Josh Stephens describes the fierce battle raging between Beverly Hills and Metro, the region's transportation authority, over the proposed route of the long-planned westward subway extension.
Beverly Hills' concerns focus around the proposal to tunnel underneath the city's high school to accommodate the 9.6-mile westward extension of Metro's Purple Line subway towards (but not to) the sea.
According to Brian Goldberg, president of the Beverly Hills School Board, local concerns focus on two issues: "The potential that the excavation would cause a dangerous explosion, and potential that the tunnels would prohibit future construction on the site."
"Metro officials say that they are more than willing to collaborate with the school district to try to accommodate future development and to ensure that the place doesn't blow up. If only the district would collaborate with Metro," notes Stephens.
"I'm sure we could and I'm sure we would be willing [to collaborate], but we're in a situation right now that makes it difficult because we were told some time ago that all communications between Metro staff and school district staff had to go through attorneys," said Jody Litvak, community relations manager for Metro. "There's been a fair amount of saber-rattling leading one to infer the likelihood of lawsuits."
FULL STORY: L.A. Tries Bringing Subway to Land of Maseratis
Purple Line Extension Gets $1.6 Billion Boost in Los Angeles
The Purple Line subway extension is picking up momentum in Los Angeles. With construction already underway on the first phase, the second phase should commence in 2018.
Los Angeles' Purple Line Moves Past Legal Opposition
A subway extension that would cut across the Los Angeles basin has cleared another legal hurdle, despite the efforts of a coalition of opponents in the city of Beverly Hills.
Los Angeles Breaks Ground on Purple Line Subway Extension
The long awaited groundbreaking for work on Los Angeles’s Purple Line Extension commenced. The project is expected to open in 2023.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie