Expo Phase 2 (Los Angeles Metro)
Encyclopedia
The Metro Rail Exposition Corridor, Phase 2 (frequently referenced as Expo Phase 2) is a mass-transit project to extend the light-rail Expo corridor as part of the Los Angeles County Metro Rail System
. The corridor extension will connect Culver City
to Santa Monica
, mostly along the Exposition Boulevard right-of-way. It extends the corridor built by the Expo Phase 1
project.
When completed, the Expo corridor will be served by the Metro Expo Line. The project is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
, and is being implemented by the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority (or Expo Authority). Skanska/Rados, a joint venture, is the design-build contractor.
Expo Phase 2 is expected to be completed in 2015.
for Phase 2 began with a brand-new draft environmental-impact study in November 2006, with Metro's award for the contract for the study. Metro completed a series of public meetings throughout 2007, to study the Phase 2 corridor and review all feasible alternatives. In October 2007, Expo Authority began an initial environmental study for Expo Phase 2. The study looked at six alternatives: no-build, Transportation Systems Management (TSM) and four build alternatives:
Each of these build alternatives uses the Exposition right-of-way (ROW) for most of its route. The four build alternatives reflect the different combinations of two alignment options.
The first alignment option defines the route from the Phase 1 terminus at to the station at Sepulveda/Exposition. Alternatives LRT 1 and LRT 2 both use the existing Exposition rail right-of-way (ROW). This ROW begins south of the 10 Freeway, and then moves to the north side of the freeway through Rancho Park before reaching Sepulveda Boulevard. Alternatives LRT3 and LRT4 use an elevated route located in the median of Venice Boulevard and Sepulveda Boulevard.
The second alignment option defines the west end of the corridor, west of Olympic/Exposition in Santa Monica. Alternatives LRT 1 and LRT 3 follow Olympic Boulevard for this portion of the route. Alternatives LRT 2 and LRT 4 continue west on Exposition, joining Colorado Avenue at 19th Street and continuing west in the median of Colorado Avenue to the final terminus in Downtown Santa Monica.
The following table summarizes the findings in the DEIR study.
All of the build alternatives were expected to generate similar numbers of daily boardings. However, the Venice/Sepulveda alternatives (Alt 3 and Alt 4) were found to be much more expensive, and to increase travel time significantly. Therefore, Alternatives 1 and 2 were selected for further study in the final environmental study. The Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) was completed in January 2009, and was approved by the Expo Authority in April 2009.
The cost estimates for the project escalated dramatically between the DEIR and the FEIR (see table above). The changes were attributed to additional refinements and features identified during the FEIR process, as well as new cost estimates which better reflect local cost information.
The Expo Authority Board selected LRT 2 as the final selected alternative by on 4 February 2010.
This selection followed the recommendation in the FEIR, which stated that LRT 2 "would provide high ridership, a competitive travel time, less community disruption, and the least relocation of residents, with the most cost effective price." In addition, LRT 2 had greater support from the public, as well as from the City of Santa Monica.
Between the freeway underpass and Overland Ave, the right-of-way is sunk in a preexisting trench, next to Northvale Rd (formerly, Exposition Blvd), surrounded by dense foliage. This trench was built in the early days of the railroad in 1875 to level the tracks through the slopes of Cheviot Hills.
West of Overland, the right-of-way continues at-grade, crossing Westwood Boulevard and Military Avenue. Expo Phase 2 will include an at-grade station between Overland Avenue and Westwood Boulevard along the ROW.
The ROW cuts through Rancho Park, a quiet, well-kept neighborhood of single-family homes , and passes along the edge of Cheviot Hills, a wealthy residential neighborhood to the northeast. The northern edge of both neighborhoods is busy Pico Boulevard
, which separates them from Westwood and Century City, major job centers and dense residential neighborhoods. The Santa Monica Freeway (Interstate 10) borders both neighborhoods on the south. The combination of the freeway and the dense job centers results in very heavy traffic on Westwood and Overland.
Expo conducted this process for determining which crossings to grade-separate: the results are listed in the table of grade crossings above.
