Experts Propose Subway Under High School
A team of engineering and seismic experts concluded Wednesday that the proposed Westside subway extension would be safer under Beverly Hills High School than a fault-ridden route beneath Santa Monica Boulevard.
The panel, which was assembled by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, analyzed two possible routes through Century City. They also concluded that the tunneling could be done without endangering or disrupting the communty.
"The project is not expected to pose new threats to the students, faculty, or community as a result of its construction and operation," MTA said in a statement.
According to MTA, the extension of the purple line that currently runs from Koreatown to Little Tokyo in Downtown, "will provide a high-capacity, high-speed, dependable alternative for those traveling to LA’s 'second downtown' that includes key destinations such as Miracle Mile, Beverly Hills, Century City and Westwood, including the UCLA campus."
The findings were presented to the Metro Board of Director's Planning Committee Wednesday and quickly critized by opponents who want the line to run farther north under Santa Monica Boulevard.
"It is unfathomable that Metro has had this important seismic data available for such a long time without providing it to the BHUSD or other interested parties in the purported earthquake zone," Board President of the Beverly Hills Unified School District Lisa Korbatov said in a statement.
Construction is expected to begin in 2013.
