Purple Line Extension Profiled on Curbed LA (Los Angeles, Santa Monica: construction, school district)

[Island_OnThe_Land]

The extension of the subway down Wilshire (the "Subway to the Sea") or Purple Line as it is called was debated at a recent meeting with residents of the Wilshire/Crenshaw area.

Construction is a good 2 years away....so the VERY EARLIEST we'll see the first phase open to Fairfax Ave is in 2020!!!!

Curbed LA: The Crenshaw Station Debate--Dispatches from the Subway Meeting

[A.J._in_L.A.]

If Tony can secure funding for his 30/10 program we'll be in good shape...

[Island_OnThe_Land]

Let's hope he does that.....the whole region will benefit greatly.

[jbunniii]

Originally Posted by Island_OnThe_Land

The extension of the subway down Wilshire (the "Subway to the Sea") or Purple Line as it is called was debated at a recent meeting with residents of the Wilshire/Crenshaw area.

Construction is a good 2 years away....so the VERY EARLIEST we'll see the first phase open to Fairfax Ave is in 2020!!!!

Curbed LA: The Crenshaw Station Debate--Dispatches from the Subway Meeting

It would probably reach all the way to Westwood by now if Waxman hadn't stopped it in its tracks, literally, at Western in the mid-'90s, ostensibly due to concerns about methane gas. Somehow those concerns have now evaporated. Oh well, better late than never. It will be seriously awesome having it run even just to Fairfax.

[Island_OnThe_Land]

Originally Posted by jbunniii

It would probably reach all the way to Westwood by now if Waxman hadn't stopped it in its tracks, literally, at Western in the mid-'90s, ostensibly due to concerns about methane gas. Somehow those concerns have now evaporated. Oh well, better late than never. It will be seriously awesome having it run even just to Fairfax.

YES, you are ABSOLUTELY correct. Don't get me started on that one because I have gone on rants here on CD about that one. Both Waxman and Zev Y. are to blame for that fiasco.

And of course, it only costs more to do now and funds are harder to come by, etc.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by Island_OnThe_Land

YES, you are ABSOLUTELY correct. Don't get me started on that one because I have gone on rants here on CD about that one. Both Waxman and Zev Y. are to blame for that fiasco.

And of course, it only costs more to do now and funds are harder to come by, etc.

There was also an earlier attempt to build it in the '60s which Yorty squashed

As far as the attempt in the '80s, Waxman and Zev were extremely short-sighted in blocking the Metro extension. Although if it had been presented as part of the planning for the Olympics, it might've been pulled off regardless...

[californio sur]

The LA Times had an editorial praising Villaraigosa's efforts to get President Obama to lend Los Angeles $ for the Wilshire subway [instead of just giving the city the money]. They think it is a great idea & that there is a good chance the federal government will help out!

[pbergen]

linked below is an article in today's la times about the planned "subway to the sea" (extension of the metro purple line) through beverly hills to century city and beyond.

right now, there's a heated debate over which route to take:
-the first option would tunnel directly underneath beverly hills high school and then on to the intersection of constellation blvd and avenue of the stars in the heart of century city
-the second option would avoid BHHS by taking santa monica blvd to the northern edge of CC, at the intersection of santa monica blvd and avenue of the stars

which route do you prefer? do you think this is purely a case of NIMBY-ism on the part of beverly hills school officials, or do they have a valid point (they claim the subway would disrupt the school's expansion plans)? personally, i'm strongly leaning toward the former, but i'd like to hear others' takes on the situation.

Westside subway: School officials oppose subway route that would tunnel under Beverly Hills High - latimes.com

The long-awaited Westside subway extension appears to be getting closer to reality, but the Beverly Hills Unified School District contends that tunneling for the project could squelch its plans to expand and update the city's aging 22-acre high school campus.

One of two routes that the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is considering would burrow directly beneath the school, on the way from Koreatown to Century City and on to the Veterans Affairs campus between Westwood and Brentwood.

The other alignment — which Beverly Hills officials contend is cheaper and less disruptive — would be a straighter shot along Santa Monica Boulevard at the northern outskirts of Century City, the high-rise-studded commercial hub that has served since the 1960s as L.A.'s "second downtown."

[sav858]

^ I think they should just go with whatever one has the projected highest ridership. I would assume the one on central Century City would produce more riders but the school district claims that the Santa Monica route would attract more riders according to MTA calculations. Not sure if that is true but if it is then go with that. Just go with whatever stations maximizes ridership. Another thing to consider is development potential around the station to attract more riders in the future. Which one has more development potential?

[DynamoLA]

Originally Posted by Island_OnThe_Land

The extension of the subway down Wilshire (the "Subway to the Sea") or Purple Line as it is called was debated at a recent meeting with residents of the Wilshire/Crenshaw area.

Construction is a good 2 years away....so the VERY EARLIEST we'll see the first phase open to Fairfax Ave is in 2020!!!!

Curbed LA: The Crenshaw Station Debate--Dispatches from the Subway Meeting

According to the article the earliest would be more like 2018:

Should everything go as planned, expect early construction to start in first quarter 2012 and an opening to Fairfax about six years after that (if the mayor's 30/10 plan comes to fruition, the subway to Westwood could open in that same time window).