For the three crossing at issue, Expo determined the following:
Thus, application of the Grade Crossing Policy led to Expo's conclusion that a grade-separation is not necessary at these three crossings. The cost and difficulty of grade separation at these crossings was a key argument in not pursuing this option.
Expo's position is supported by transit advocacy groups. as well as some nearby residents
NFSR claims support from home owners in the surrounding areas of Cheviot Hills, West of Westwood, and Westwood Gardens.
, seeking to halt Expo Phase 2 until these and other related issues are addressed. In February 2011, the judge issued a judgement denying the petition. In late 2011, the Public Utilities commission certified all grade crossings for Expo Line Phase 2.
to a western terminus at 4th/Colorado in Santa Monica
.
The westernmost station of Expo Phase 1 is station, in a location previously known as "Culver Junction". From here, Phase 2 heads west along the old Pacific Electric Santa Monica Air Line right-of-way (ROW). It passes first through densely populated Palms, and then under the 10 freeway into Rancho Park, a quiet, affluent suburban neighborhood just south of busy Pico Boulevard. Through Rancho Park, the ROW borders Cheviot Hills
. This part of the ROW is a shortcut through street grid with few crossings, allowing it to run at higher speeds. (A video of this segment is found on YouTube
.)
Coming out of Rancho Park, the route crosses Sepulveda at a location once known as "Home Junction". The route then follows the ROW under the 405 freeway and across West Los Angeles. Near Olympic and Cloverfield, the ROW passes Bergamot Station art facility and the Watergarden. The Exposition ROW ends at 17th St in Santa Monica. Finally, the corridor will follow the median of Colorado Ave to 4th Street in Santa Monica.
The route includes 7 stations:
* The FEIR did not require grade separation at Sepulveda, but included a design option for an elevated crossing and station should funds become available. Funds for the elevated station were approved by the L.A. City Council in March 2011, and the design option was approved by the Expo Board shortly thereafter.
The first gap (between Palms and Rancho Park) is largely due to the narrowness of the tunnel through which the ROW passes. One possibility is to route it through the restricted-use easement on the northern edge of the freeway, which has plenty of space and is well-situated for a scenic trail. Another low-cost possibility is to create a bicycle bridge, like the Rosecrans Ave/Aviation Blvd Green Line bridge.
.
/Shimmick and Skanska
/Rados, to complete preliminary engineering. These two contractors received the highest among five bids for the project. One year later, in March 2011, the Expo Board approved a $542 million contract with Skanska/Rados. Construction of the line will begin later in 2011.
Los Angeles County Metro Rail
Metro Rail is the rapid transit rail system consisting of five separate lines serving 70 stations in the Los Angeles County, California area. The new Expo line is due to enter service in early 2012. It connects with the Metro liner bus rapid transit system and also with the Metrolink commuter...
. The corridor extension will connect Culver City
Culver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
to Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
, mostly along the Exposition Boulevard right-of-way. It extends the corridor built by the Expo Phase 1
Expo Phase 1 (Los Angeles Metro)
Expo Phase 1 is a current construction project for the first segment of Metro Expo line, the newest line on the Metro Rail System. and will connect Downtown Los Angeles to Culver City, mostly along the Exposition Boulevard right-of-way. The project is sponsored by the Los Angeles County...
project.
When completed, the Expo corridor will be served by the Metro Expo Line. The project is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is the California state-chartered regional transportation planning agency and public transportation operating agency for the County of Los Angeles formed in 1993 out of a merger of the Southern California Rapid Transit District and the...
, and is being implemented by the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority (or Expo Authority). Skanska/Rados, a joint venture, is the design-build contractor.
Expo Phase 2 is expected to be completed in 2015.
