FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions (Updated April 2012)
FAQs April 2012 - Printable Version (256KB)
Introduction
After more than four years of in-depth study, Metro has completed the environmental analysis for the Westside Subway Extension. This work is documented in the Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (Final EIS/EIR) that includes staff recommendations for the project. The Final EIS/EIR was recently released to the public and it is expected to be presented to the Metro Board of Directors for their consideration and possible approval of the project on April 26, 2012.
This set of “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQs) provides information on the work that has occurred during the planning and environmental analysis of the subway extension project. The FAQs will continue to be updated as the project proceeds.
Please go to our website at metro.net/westside to view all components of the Final EIS/EIR, public documents that have been released during development of the Final EIS/EIR, as well as those that were prepared during the earlier Draft EIS/EIR and Alternatives Analysis (AA) Study.
Subjects discussed here include:
Study Recommendations & Overview
1. What project is recommended in the Final EIS/EIR?
The Final EIS/EIR recommends a heavy rail subway that extends approximately 9 miles west from the current terminus of the Metro Purple Line at Wilshire/Western, ending at the Westwood/VA Hospital.
Please view our latest fact sheet, Conclusion of Planning and Environmental Studies, for an overview of the Final EIS/EIR.
2. Where are stations recommended for the subway?
At the conclusion of the Draft EIS/EIR in October 2010, the Metro Board approved seven stations for the subway. This included selecting the basic location for four of the stations – Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax, Wilshire/La Cienega and Wilshire/Rodeo. The Board also directed continued analysis of the three westernmost stations – Century City, Westwood/UCLA and Westwood/VA. The Final EIS/EIR conducted further analysis of all the station options.
Staff recommendations for the stations and station entrances are shown in the table on the next page. The selection of station locations influenced the recommended tunnel alignment shown above.
Recommended Station and Station Entrance Locations
| Station | Recommended Station “Box” Location | Recommended Station Entrance Locations |
| Wilshire/La Brea |
Below Wilshire extending east and west of La Brea between Detroit & Orange |
Northwest corner of Wilshire/La Brea |
| Wilshire/Fairfax |
Below Wilshire extending from west of Fairfax to east of Orange Grove |
Northwest corner of Wilshire/Fairfax |
| Wilshire/La Cienega |
Below Wilshire extending east from La Cienega to Tower Drive |
Northeast corner of Wilshire/La Cienega |
| Wilshire/Rodeo |
Below Wilshire extending east from El Camino to Canon |
Southwest corner of Wilshire/ Reeves |
| Century City |
Below Constellation Boulevard extending west from Century Park East to west of Avenue of the Stars |
Northeast corner of Constellation/ Avenue of Stars |
| Westwood/ UCLA |
Below Wilshire extending from Westwood Boulevard to east of Veteran |
One entrance on UCLA Lot 36 near northwest corner of Wilshire/ Gayley One “split” entrance on northwest and southwest corners of Wilshire/ Westwood Boulevard |
| Westwood/VA |
Below north edge of VA Hospital parking lot on the south side of Wilshire extending east from Bonsall to I-405 Freeway |
Southeast corner Wilshire/Bonsall |
3. Where are the sites that will be used for construction staging?
Construction activities will be principally located at each future station site. Typically, between one and three acres is required for construction purposes at each station site. Approximately three acres is required at stations where tunnel boring machines and where dirt from the tunnels is extracted for disposal. Wilshire/La Brea, Century City and the Veterans Administration campus are recommended for these operations and larger staging sites. Other station sites require approximately one acre. Normally the site that will be used for the station entrance will also be used for construction staging. In some instances the station entrance site is not sufficiently large for station construction purposes and additional parcels are required.
Please see our Construction Fact Sheet and Property Acquisition Fact Sheet for more information.
Staff recommendations for the construction staging sites are shown in the table below.
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Station
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Recommended Construction Staging Areas
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Wilshire/La Brea
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North and south side Wilshire between La Brea and Detroit
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Wilshire/Fairfax
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Northwest corner of Wilshire/Fairfax and south side of Wilshire between Odgen and Orange Grove
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Wilshire/La Cienega
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Northeast corner of Wilshire/La Cienega and northwest corner of Wilshire/North Gale Drive
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Wilshire/Rodeo
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Southwest corner of Wilshire/Reeves and northeast corner of Wilshire/North Canon Drive
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Century City
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Northeast corner of Constellation/Avenue of Stars East and the east side Century Park East at Constellation
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Westwood/ UCLA
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UCLA Lot 36 located on the north side of Wilshire between Gayley and Veteran (partial use)
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Westwood/VA
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VA Hospital north parking lot located on the south side of Wilshire Boulevard (partial use)
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4. What was the process for arriving at these recommendations?
The recommendations are the result of three-step analysis process that follows state and federal guidelines. At the state level, the effort has followed the guidelines of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). At the federal level, it has adhered to the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) as well as guidelines from the Federal Transit Administration to seek matching funds through the “New Starts” program. The three steps of the environmental analysis have been:
The Alternatives Analysis (AA) Study (2007-08) explored several alternatives for the project. It evaluated a variety of routes and travel modes including bus rapid transit, light rail, monorail and heavy rail. It also evaluated underground, street-level and elevated options. The AA determined that underground, heavy rail (subway) was the most appropriate option for this heavily congested, dense area. In January 2009, the Metro Board of Directors approved the AA Study and authorized proceeding with the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIS/EIR) to examine the environmental impact and feasibility of selected project alternatives.
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIS/EIR) (2009-10) evaluated five subway alignments options of different lengths. They all extended the Metro Purple Line from the current Wilshire/Western station to the Westside. Two of the options that were evaluated included a connection to the current Metro Red Line at Hollywood/Highland along with the extension from Wilshrie/Western. In October 2010, the Metro Board of Directors approved the Draft EIS/EIR, adopted the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA), and authorized further analysis of this LPA through the preparation of the Final EIS/EIR. The LPA selected by the Board is a nine-mile extension of the Metro Purple Line subway from its current terminus at Wilshire/Western to the Westwood/VA Hospital with seven new stations. This was selected as the option to best meet federal evaluation criteria and that can be built with projected funds.
The Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (Final EIS/EIR) (2010-current) further analyzed and refined the selected Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). This latest document includes recommendations for consideration by the Metro Board of Directors including station locations and entrances, tunnel alignment between stations, sites for construction staging, and mitigations. It also includes responses to comments received on the Draft EIS/EIR, results of additional analysis, and preliminary station designs. In January 2011, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approved the LPA for entry into Preliminary Engineering (PE) which has been conducted concurrently with the Final EIS/EIR.
Throughout this time, Metro has conducted an extensive community outreach effort. By the time the Final EIS/EIR is presented to the Metro Board of Directors for their consideration, Metro will have hosted 71 meetings throughout the study area.
5. What is different between the Draft EIS/EIR and the Final EIS/EIR?
The Final EIS/EIR provides responses to comments and questions submitted during the Draft EIS/EIR public comment period and recommends mitigations for impacts during construction or operation that have been identified. Concurrent with the analysis to develop the Final EIS/EIR, Metro has also conducted Preliminary Engineering (PE) for the project. PE provides a more detailed level of engineering than the Advanced Conceptual Engineering (ACE) conducted during the Draft EIS/EIR. The Final EIS/EIR also reflects refinements to the project based on these combined activities.
During the Final EIS/EIR phase, specific components of station locations, such as station entrances, were further refined based on comments received at the end of the Draft EIS/EIR phase. Metro also conducted meetings with Station Area Advisory Groups (comprised of residents, property owners, and representatives from homeowner associations, neighborhood councils, businesses and key institutions) to gain further community input into the station planning process. Based on these studies and public input, Metro staff has included recommendations in the Final EIS/EIR for all station locations, entrances and construction staging areas around the stations. In addition, methods for tunnel and station construction, areas for construction staging and earth removal procedures, and haul routes were further refined. Further analysis of project impacts during construction and operations were conducted, and associated mitigation measures are detailed in the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) of the Final EIS/EIR.
6. What kinds of comments did you hear on the Draft EIS/EIR and where can I find the responses?
There was a 45-day public comment period for the Draft EIS/EIR from September 3-October 18, 2010. Metro held five public hearings and received input from nearly 800 commenters at the hearings and in writing during this period. Metro received the most comments regarding the following topics:
- Station locations, especially:
- Century City
- Westwood/UCLA
- Westwood/VA Hospital
- Beverly Hills to Westwood tunnel alignment
- Accelerating construction
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- Interest in extending the subway as far west as possible
- Questions about station access (including station parking)
- Construction impacts
- Technical issues (such as traffic and noise impacts)
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Responses to the most frequently received questions are in Chapter 8 of the Final EIS/EIR. Individual responses to each of the comments are included in Appendix H in the Final EIS/EIR.
7. What happens at the conclusion of the Final EIS/EIR?
Following the public availability period, including public community open house meetings, the Final EIS/EIR with staff recommendations is scheduled to be presented to the Metro Board of Directors at its meeting on April 26, 2012. The Metro Board will be asked to decide about these recommendations and to certify the Final EIS/EIR as complete. Following certification by the Metro Board, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will be asked to issue a “Record of Decision” (ROD) denoting completion of federal environmental clearance for the project. These combined actions will define the project that will be submitted to the FTA for consideration to receive federal “New Starts” funding, and then taken into Final Design and ultimately construction.
Cost & Funding
8. What is the cost and status of funding for the subway?
The adopted Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) for Los Angeles County allocates funding for the subway project, including an assumed federal contribution, over the next 25 years. Local funding for the project is provided by the Measure R Initiative that was approved by the voters of Los Angeles County in November 2008. Federal funding for the project is being sought from the New Starts Program administered by the Federal Transit Administration. There is an effort underway to accelerate funding for the subway, as well as other Measure R transit projects, to allow them all to be constructed in 10 years. Known as “America Fast Forward” (formerly the “30/10 Initiative”), this effort seeks a variety of loans and other creative financing from the federal government that would be repaid over 30 years with Measure R revenues. Building the subway extension to the Westwood/VA Hospital station under the America Fast Forward Plan is estimated to cost $5.6 billion (in 2022 dollars) based on an expected completion date of 2022. Please see Question 10 for more information
On January 4, 2011, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) authorized the project to proceed into Preliminary Engineering, which means that the project is well positioned to be considered for future federal funding through the “New Starts” program. The FTA also approved the Westside Subway Extension to receive a $640 million Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan to be applied towards the full construction cost of the project. The President’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget also includes a recommendation that $50 million be provided to support the final engineering design of the project.
Schedule & Phasing
9. What is the schedule for the Final EIS/EIR and how soon could construction start?
The anticipated schedule for the Westside Subway Extension Final EIS/EIR and subsequent activities leading to construction is as follows:
- March 2012: Release Final EIS/EIR with staff recommendations for public availability
- April 26, 2012 (anticipated): Metro Board consideration of Final EIS/EIR for approval and certification
- Spring 2012: Secure federal Record of Decision (ROD) and request federal “New Starts” funding
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- 2012/2013: Secure federal funding, complete engineering, prepare bid documents, award construction contracts, begin pre-construction activities (surveys, utility relocation, etc.), and complete Final Design.
- 2013: Begin construction.
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10. What types of activities happen between the Metro Board approval of the Final EIS/EIR and groundbreaking on construction of the subway extension?
Following receipt of a Record of Decision (ROD) from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Metro will begin pre-construction activities that will include securing federal funding, developing Final Design plans, preparing bid documents, awarding construction contract(s), property acquisition negotiations, additional field testing, utility relocation work, and potential paleontological work. Ongoing community outreach will also continue, including discussions with property owners, businesses, and the community on station design, station art, and construction mitigation activities.
