Comments on: Hearings on Expo Phase II DEIR Begin Tomorrow

By: Damien Goodmon

Damien Goodmon — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:23:38 +0000

Went to the Santa Monica Planning Department meeting on Monday.

This one is going to be interesting ladies and gentlemen.

By: Darrell Clarke

Darrell Clarke — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:22:36 +0000

Olympic and Colorado today both have two traffic lanes and a parking lane in each direction, and either would lose a lane in each direction for tracks.

The Olympic option would take away the parking lanes but keep two traffic lanes. Tracks would be in the current median, and the left traffic lanes would be converted to station platforms, left turn lanes, and landscaping.

The Colorado option would take a traffic lane in each direction for the tracks. Expo Authority’s proposal would also take away curb parking on one side, but the City’s proposal would request a CPUC waiver for a narrower 24-foot trackway (like Judah Street in San Francisco) that would keep parking on both sides.

See http://friends4expo.org/news.htm for more.

By: Bob Zwolinski

Bob Zwolinski — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:10:42 +0000

I am a Santa Monica homeowner living near the intersection of Olympic & 14th.
I prefer the Olympic Blvd option. The coral trees in the median do not add much to Olympic’s horrifically bland industrial visage. The Olympic alignment would prevent the taking away a lane of traffic in each direction [as the Colorado alignment would do] and also provide faster running times with the proposed grade separations.
I’m sure the folks living in those new Colorado Blvd apartment/condos immediately adjacent to the ROW will become instant NIMBYs if the Colorado alignment is selected.
But in reality, either alignment in Santa Monica will do just fine. 1 block will not make any difference.
Let’s just get this line up and running ASAP!
We needed it 30 years ago. We’re desperate for it now!

By: Darrell Clarke

Darrell Clarke — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:54:41 +0000

Clarifications:

Friends 4 Expo Transit supports the right-of-way vs. the Venice-Sepulveda alternative on the eastern part of phase 2 because it is faster, much less expensive, has greater ridership, and has fewer environmental impacts.

Colorado vs. Olympic for the western end in Santa Monica is the other main choice. Colorado is favored by many in Santa Monica to preserve the coral trees in the median of Olympic and avoid the visual impacts of the Olympic option’s aerial structure and 35-foot-tall terminus station downtown.

The bikeway is not a part of the phase 2 California environmental clearance (EIR) because it is incompatible with federal funding for the bikeway. Therefore environmental clearance for the bikeway and seeking more funding was transferred to the cities of Los Angeles and Santa Monica, apparently as was done for the Orange Line busway in the Valley.

The Expo Authority says they have provided for the bikeway in their plans and will include it in the final design and construction contract to be built at the same time as the rail line. Friends 4 Expo strongly supports the bikeway and will help monitor and facilitate that a good design is completed and approved.

By: Umberto Brayj

Umberto Brayj — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:46:23 +0000

So, do I bring a megaphone or a megaphone and FLAME THROWER?

That bike path must get built, and if it doesn’t I’m joining Goodmon’s Army.

By: Steve K.

Steve K. — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:59:05 +0000

Bike path! Bike path! Bike path!

By: David Galvan

David Galvan — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 23:00:09 +0000

Bike path! Bike path! Bike path!