Draft environmental study
The environmental-impact studyEnvironmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
for Phase 2 began with a brand-new draft environmental-impact study in November 2006, with Metro's award for the contract for the study. Metro completed a series of public meetings throughout 2007, to study the Phase 2 corridor and review all feasible alternatives. In October 2007, Expo Authority began an initial environmental study for Expo Phase 2. The study looked at six alternatives: no-build, Transportation Systems Management (TSM) and four build alternatives:
- LRT 1: Expo ROW - Olympic
- LRT 2: Expo ROW - Colorado
- LRT 3: Venice/Sepulveda - Olympic
- LRT 4: Venice/Sepulveda - Colorado
Each of these build alternatives uses the Exposition right-of-way (ROW) for most of its route. The four build alternatives reflect the different combinations of two alignment options.
The first alignment option defines the route from the Phase 1 terminus at to the station at Sepulveda/Exposition. Alternatives LRT 1 and LRT 2 both use the existing Exposition rail right-of-way (ROW). This ROW begins south of the 10 Freeway, and then moves to the north side of the freeway through Rancho Park before reaching Sepulveda Boulevard. Alternatives LRT3 and LRT4 use an elevated route located in the median of Venice Boulevard and Sepulveda Boulevard.
The second alignment option defines the west end of the corridor, west of Olympic/Exposition in Santa Monica. Alternatives LRT 1 and LRT 3 follow Olympic Boulevard for this portion of the route. Alternatives LRT 2 and LRT 4 continue west on Exposition, joining Colorado Avenue at 19th Street and continuing west in the median of Colorado Avenue to the final terminus in Downtown Santa Monica.
The following table summarizes the findings in the DEIR study.
| Alternative | Length (miles) |
Daily Boardings | Estimated cost (DEIR) |
Estimated cost (FEIR ) |
FTA Federal Transit Administration The Federal Transit Administration is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administrations within the DOT... cost effectiveness |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRT 1 | Expo ROW - Olympic | 6.6 | 36,653 | $.97 billion | $1.35 billion | $20.21 |
| LRT 2 | Expo ROW - Colorado | 6.6 | 36,412 | $.93 billion | $1.30 billion | $20.01 |
| LRT 3 | Venice/Sepulveda - Olympic | 7.6 | 35,880 | $1.43 billion | $1.83 billion | $32.76 |
| LRT 4 | Venice/Sepulveda - Colorado | 7.6 | 35,849 | $1.39 billion | $1.78 billion | $32.23 |
All of the build alternatives were expected to generate similar numbers of daily boardings. However, the Venice/Sepulveda alternatives (Alt 3 and Alt 4) were found to be much more expensive, and to increase travel time significantly. Therefore, Alternatives 1 and 2 were selected for further study in the final environmental study. The Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) was completed in January 2009, and was approved by the Expo Authority in April 2009.
Final environmental study
The final environmental study began in mid-2009. This study conducted additional studies on the No-Build and TSM alternatives, as well as Alternatives 1 and 2.FEIR Executive summary The Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) was completed in December 2009.The cost estimates for the project escalated dramatically between the DEIR and the FEIR (see table above). The changes were attributed to additional refinements and features identified during the FEIR process, as well as new cost estimates which better reflect local cost information.
The Expo Authority Board selected LRT 2 as the final selected alternative by on 4 February 2010.
This selection followed the recommendation in the FEIR, which stated that LRT 2 "would provide high ridership, a competitive travel time, less community disruption, and the least relocation of residents, with the most cost effective price." In addition, LRT 2 had greater support from the public, as well as from the City of Santa Monica.
Grade crossing controversy
The grade crossings in Rancho Park (at Overland Avenue, Westwood Boulevard and Military Avenue) are controversial. Some neighbors believe these crossings will be unsafe and will negatively impact their neighborhood.Setting
West of Overland, the right-of-way continues at-grade, crossing Westwood Boulevard and Military Avenue. Expo Phase 2 will include an at-grade station between Overland Avenue and Westwood Boulevard along the ROW.
The ROW cuts through Rancho Park, a quiet, well-kept neighborhood of single-family homes , and passes along the edge of Cheviot Hills, a wealthy residential neighborhood to the northeast. The northern edge of both neighborhoods is busy Pico Boulevard
Pico Boulevard
Pico Boulevard is a major Los Angeles street that runs from the Pacific Ocean at Appian Way in Santa Monica to Central Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California, USA...