11. When will I be able to ride the Subway and how does the “America Fast Forward” Initiative affect the project?
How fast the Subway is built and open for service is largely a question of when committed funding can become available for the project. Based on funding currently dedicated to the project in the adopted Long Range Transportation Plan for Los Angeles County, the Final EIS/EIR recommends that the subway be built and open in three phases:
- 2020: 3 new stations at Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax & Wilshire/La Cienega
- 2026: 2 new stations at Wilshire/Rodeo & Century City
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- 2036: 2 new stations at Westwood/UCLA & Westwood VA Hospital
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In early January 2011, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) granted permission for the Subway to begin Preliminary Engineering (PE) to build the project in one phase to Westwood/VA Hospital, and to complete the project by 2022. Metro is currently developing new funding plans that would allow us to meet this new time frame.
One effort to accelerate funding is known as the “America Fast Forward” Initiative (formerly the 30/10 Initiative). This is an effort to build the subway and all the Measure R projects in 10 years. Metro is working closely with the federal government to find ways to “advance” the funding for these projects. Any federal money not already presumed to be part of the funding for a project would be paid back by the local Measure R revenues over 30 years.
12. Earlier plans had the first phase of the subway ending at Fairfax. Why are you now bringing it La Cienega?
As a result of Preliminary Engineering work conducted during preparation of the Final EIS/EIR, it was determined that the initial construction segment should extend for 3.9 miles from Wilshire/Western to Wilshire/La Cienega rather than 3.1 miles from Wilshire/Western to Wilshire/Fairfax. The principal reason for this change is the gassy ground conditions that are more concentrated in the area from just east of La Brea to just west of Fairfax. Tunneling in this area will require the use of special tunnel boring equipment that is not required in other segments of the project. Extending the first segment to La Cienega allows all of this special tunneling work to be focused in a single construction segment. Ground conditions are much more favorable west of the La Cienega Station where more conventional tunnel boring equipment can be used. This change will also allow the Wilshire/La Cienega Station to be completed and open for service up to 6 years earlier as a part of Construction Segment 1 than if it were built as a part of Construction Segment 2. In February 2012, staff informed the Metro Board of Directors about the plans to recommend the Wilshire/La Cienega Station as a part of the Phase 1 construction segment. That report to the Metro Board is available at metro.net/westside.
Please see our Construction Fact Sheet for more information on station construction.
Ridership & Travel Time
13. How many people will ride the Westside Subway Extension?
Based on the analysis conducted during the Final EIS/EIR, the Westside Subway Extension to the Westwood/VA Hospital station will generate about 49,300 daily weekday boardings at the seven new stations. Using a different measure, there would be about 78,000 new daily trips on the full Metro Rail System as a result of the opening of this line.
14. How long will it take to travel to the Westside on the subway from various destinations around LA County?
Once the subway is completed to the Westwood/VA Hospital, it is projected to take 25 minutes to travel between the Westwood/UCLA station and the Pershing Square station in downtown Los Angeles, a savings of 30 minutes compared to travel times on transit without the project. The graphic below illustrates the projected travel time to Westwood/UCLA from other areas of the County with the project compared to average transit travel times without the project (No Build).
In all cases, the travel times to Westwood/UCLA will improve by about 30 - 60% over travel times on transit without the subway. It should also be noted that travel times on the subway will remain constant over time, whereas bus and auto travel times on surface streets vary depending on traffic conditions and are expected to deteriorate further over time as congestion increases.
Travel Times to Westwood/UCLA Station with the Subway
Alignments & Stations
15. What were the key factors that led to the staff recommendations for station & tunnel locations?
Safety is the most important consideration for all aspects of subway planning – safety for the contractors that build the subway, for our employees that operate and maintain it, for our passengers, and for our neighbors. For the Final EIS/EIR, the Metro Board of Directors directed staff to carefully evaluate station and tunnel options to ensure that the subway would be safe to build and operate given factors including soil conditions, locations of earthquake faults and active or abandoned oil fields. Decisions about station locations also typically depend on a variety of other factors including environmental impacts, engineering and technical issues, costs, constructability, ability to locate convenient areas for construction staging, interest from adjacent property owners, ridership, access to destinations, public input, etc. During the Final EIS/EIR/PE phase, Metro conducted further in-depth evaluation of the station locations using all these criteria.
16. How will the stations look in my neighborhood? Will the public have input into their design?
Metro has worked closely with staff of the study area cities, the public and other stakeholders on all aspects of station planning and design throughout the environmental process. During the earlier AA Study and the Draft EIS/EIR, City staff were consulted to better understand key issues in the areas around the station locations being studied.
During the Final EIS/EIR in 2011, six Station Area Advisory Groups (SAAGs) were formed to assist further in station area planning. SAAG members were initially suggested by staff and elected officials from the cities of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. They included residents, property owners, and representatives from homeowner associations, neighborhood councils, businesses and key institutions in the vicinity of the stations. These groups met three times to provide input on issues including location and orientation of station entrances, potential for future development, consideration of future planning in areas around the stations, issues to consider in station design, locations for station drop off/pick up, station bus connections, and station amenities. The SAAGs also heard presentations from Metro staff and provided feedback on planning for future land use around station areas, and how to promote transit supportive land use in these areas. Planning staff from each of the cities was also present at the meetings.
Following the Final EIS/EIR, station design work and planning will continue as the project moves into the pre-construction and final design phase. Metro will continue to provide opportunities for the public to have input into station design during these future phases.
17. How many entrances will there be at the stations?
Metro plans to fund and construct one “full” entrance at each station. A full entrance includes escalators, elevators and stairs. The one exception is at the Westwood/UCLA Station where Metro is planning to provide two “full” entrances to accommodate the high ridership projected for that station. At this station, the Final EIS/EIR proposes splitting one of the two entrances, the one at Westwood Boulevard. At this entrance, half of the features will be on the north side of Wilshire Boulevard and half on the south side.
