study of a connection from Crenshaw to Hollywood? The only reference to it in The Source was: "Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, in a committee meeting last week, requested that Metro staff report back later this year on what could be done to study a future transit project to serve the West Hollywood area."
One good note I hadn't thought of, from Charles Adelman, was that a station at Constellation better serves all the people who work at the Fox studio south of Olympic.
Century City is named after the 20th Century Fox studios after all.
Re: Westside Extension Meetings « Reply #671 on Oct 28, 2010, 8:49pm »
What was the reason Antonovich abstained from this vote? It's very puzzling. He was just approved the Gold Line foothill extension by the Board. He's not like MRT who's advocating for a fully underground Crenshaw Line in his district with a FEIR outstanding. What's Antonovich's beef? Was it the smack talk from A. Narajan about the 710 tunnel not being the "tunnel he supports"?
Re: Westside Extension Meetings « Reply #672 on Oct 29, 2010, 5:44am »
What was the amended final motion? It seems with all the comments about treating different groups the same or being equitable regarding safety concerns, that the selected alignment could be re-thought.
What was the reason Antonovich abstained from this vote? It's very puzzling. He was just approved the Gold Line foothill extension by the Board.
Antonovich is f****** d*****, in my opinion far worse than MRT or any other supervisor in my memory. He has been a supervisor since 1980, and has fought Metro Rail since before there was Metro Rail. (Of course he is fine with the Foothill Line because it is in his own district and he is a hypocrite.) He especially can't stand anything that is built within Los Angeles city limits.
He will finally be term-limited out in 2016, but he will likely be in power until then (assuming he gets reelected in 2012 - which he will because supervisors are little emperors who rarely get voted out of office). (wiki page)
His abstention here is no surprise. And his arguments with Villaraigosa about part C of Item 22 (the Westside Subway item) are no surprise, he just wants to be the dark cloud on an otherwise proud day for the County of Los Angeles.
« Last Edit: Oct 29, 2010, 7:20am by metrocenter »
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