Brucker: MTA Study Favors Route Under BHHS
The mayor and council members reiterate their pledge to keep up opposition against tunneling under the high school.
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The Metropolitan Transportation Authority's report on the geology and seismic impacts of the Westside Subway Extension advocates tunneling under Beverly Hills High School, Mayor Barry Brucker announced at the City Council meeting Thursday. He reaffirmed the council's unanimous drive to divert the subway from school property.
"Needless to say, the results were extremely disappointing to the council and most Beverly Hills residents," Brucker said.
Metro's scientists determined that the location of earthquake faults in the area make council members' favored route under Santa Monica Boulevard unsafe.
"They concluded that the only safe place to tunnel was the route that goes under the high school with the station at Constellation Boulevard and Avenue of the Stars," Brucker said. "The question is, what do we do next?"
The city has hired two engineering consulting firms to vet Metro's environmental impact report and conduct an independent analysis of the subway project's technical data. Brucker said these studies would be completed by the end of the year.
The mayor appointed Councilwoman Lili Bosse and Vice Mayor William Brien to form a task force committee that will work closely with the Beverly Hills Unified School District "to vet the science as presented and address the legal and joint defense options," Brucker said.
Councilman John Mirisch, City Manager Jeff Kolin, Brucker and city staff members attended the MTA meeting where the geologic study's results were released Oct. 19.
"From my perspective the results were not surprising," Mirisch said, noting the reaction of Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich who "summed it up best when he felt that the release of the information seemed to remind him of a professional wrestling match, where you knew who was going to win before the match even started."
Mirisch then criticized Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's federally backed "30/10" transportation initiative. The councilman additionally questioned the location choice for the Westwood station, which is intended to serve UCLA students but is located several blocks from the university near the Veterans Administration complex on Wilshire Boulevard.
"Perhaps we should consider withholding support of expedited federal funding until all of these critical questions are answered," Mirisch said.
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joninla
4:49 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
Let's call a "Spade" a "Spade". The reason for the irrational objections to the BHHS tunneling IS BASED SOLELY ON THE TOTAL LACK OF IMPACT THE TUNNEL WILL CAUSE THE CITY.
Already upset that the City lost its ability to reject any plans for a subway under the City of BH (due to the law. BH is a city but does not have rights to the ground below at at the depth of the Subway Project), the City was further angered that they could not then Negotiate for money to 'let the subway pass under their city.'
NOW - the tunnel under BHHS will be done by the more expensive Tunnel Boring Machine Method (rather than cut and cover, which would mean digging up the entire roadway we all refer to as Santa Monica Blvd - and use daily).
The extra 'cost' is in the MTA budget, but the LACK OF ANY SURFACE DISTURBANCE TO THE CITY, IT'S RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, AND TRAFFIC means the City will now NOT GET PAID COMPENSATION BY THE MTA that it provides along the building route for any Loss of Business, Costs/Losses to the city, people, traffic ..
Now the Mayor would prefer the Residents SUFFER FROM THE HORRIFIC NOISE, DIRT, TRAFFIC AND OVERALL DESTRUCTION TO NORMAL DAILY LIFE ... If he can find a way to get the MTA's Plan to 'not disturb the city' and instead CHANGE THE TUNNEL TO A CUT AND COVER DOWN SANTA MONICA BLVD.
That would give the city $$$ for loss of business & damages that the BHHS Tunnel would avoid in the first place. OPEN YOUR EYES EVERYONE!
Carol Spencer
10:25 am on Saturday, November 5, 2011
The Westside Subway has been on again and off again for about 50 years. With routes repeatedly changing. Without funding it may be 30 years before the subway gets to Century City. Let us follow the science & ridership and forget about digging up entire streets when a simpler method is available. Beverly Hills businesses will have far less impact from tunnel boring machines. Remember, the residential area to the west of Beverly Hills has no choice - all routes go under their homes & businesses.