BREAKING NEWS -- Expo Line officially gets rolling to its final destination, with no more stops in between
Today the feeling in the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors hearing room could be best described as ecstasy. After the Phase 2 design - build contract got awarded, cheers and applauses were shaking the the room.
Votes on all items were unanimous, with each board member expressing their happiness and strongly emphasizing the importance of the day.
Paul Koretz had taken the seat of Bernard Parks, but he clarified that Parks couldn't have voted even if he was present because of a certain conflict of interest.
Interestingly, there wasn't a single opposition person present today, either from the Phase 1 or the Phase 2 neighborhoods.
In fact the Phase 2 opposition, known by the name Neighbors for Smart Rail (NFSR), suffered a double blow today.
The first and obvious blow to the opposition was the overcoming of the final planning milestone and official rolling of the construction to Santa Monica.
But the second blow was much more subtle. In private conversations, members of NFSR expressed how unhappy they were with the gigantic railroad bridge over Sepulveda Boulevard that was now added to the project. East of Exposition and Sepulveda Boulevards is entirely made up of single-family homes. Now, a 30-ft-high mechanically stabilized earth retaining wall will span all the way from Sepulveda Boulevard to Military Avenue, though tapering to grade level at Military. NFSR members expressed that this giant bridge and wall will divide their neighborhood and there will be more noise impacts with a bridge than at-grade. They were also very unhappy with the fact that the bridge will result in a maximally large development by Casden, as it will give the property the full access to Exposition Boulevard and surrounding streets.
But all this is because NFSR demonized at-grade rail, even though they knew inside that it was better to go at-grade for the immediate neighborhood. Now, they will suffer the consequences of not working with the construction authority and opposing all solutions offered to them.
NFSR also stated that they are about to file their appeal to the judge's denial of their petition against the Phase 2 final environmental-impact report (FEIR).
As the bridge over Sepulveda was unanimously approved, with Zev Yaroslavsky stating that the reason for the choice of this option is not safety but the community impacts that would result because of eminent domain to widen the street with an at-grade solution and the small cost difference between the two solutions, there came the second option on the table.
Most community members had asked for the removal of parking at Westwood Station. While Zev expressed his concerns that there may not be sufficient parking for the line in the area after the removal of this station, the removal of parking was also approved unanimously.
The official groundbreaking ceremony will likely take place in May 2011. The line will open in early 2015.
In addition to the approval of these options, the project-labor agreement, which had some modifications, the agreement by the City of Los Angeles to pay $5.3 million for the Sepulveda bridge using their West LA traffic-mitigation funds, and a limited notice to proceed for $127 million out of the design - build contract's $541 million, was also part of the motion associated with the approval of the Phase 2 design - build contract. The motion was unanimously approved. Note that the $127 million is expected to be spent during the first year or earlier and the remaining notice to proceed will be issued then.
Note that there were a lot of speakers from labor organizations in support of the project.
After the motion was approved, cheers and applauses filled the room. Fast forward to the end of the meeting audio Part 2 to experience the great moment in bringing the Expo Line to reality.
Meeting audio Part 1
Meeting audio Part 2
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