All the stations will be designed with “knock-out panels” that will allow additional entrances to be added should an adjacent property owner or local jurisdiction want to fund another entrance. If other funding is available, additional entrances could be included at the time of initial subway construction or could be added subsequently. Additional entrances do not necessarily require a full complement of escalators, elevators or stairs.
Specific Stations
18. Why is the Final EIS/EIR recommending that the entrance to the Wilshire/Fairfax station be at the northwest corner of that intersection rather than inside the old May Company building?
The Final EIS/EIR evaluated three possible entrances for the Wilshire/Fairfax station:
- The northwest corner of Wilshire and Fairfax, adjacent to Johnie’s Coffee Shop
- The northeast corner of Wilshire and Fairfax, within LACMA West (May Company)
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- Southeast corner of Wilshire and Orange Grove
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Building a station entrance within an existing building, while also preserving that structure, is always more complex and expensive than building it on land that is already being used for station construction. The Final EIS/EIR estimated that the “May Company” entrance would cost at least $8-30 million more than either of the other options evaluated. This does not include additional potential costs given the greater risks and uncertainties due to the challenges of building within an older, historic building. The “May Company” location is not recommended due to the higher costs and risks associated with this option.
Besides cost, station accessibility from all directions, including bus/rail transfers, is another key factor in evaluating station entrance locations. The “Johnie’s” site is closer to the Wilshire/Fairfax intersection making this an easier, more convenient transfer than the “Orange Grove” site for those accessing this station. The costs of building the station entrance at either the “Johnie’s” site or the “Orange Grove” site are similar to each other as both locations are recommended to be used for construction staging here.
All of this analysis will be presented to the Metro Board of Directors who will be asked to decide on the station entrance.
19. Why is the Final EIS/EIR recommending that the entrance to the Wilshire/Rodeo station be at the southwest corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Reeves Drive instead of at or closer to Rodeo Drive?
While every station area of the Westside Subway Extension presents challenges, some of the issues in this area of Beverly Hills include the existing buildings, narrow north/south streets, and difference in orientation of streets on the north and south side of Wilshire Boulevard. Some of the options evaluated for where to locate this station entrance include:
- The northwest corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Beverly Drive
- The southwest corner of Wilshire Boulevard and El Camino Drive
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- The southwest corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Reeves Drive
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The locations at Beverly Drive and at El Camino Drive would have each required squeezing the station entrance components – elevators, escalators, stairs and station entrance covering – onto already narrow sidewalks. For the Beverly Drive location, this would have further required widening the sidewalk on Beverly Drive eliminating curb parking and at least one traffic lane. Below ground components for each of these station entrances – including passenger walkways – would have resulted in a permanent loss of a significant portion of the underground parking for each of the buildings at those locations.
Wilshire Boulevard and Reeves Drive is recommended as a construction staging site for this station making it an easier and less expensive location for the station entrance. These options were discussed in detail with the Station Area Advisory Group for Wilshire/Rodeo station. All of this analysis will be presented to the Metro Board of Directors who will be asked to decide on the station entrance.
20. Wasn’t a Century City Station always planned on Santa Monica Boulevard? Where did the idea for locating the station below Constellation come from? What other options have you studied for a station location in that area?
Any environmental analysis must consider all reasonable alternatives, as well as evaluate all comments and suggestions received. During the Alternatives Analysis (AA) conducted in 2007-08, Metro reviewed alignments and station locations in the Century City area that had previously been considered in the early 1990s as a starting point for input and evaluation. This information was presented to the public for comment at the first round of scoping meetings in October 2007 during the AA and subsequently again during the Draft EIS/EIR phase. Public comments during both the AA and Draft EIS/EIR noted that a Santa Monica Boulevard location placed a station on the northern edge of Century City immediately adjacent to the Los Angeles Country Club golf course and near a low-density residential area to the north. Metro was asked to also evaluate other alternatives including locating a station south of Santa Monica Boulevard that would be surrounded on all sides by high-rise offices and dense commercial buildings. Metro looked at several alternatives in the heart of Century City including one at Constellation Boulevard and another on Avenue of the Stars.
During the Final EIS/EIR, Metro continued to evaluate the Century City station locations under Santa Monica Boulevard and under Constellation Boulevard. The initial station location studied under Santa Monica Boulevard was at the intersection of Avenue of the Stars. Metro subsequently considered a modification to this option under Santa Monica Boulevard at Century Park East to address safety concerns by locating the station farther away from the Santa Monica Fault zone. (See Questions 22, 28 and 29 for more information about the Santa Monica Fault and efforts to learn more about it.) The location studied under Constellation Boulevard placed the station at Avenue of the Stars.
During earlier study phases, Metro also evaluated, and ultimately ruled out, a north-south oriented station located under Avenue of the Stars between Santa Monica and Constellation Boulevards. This location would have required a significantly longer tunnel in order to achieve the north-south orientation for this station and resulted in higher costs, longer travel times and tunneling under more private properties.
21. Does the location of the Century City station make a difference in the boarding numbers for that station? How have these numbers changed since the Draft EIS/EIR?
The Final EIS/EIR is projecting approximately 8,600 weekday boardings at the Century City station if it is located at Constellation Boulevard and Avenue of the Stars, and 5,500 weekday boardings if the station is located at Santa Monica Boulevard & Century Park East. These projections are based on computer model analysis coupled with an in-depth evaluation of land uses around both station locations, walking distances and experience from other rail systems. That analysis found that there are approximately 20,000 jobs located within ¼ mile the Century City/Constellation Station Option and approximately 10,000 jobs located within ¼ mile of the Century City/Santa Monica Boulevard Station Option. This difference in access to the subway station is a significant factor in the higher ridership forecasts for the recommended Constellation Station location.
The earlier Draft EIS/EIR projected 6,500 boardings in Century City based on a more generalized method of ridership forecasting that did not have a detailed analysis of land use distribution nor differentiate between the station locations on Santa Monica Boulevard and on Constellation Boulevard. For the above ridership forecasts, Metro is required to use the adopted six-county regional transportation computer model that is maintained by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). These forecasts have been further reviewed by the U.S. Department of Transportation to assure the methodologies used are consistent and comparable with ridership forecasts conducted throughout the country on other transit projects in other cities that are also competing for federal funding grants. Such procedures have been put into place by the federal government to insure that ridership forecasts are properly prepared and without bias.
Background information on the Century City ridership analysis in the Final EIS/EIR can be found in the “Century City Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and Walk Access Study” and the “Technical Report Summarizing the Results of the Forecasted Alternatives.”
22. Why did questions about the Santa Monica Fault and its implications for the location of the tunnels and station in the Century City area only arise relatively late in the environmental process? Didn’t Metro know about it earlier? What implications does this have for other building and development in the vicinity?
When the Alternatives Analysis (AA) for the Westside Subway Extension began in 2007, the best information available about the Santa Monica Fault in the vicinity of Century City came from a 2005 study using a visual inspection method known as “surface topography” to estimate the location of the fault. This information was sufficient to raise concerns about the safety of building tunnels and stations under Santa Monica Boulevard, however, information gathered this way is not sufficient to identify the fault trace locations and their characteristics as they are configured underground in relation to the proposed subway.
In 2009-10, as a part of studies for the Draft EIS/EIR, Metro contractors conducted geotechnical tests in the area including soil borings and geophysical tests to measure how vibrations travel through the ground. These tests provided more information about the location and characteristics of the Santa Monica Fault in the Century City area than the earlier surface topography work, however it was still insufficient to make definitive recommendations with regard to the safety of specific station and tunnel locations.
During the Final FEIS/EIR, Metro conducted further extensive geotechnical studies to provide even more information about the Santa Monica Fault and other seismic features in the area, including the West Beverly Hills Lineament. The results of these studies are contained in two technical reports, the Tunneling Safety Report and Fault Investigation Report. These reports and tests have provided sufficient evidence that acknowledged experts in seismic design have used to recommend that subway stations and alignments should not be constructed along Santa Monica Boulevard in Century City. These recommendations do not extend to other properties in the area who have been advised to use the geologic information provided by these studies to make their own determinations about the safety of other types of built structures in the vicinity. Fact Sheets related to these issues are also online.
See Question 31 for more information about subways in earthquake areas.
23. Why is the Westwood/UCLA Station not closer to the UCLA campus?
The Alternatives Analysis Study (AA) conducted in 2007-08 considered station locations along Wilshire Boulevard in the Westwood area as well as those closer to the UCLA campus. Locations in the middle of Westwood Village, at the entrance to UCLA along Le Conte, and on the UCLA campus were not carried forward into the Draft EIS/EIR for two primary reasons. First, they would have required tunnel alignments to travel under the Veterans National Cemetery in order to allow the subway to continue west. In addition, the narrow streets in Westwood Village and the additional distance from Wilshire Boulevard made these locations ill-suited for station construction and associated impacts, including locating sufficient land for construction staging and earth removal, and identifying truck haul routes.
The station locations considered during the Final EIS/EIR closer to or under Wilshire Boulevard will serve Westwood Village as well as the high-rise office buildings along Wilshire Boulevard and the multi-family residential buildings close by. In addition, adequate undeveloped land in close proximity to the I-405 Freeway was available for much easier access for truck access and haul routes. Further, there is already significant bus service in the Westwood Village area provided by Metro, Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, Culver City Municipal Bus Lines, UCLA Transit and others that provide many connections between Wilshire Boulevard and the UCLA campus.
Subway Construction, Construction Impacts and Mitigation Measures
24. How will the subway tunnels and stations be built?
Subway tunnels will be built through the use of “closed-face, pressurized” tunnel boring machines (TBMs). Most of the tunneling takes place completely below ground with little, if any, noticeable impact on the surface once the TBMs have been inserted.
Subway stations are built by excavating the site for the “station box” and then building the station below ground. If the station is built under a street, it is covered over with concrete decking during construction to allow traffic to continue to flow overhead. Traffic would be disrupted at the beginning of station construction to allow for initial excavation and installation of the concrete decking, and again at the end to remove the decking and reconstruct the street.
Please see question 26 for more information about subway construction and question 37 for more information on impacts. You may also wish to view the Construction Fact Sheet, the presentations from our meetings in August 2009 and January 2011 and the video “A Subway Story: Metro’s Westside Subway Extension” for further information.
25. How will you avoid construction problems such as those that occurred in the 1990s during construction of the Metro Red Line?
In recent years, Metro has employed improved tunneling techniques to minimize impacts on adjacent properties. The primary method for avoiding subsidence is the use of “closed-face, pressurized” TBMs. With this technology, pressure is maintained in the surrounding earth while the tunnel is being excavated, thereby significantly reducing the risk of subsidence.
Using this technology, Metro recently completed a 1.8-mile tunnel for the Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension project with no measurable surface subsidence and no substantiated damage claims from settlement. Many other tunnel projects have been built using these newer tunneling technologies in recent years with similar successful outcomes.
26. What are the construction impacts of a subway? How might construction impact businesses, residents & property owners?
Impacts of construction and potential mitigation measures have been evaluated during the Final EIS/EIR. The vast majority of construction impacts are located at the future station sites where the ground is opened from the surface for station construction and the extraction of soil from tunnel boring machines. Very few impacts occur in the bored tunnel segments between stations where tunnels are very deep and very few surface impacts are created. Typical impacts that might occur during construction include temporary lane or roadway closures in station construction areas (to install decking over station areas or for temporary placement of construction equipment or materials), removing and hauling earth from tunneling and station excavation, construction traffic and parking, potential detours to reach businesses or residences, and noise and air quality impacts. Most of these impacts have associated mitigation measures that seek to minimize the inconvenience of these activities. (See question 24 and 37 for more information on subway construction and the Construction Fact Sheet.)
