Beverly Hills rail lawsuit dismissed
Written by Douglas John BowenLos Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) may proceed with construction of the Westside Subway Extension, routing the LA Purple Line subway underneath Beverly Hills High School, a county Superior Court Judge has ruled.
Judge John A. Torribio, in a 15-page decision released Wednesday, April 2, 2014, said LACMTA’s environmental review process covering the extension, also known as the Purple Line extension, was thorough and fair, and did not violate environmental laws, as charged by the Beverly Hills School District.
Last year Beverly Hills sued the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration for providing federal grants and loans to the subway project.
Unknown is whether the high school district or the city will appeal the latest ruling.
The school district had urged LACMTA to route trains on an alternative route along Santa Monica Boulevard, but LACMTA turned down the option following studies citing an earthquake fault zone.
Construction of Purple Line Extension Section 1 of the Purple Line Extension, linking Wilshire/Western Station and Wilshire/La Ciegna Boulevard, is scheduled to begin this year.