, which separates them from Westwood and Century City, major job centers and dense residential neighborhoods. The Santa Monica Freeway (Interstate 10) borders both neighborhoods on the south. The combination of the freeway and the dense job centers results in very heavy traffic on Westwood and Overland.
Support for grade crossings
To determine which crossings to grade-separate along the route, Expo applied Metro's Grade Crossing Policy For Light Rail Transit. This policy was adopted by Metro to provide a rational and consistent process for determining when to grade-separate crossings. The process involves applying a set of criteria to each crossing through three stages of evaluation: initial screening, detailed analysis, and verification.Expo conducted this process for determining which crossings to grade-separate: the results are listed in the table of grade crossings above.
For the three crossing at issue, Expo determined the following:
- Military Ave was determined to be appropriate for a crossing at-grade from the initial screening.
- Westwood Blvd was initially flagged for further analysis. According to Expo's study, current conditions at Westwood/Exposition have a "level-of-service" (traffic congestion) at "F" (on a scale of A through F). However, Expo believes that with its planned mitigations, the intersection could have its level-of-service improved to "B" in 2030. These mitigations include removal of some street parking.
- Overland Ave was initially flagged for further analysis. According to Expo's study, current conditions at Overland/Exposition have a level-of-service at "B/C". Expo believes that with its planned mitigations, the intersection could maintain this level-of-service in 2030. These mitigations include addition of an extra traffic lane in each direction on Overland and removal of some street parking.
Thus, application of the Grade Crossing Policy led to Expo's conclusion that a grade-separation is not necessary at these three crossings. The cost and difficulty of grade separation at these crossings was a key argument in not pursuing this option.
Expo's position is supported by transit advocacy groups. as well as some nearby residents
Opposition to grade crossings
Neighbors For Smart Rail (NFSR) is leading the opposition to the grade crossings in Rancho Park. On its website, NFSR makes the following claims about the current plan:- Expo will create a "traffic wall".
- Expo will pose safety risks to students.
- Expo will result in loss of privacy for many homes.
- Expo will create vibration and noise.
- Expo will bring crime to the neighborhood.
- Expo will result in loss of trees.
- Expo will miss the dense job centers.
- The Metro Grade Crossing Policy is a fraud.
NFSR claims support from home owners in the surrounding areas of Cheviot Hills, West of Westwood, and Westwood Gardens.
Resolution
In Spring 2010, an organization opposing the grade crossings, Neighbors For Smart Rail (NFSR) filed a lawsuit in Superior Court against the Expo Authority and the FTAFederal Transit Administration
The Federal Transit Administration is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administrations within the DOT...
, seeking to halt Expo Phase 2 until these and other related issues are addressed. In February 2011, the judge issued a judgement denying the petition. In late 2011, the Public Utilities commission certified all grade crossings for Expo Line Phase 2.
Route
The selected route stretches 6.6 miles from an eastern terminus at Venice/Robertson in Culver CityCulver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
to a western terminus at 4th/Colorado in Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
.
Cheviot Hills, Los Angeles, California
Cheviot Hills is a small residential district on the West Side of Los Angeles, California. It served as the location for the Three's Company spin-off The Ropers.-Geography:...
. This part of the ROW is a shortcut through street grid with few crossings, allowing it to run at higher speeds. (A video of this segment is found on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.)
Coming out of Rancho Park, the route crosses Sepulveda at a location once known as "Home Junction". The route then follows the ROW under the 405 freeway and across West Los Angeles. Near Olympic and Cloverfield, the ROW passes Bergamot Station art facility and the Watergarden. The Exposition ROW ends at 17th St in Santa Monica. Finally, the corridor will follow the median of Colorado Ave to 4th Street in Santa Monica.