As with other past and current construction projects, Metro will work to minimize impacts on businesses, residents and property owners. Mitigation measures might encompass ensuring that decking is flush with the street, locating earth removal locations near major streets and freeways, specifying haul routes, etc. Improved communications, including signage and advertising, are typically employed to help maintain access and encourage ongoing patronage to businesses. In addition, Metro has established procedures to document existing conditions at properties along the subway construction alignment in advance of construction to accurately assess and address any damage claims that may arise.
The Final EIS/EIR includes a proposed construction mitigation plan – the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) – that will be considered for adoption by the Metro Board of Directors when they consider the Final EIS/EIR.
27. Are there other steps Metro takes to work with property owners before or during construction to prevent or address any damage that may occur?
Prior to beginning any work on a project of this nature, Metro or the construction contractor will conduct a "pre-construction survey." This is a typical survey that can be valuable to property owners, tenants and Metro as it protects all interests by providing a record of building conditions prior to the start of construction. This documentation normally includes written information as well as still photos or video, and allows Metro to quickly and efficiently assist in the unlikely event that construction affects properties. If any damage occurs to a building that is related to construction of the subway, the property owner/tenant(s) and Metro can refer to this record to arrive at a fair resolution. A claims process will be established and the construction project will carry insurance to address any of these issues should they arise.
Please see our Construction Fact Sheet and Property Acquisition Fact Sheet for more information.
Geotechnical & Fault Investigations
28. Metro conducted soils and seismic tests throughout the study area. What was this for and what was discovered?
During development of the Final EIS/EIR, Metro conducted one of the most extensive geotechnical and seismic investigations of any transit project at this phase of development consisting of close to 600 field tests along the entire project alignment in the mid-Wilshire, Fairfax, Beverly Hills, Century City and Westwood areas. These included more than 200 tests in the Century City area. The tests used a variety of equipment to test soil conditions, locate and analyze fault zones, determine how noise and vibration would travel in the soil, assess water tables, and more precisely locate abandoned oil wells.
Metro analyzed all this data and prepared detailed reports of the findings from all the geotechnical and seismic investigations. The results of these studies are contained in Chapter 4 of the Final EIS/EIR and in various technical support documents that are referenced in that chapter. Information specifically dealing with the Century City area is contained in two technical reports, the Tunneling Safety Report and Fault Investigation Report. There is also a fact sheet specifically related to the findings in the Century City area.
29. What did the studies find concerning the Century City Station and tunnels in the area?
The studies concluded that a station below Constellation Boulevard is viable because the location is south and west of fault zones where there is no evidence of faulting. A station below Santa Monica Boulevard was found to be not viable as it is an area of complex faulting where the fault zones extend beneath and across Santa Monica Boulevard. Further, a subway can be built and operated safely to reach a station at Constellation Boulevard with little to no impacts to people or property.
There were three levels of analysis for the studies that led to this conclusion: Metro’s consultant geotechnical experts, its Tunnel Advisory Panel (TAP) that has been working with Metro since 1995 on all tunneling projects, and an independent panel of world renowned experts that Metro’s CEO requested as an additional level of independent review.
Safety
30. I’ve heard that there is subsurface gas and tar in the study area. How can I be sure that the system can be constructed and operate safely?
Subsurface gas is present throughout much of the greater Los Angeles area and is prevalent throughout the entire Westside Subway Extension alignment area. The highest concentrations of underground gasses are found in the area immediately surrounding the Fairfax District in the area near to the La Brea Tar Pits. Lower levels of gas concentrations are found in other parts of the corridor. While tunneling for transportation projects calls for special considerations, other projects have been successfully and safely constructed in subsurface gas zones within the project area including buildings with deep parking garages and basements, storm drains, sewer projects and other utility projects. Similar protocols for safety and testing apply to these projects as they do for any transportation project.
Safety, both during construction and eventual operations, is one of Metro’s highest priorities. It was also one of the key evaluation criteria during the Draft EIS/EIR, and has been further evaluated as a part of the Final EIS/EIR. Information on this topic in the Final EIS/EIR can be found in Chapter 4.
We have safely operated the current Metro Red/Purple Line subway for over 15 years and have successfully constructed subway tunnels where subsurface gas has been present. In 2005, an American Public Transit Association Peer Review Panel determined that “It is possible to tunnel and operate a subway along the Wilshire Corridor safely.”
During construction, the pressure face TBMs isolate gas from workers and the public, while gassy soil and tar sands are separated and treated appropriately. Enhanced ventilation systems will be used where necessary to ensure tunnel and station safety and, if necessary, double gaskets for the tunnel lining or other measures may also be installed.
Where needed, tunnels and stations will be designed and built to provide a redundant protection system against gas intrusion. This might include:
- Physical barriers to keep gas out of the tunnels
- High volume ventilation systems
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- Gas detection systems with alarms
- Emergency ventilation triggered by the gas detection systems.
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During operations, safety codes require rigorous and continuous gas monitoring, alarms, automatic equipment shut-off and additional personnel training.
Please see our Construction Fact Sheet for more information. You may also wish to view the presentation from our meetings in August 2009 and January 2011 for more information about subway construction, as well as the video “A Subway Story: Metro’s Westside Subway Extension.”
31. How can subways be built and operate safely in an area with earthquake faults?
Many underground facilities – subway tunnels, sewers, storm drains and buildings – have been built in Los Angeles and throughout California near active fault lines. California has some of the strictest building standards when it comes to designing infrastructure to withstand earthquakes.
One of the initial steps in planning a transportation project like a subway is to identify where faults are located and understand their characteristics. The goal in planning the subway is to avoid faults if possible. If that is not possible, then every effort is made to minimize exposure to the fault(s). This can be accomplished by crossing a fault in a perpendicular orientation. Various special engineering techniques have been employed in fault zones to reduce the risk of damage, limit any damage that may occur, and allow for a swift return to regular operations should a seismic event take place. This can include constructing larger diameter tunnels with secondary linings or the use of enhanced tunnel linings and other measures to accommodate ground movement in fault zones. No transit agency in North America has knowingly built a subway station within a known active fault zone. In fact, the Crenshaw/LAX light rail project – another Metro project currently being developed – moved the location of its planned La Brea station to avoid having it sit atop the Newport-Inglewood Fault.
