Phase 2 of Expo Line Project Faces Opposition
Neighbors for Smart Rail organization filed the motion earlier this year in an attempt to stop construction.
Neighbors for Smart Rail believe that a street level rail line through West LA would increase traffic gridlock, decrease safety and ultimately hurt surrounding neighborhoods, according to their website.
Despite these concerns from homeowners, Expo Line officials believe stopping the project midway would create even greater financial problems.
"Granting an injunction will deliver a devastating blow to Los Angeles County communities already hit hard by the recession," said Zev Yaroslavsky, Expo Board Chair and Los Angeles County Supervisor.
According to the Expo Board, delaying the project for a year would cost $90 million and result in the loss of more than 4,000 job, directly and indirectly.
The motion to halt construction was denied by both the California Superior Court and State Appellate Court. Neighbors for Smart Rail appealed these decisions and is now waiting to take its case to the Supreme Court.
"We have faith that the California Supreme Court will allow construction of Expo Phase 2 to continue," said Expo Construction Authority CEO Rick Thorpe.
Phase 1 of the Expo Line, which opened in April, created a light-rail line between Downtown LA and Culver City. The $1.5 billion Phase 2 project would extend the line even further west to Santa Monica.
So do the traffic signals on either side of the Expo Line crossing on Overland Ave stop traffic more than 24 times an hour? If so aren't they just as much or more since they stop traffic more often, or would the traffic signals "increase traffic gridlock, decrease safety and ultimately hurt surrounding neighborhoods"? They cant have it both ways.This NIMBY group is commented to killing this very impotent line any way they can. If it weren't for them the line would have been completed to Santa Monica years ago for less money than it cost to build it to just Culver City.