The route includes 7 stations:
Grade separations
The following table summarizes the grade crossings and grade separations along the ROW between Venice/Robertson and 15th/Colorado: Microsoft PowerPoint - Expo Phase 2 Grade Crossing Determinations PRESENTATION 6.13.08. (PDF) . Retrieved on 2010-11-26.| Street | Grade separation |
|---|---|
| Venice Blvd | bridge |
| Bagley Ave | - |
| National Blvd | bridge |
| Motor Ave | bridge |
| I-10 Freeway | undercrossing |
| Overland Ave | - |
| Westwood Blvd | - |
| Military Ave | - |
| Sepulveda Blvd | bridge* |
| I-405 Freeway | undercrossing |
| Sawtelle Blvd | bridge |
| Pico Blvd/Gateway Blvd | bridge |
| Barrington Ave | - |
| Bundy Dr | bridge |
| Centinela Ave | bridge |
| Stewart St | - |
| 26th St | - |
| Cloverfield Blvd/Olympic Blvd | bridge |
| 20th St | - |
| 19th St | - |
| 17th St | - |
Vehicle maintenance facility
Expo and the City of Santa Monica are finalizing plans for the Expo maintenance facility. It will be located adjacent to station. This facility will perform shop-related activities, including servicing, cleaning, inspection and repair of LRT vehicles. It will also include a yard with a storage capacity of up to 45 LRT vehicles.Bicycle and pedestrian path
A bicycle path was originally planned for the entire Expo Line route. However, the project was split from the transit corridor into a separate project, in order to expedite the EIR process. Currently, there are two gaps in the proposed bike path. The first gap is between Palms/National Boulevards and Overland Ave, a distance of more than a mile. The second gap is between Sawtelle Blvd and north of Pico Blvd.The first gap (between Palms and Rancho Park) is largely due to the narrowness of the tunnel through which the ROW passes. One possibility is to route it through the restricted-use easement on the northern edge of the freeway, which has plenty of space and is well-situated for a scenic trail. Another low-cost possibility is to create a bicycle bridge, like the Rosecrans Ave/Aviation Blvd Green Line bridge.
Project funding
The project is expected to cost approximately $1.3 billion. A budget will be prepared once a contractor bid has been chosen for the contract. The project is funded entirely by state and local funds, including Measure RMeasure R
Measure R was a ballot measure in the November 2008 elections in Los Angeles County, California that proposed raising county sales taxes by one half cent for thirty years in order to pay for transportation projects and improvements. The measure was approved by voters with 67.22% of the vote, just...
.
Planned service
The Expo Corridor (Phases 1 and 2) will be served by the Metro Expo Line. There are no plans to use the route for any other lines.Construction
In March 2010, Expo selected two contractors, URSURS Corp.
URS Corporation is an engineering design firm and a U.S. federal government contractor. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, URS is a full-service, global organization with offices located in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific.-History:...
/Shimmick and Skanska
Skanska
Skanska AB, is a multinational construction and development company based in Sweden, where it also is the largest construction company. The company's head office is in Solna, north of Stockholm.-History:...
/Rados, to complete preliminary engineering. These two contractors received the highest among five bids for the project. One year later, in March 2011, the Expo Board approved a $542 million contract with Skanska/Rados. Construction of the line will begin later in 2011.
External links
- VIDEO: Los Angeles Metro Expo Line - Time-Lapse Tour of Phase II - Starting about 6 blocks West of Robertson & Venice through West LA to the corner of Pico & Sawtelle
- Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority—official Web site of the Expo Line
- Friends 4 Expo Transit—grassroots group in support of the Expo Line and careful analysis of both the right-of-way and Venice/Sepulveda alternatives
- Light-Rail for Cheviot—Cheviot Hills homeowners in support of the right-of-way alignment
- Expo Greenway—park with stream-daylighting concept envisioned for integration with the Expo Line in Rancho Park, advocated for by a neighbor
- Neighbors for Smart Rail—Rancho Park area residents in support of the Venice/Sepulveda Boulevards alignment and careful analysis of all possible alternatives
- Expo Communities United—opposition group voicing a need for below-grade (subway) alignment in Mid-City
- Citizens' Campaign to Fix the Expo Rail Line—opposition group voicing a need for below-grade (subway) alignment in Mid-City