Subways throughout the world have excellent records of withstanding major earthquakes over the last 25 years. They have performed well during earthquakes with no damage or service interruptions, including after the Northridge earthquake in 1994. The Metro Red Line tunnels cross the Hollywood fault north of the Hollywood & Highland Station.
Metro has recently prepared and published a detailed report of its investigation of the faults in the area around Century City where seismic features in the area have influenced decisions regarding station locations and tunnel alignments. This seismic analysis shows that the Santa Monica Fault Zone appears to extend under the Los Angeles Country Club and beneath Santa Monica Boulevard from the vicinity between Century Park East and Avenue of the Stars and extending west until it begins to turn away from Santa Monica Boulevard somewhere near intersection of Westwood Boulevard. In addition to the Santa Monica Fault, Metro has sought to better understand the West Beverly Hills Lineament. This seismic feature runs north-south through the western part of the City of Beverly Hills near the Beverly Hills High School.
Metro has analyzed all this data and has prepared a detailed report of the findings from all the geotechnical and seismic investigations. The results of these studies are contained in Chapter 4 of the Final EIS/EIR. There are also two technical reports, the Tunneling Safety Report and Fault Investigation Report, that relate specifically to the findings in the Century City area. There is also a fact sheet summarizing the findings in the Century City area.
32. How can tunneling be completed safely through an area where there are oil fields and wells, many of which have been abandoned and some of which are still active?
Greater Los Angeles is an oil producing area and there is significant local experience building projects of all kinds here. During the Draft EIS/EIR, known oil fields and active or abandoned oil wells were identified from oil well maps. This initial analysis indicated that the oil fields are much deeper than the potential subway tunnels. Shafts for active and abandoned oil wells are also located in the vicinity of the project alignment along with other utilities such as sewer, water, gas and electric lines. These were further mapped during Final EIS/EIR/PE phase and will be relocated, if necessary, during the construction phase of the project. There are established procedures, regulated by government agencies, for dealing safely with any unmapped or unknown wells that are encountered during construction. A standard practice is to use horizontal, below ground probes to investigate the paths of tunnels so that any abandoned or unmapped oil wells can be located and removed in advance of tunneling operations. Metro recently tunneled successfully through the former Boyle Heights oil field while constructing the Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension.
Construction and Operations Under and On Private Property
33. Will the trains operate under residential or other private property or sensitive land uses, such as schools? What could the impacts be?
Most of Metro’s subway tunnels travel under city streets however, it is very common for subways along segments of the Metro System and throughout the world to operate under residential and private properties. In Los Angeles, Metro rail lines pass beneath properties generally in locations where the subway has to make turns, for example, in Downtown Los Angeles, Mid-Wilshire, Hollywood and Universal City. The normal curve radius for subway tunnels is 1,000 feet, much wider than a turn at a typical surface street intersection. Please refer to our tunneling presentation from May/June 2010 for areas where Metro tunnels travel beneath private property.
The Westside Subway Extension, as currently recommended, has been planned to operate mostly under Wilshire Boulevard – however there are segments where this will not be possible. In order to reach the recommended Century City station location, the subway tunnel will need to pass below homes and businesses in southwest Beverly Hills and below Beverly Hills High School. The tunnel will also have to travel beneath residential and commercial property between Century City and Westwood.
Since the first segment of the subway opened in 1993, Metro has received no complaints about noise or vibration due to subway operations from those living or working above the tunnels or stations. Additionally, in the North Hollywood area, there are sound recording studios adjacent to current subway tunnels. These studios utilize sensitive equipment capable of detecting noise and vibration that would otherwise be imperceptible. Special track work in these areas ensures that the studios are able to continue operation without being impacted by the subway operations.
34. How deep will the tunnels run below private property?
The tops of subway tunnels on the Metro Red and Purple Lines are typically between 40 and 70 feet below the surface, and are designed to minimize noise and vibration. In some instances, the tunnels are more than 600 feet deep, such as in the area between Hollywood and Universal City where the subway tunnels pass under the Santa Monica Mountains. In the Westwood/Comstock Hills area, where the Westside Subway Extension would travel between Century City and Westwood, the topography of the land rises and the tunnels will be bored at depths that vary between 70 and 120 feet below ground depending on the surface topography above. Where the alignment travels under Beverly Hills High School, the top of the tunnels would be approximately 55 to 70 feet below ground. As noted in Question 27, additional detailed geotechnical studies have been conducted during the Final EIS/EIR to assess soil conditions and determine the potential for noise or vibration impacts on the surface along the refined alignments. This has included measurements at the Beverly Hills High School site, as well as in the residential area between the Century City and Westwood/ UCLA stations.
35. Is it possible to construct new buildings or remodel existing ones above subway tunnels and stations? What sort of restrictions would apply to the construction of buildings above the subway?
Yes, it is possible to build or remodel buildings above subway tunnels and stations. There are many examples of new and remodeled buildings above the existing Red and Purple Line tunnels and stations.
The easement that Metro buys from property owners extends 10 feet above the top of the tunnel, not all the way to the surface. Whether the tunnels and stations are built before construction on the surface occurs, at the same time, or after, Metro typically works with the property owner or developer to ensure that both can be accommodated. As a part of the Final EIS/EIR and ongoing project design, Metro solicits the cooperation of property owners along the proposed subway routes so that such issues can be fully addressed.
Please see our Property Acquisition Fact Sheet for more information.
