Community Corner
State Supreme Court Clears Way For Westside Expo Line Work
The court upholds the environmental review of the Expo Line, meaning work can proceed as planned.
By Jessica E. Davis
The California Supreme Court upheld a ruling Monday that will allow the Exposition Light Rail project from Culver City to Santa Monica to go forward as planned.
In a 6-1 decision, the court affirmed earlier judgments by the state Court of Appeal and the Superior Court in denying claims that the Expo Phase II rail project relied on an Environmental Impact Report that did not meet standards under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
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Neighbors for Smart Rail filed the lawsuit against the Expo Authority, which the group accused of not properly studying the train's impact on traffic. The group also claimed the environmental review did not include mitigation measures addressing community impacts around planned rail stations.
The court mostly rejected those claims, arguing that the study did not deprive the public of any "substantial relevant information on those impacts."
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L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky praised the decision.
"With this litigation now behind us, Westside residents can look forward to an exciting new public transit option when the Expo Line is scheduled to open in 2015," Yaroslavsky said.
