Metro Board Chooses Right-of-Way Option in Expo Phase II

The Metro and Expo authority boards voted unanimously last week in favor of the Metro-owned Exposition right-of-way route for the second phase of the Expo light rail connecting downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica. That route follows the rail line that was used by the Pacific Electric red car system that was eradicated in the 1950s. The option is cheaper, faster, more convenient, and would attract higher ridership than the alternative.

Opposition to this route came from residents of the Cheviot Hills area directly to the north of the Exposition right-of-way. That neighborhood is composed predominantly of upscale, single-family homes. Residents have voiced concerns that the light-rail line would be noisy, ugly, and would bring urban blight to the plush region. They tried in vain to convince the board that a route traveling westward on Venice Blvd and then turning northward up Sepulveda Blvd would attract more riders.

The other half of the decision was to route the terminal stretch of the line down Colorado Ave through downtown Santa Monica to end at Ocean Ave at the Pier, as opposed to running down Olympic Blvd. Now, the principle remaining controversy is whether certain stations should remain at-grade or be sunken underground - the safer but more expensive alternative. The construction authority has proposed at-grade stations at Overland, Westwood, Military, Sepulveda, Barrington and Centinela, some of which are high-traffic crossings.

First Century City, then the 10 freeway and now this? Cheviot Hills just can't seem to keep the big, bad city from closing in around it.