36. Are there any existing subways currently located below schools?
There are rail tunnels already in existence below schools in California as well as others elsewhere in the United States. In California some of these include the West Portal Elementary School in San Francisco, the Bentley School in Berkeley, and the Young Oak Kim Academy Middle School and Camino Nuevo Charter Academy, both in Los Angeles. Some schools outside of California include East Sylvan Middle School in Portland, Ore., Jefferson Middle School in Washington, DC, and the Global Village School in Decatur, Georgia.
37. What did the Final EIS/EIR find about noise and vibration from the subway?
As discussed in Question 26, the greatest construction impacts during construction will occur at the future station sites. Noise in these areas would be similar to what is found at major building construction sites. Noise control and monitoring plans will be developed. They will include an inventory of construction equipment used during daytime and nighttime hours, an estimate of projected construction noise levels, and locations and types of noise abatement measures that may be required to meet acceptable noise limits. Where nighttime construction activities are expected to occur, Metro will erect noise barrier walls at each construction site prior to the start of construction activities.
Very few impacts will occur in the bored tunnel segments between the stations where the tunnels are very deep and very few surface impacts are created. In some locations, the tunnel boring machines (TBMs) may be felt for a short time – a matter of a few hours to a few days – in structures on the surface as the TBMs pass directly beneath those structures. Once that task is complete, properties above the tunnels might potentially feel the construction rail cars that will travel in the tunnels removing the excavated dirt. These activities will be monitored, and if they exceed acceptable levels, steps will be taken to reduce the impact. Steps could include reducing the construction train speeds, installing additional rail vibration dampening treatments and more frequent rail and wheel maintenance. During recent construction of the Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension tunnels, no noise complaints were received associated with the TBM or the construction trains.
Once construction is completed and the passenger trains begin to operate for public use, the Final EIS/EIR found that there were only three locations where noise and vibration from the subway would exceed thresholds established by the Federal Transit Administration. Two of these were theaters – the Wilshire/Ebell Theater near Crenshaw Boulevard and the Saban Theater near La Cienega. One apartment building near La Brea was also identified. The Final EIS/EIR indicates that these impacts can be fully mitigated. No other properties are expected to have permanent noise or vibration impacts during operation that will require mitigation.
Please see Chapter 4 of the Final EIS/EIR for more information on these impacts and proposed mitigations.
38. Will Metro take or condemn private property needed for construction, station entrances or other purposes?
Metro only owns property at two locations along the alignment – at Wilshire/Crenshaw (SW corner) and at Wilshire/La Brea (NW corner). Since no station is planned for Crenshaw, that property will likely be used for construction staging and possibly as a site for a tunnel ventilation structure or power substation. The Metro property at Wilshire/La Brea is expected to be used first as a construction staging area and then as the location of the La Brea station entrance.
At other station locations, Metro prefers to work in partnership with adjacent property owners to secure property needed during construction or for station entrances. Many property owners find it beneficial to have easy access to the subway and some have already contacted Metro about allowing for future subway entrances to their buildings/property.
Where the subway operates under private property, Metro will work with the property owner to secure an easement.
As a last resort, if agreements with property owners cannot be reached, Metro may then use its condemnation powers to acquire the necessary easements for the project.
For more information, please see our Property Acquisition Fact Sheet.
Station Access
39. How will I be able to access the stations? How easy will it be to get from the stations to where I want to go?
The seven new stations are located at or within easy walking distance of major Westside destinations including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Beverly Hills “Golden Triangle,” Century City, Westwood Village and the Veterans Administration complex. Metro will work to design the stations as much as possible with improved pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and easy transfers to area buses and shuttles which should provide a short ride to other destinations such as UCLA, Farmers Market and Cedars Sinai Medical Center.
40. Will there be parking at the stations? Will it be free?
The stations on the Westside Subway Extension are in built-up urban areas where providing dedicated subway parking would be costly, difficult to mesh with the urban environment and would ultimately have limited impact on ridership. Existing buildings would need to be acquired and demolished to make room for parking garages and the cost of providing free or highly subsidized parking at the sites would be quite high. Enforcement of free or highly subsidized parking for transit patrons would be difficult as non-transit users would seek to park in such facilities to avoid paying higher parking rates at commercial lots. Many of these stations are also destination stations, with riders commuting to the Westside for employment.
The Draft EIS/EIR evaluated the station locations without the provision of dedicated parking and estimated what the parking demand might be at the stations, available public and private parking that already exists in the station areas that could possibly be shared for subway purposes, and the potential for spillover parking into neighborhoods near stations. During the public comment period for the Draft EIS/EIR, numerous comments were received on this issue, which were further evaluated and addressed in the Final EIS/EIR. Where possible, Metro will work with existing parking operators to explore shared parking opportunities at stations. Station area parking is discussed in more detail in Chapter 3 of the Final EIS/EIR.
The current Metro Red/Purple Line Subway has dedicated parking only at the stations at North Hollywood, Universal City, and Union Station. Union Station offers paid parking. North Hollywood and Universal City Stations offer a mix of free parking and paid/reserved parking.
Public Involvement
41. How can I be involved in the decision-making process? How can I stay informed about this study?
You can register to receive future updates on the project and meeting notices by going to “Contact Us.” You can leave a phone message for us at the project information line at 213.922.6934. You can also find us on Facebook or you can follow us on Twitter.
During the Final EIS/EIR, Metro has conducted two rounds of community update meetings. Three rounds of meetings were also Metro also held meetings with Station Area Advisory Groups appointed to provide input on the locations of station entrances and other features in the station areas. These groups included property owners, community leaders, business owners and representatives of key institutions surrounding each station.
With the release of the Final EIS/EIR, Metro has scheduled another round of public meetings on March 26, 28 and 29.
42. Can Metro make a presentation to my neighborhood or business organization?
Please leave a message on the project phone line at 213.922.6934, or leave the request by going to “Contact Us. A Metro representative will contact you to arrange a meeting for your group or to invite you to one planned in your area.
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Keywords: FAQ's; Westside
Last Revised:
Wednesday April 18, 2012
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