Underground Movement Pays Off: Washington's $2 Billion Boost for the Wilshire Subway

There will be those who do a victory dance over the $1.2 billion federal grant and $821 million loan to expedite the first Wilshire Subway segment of its beach-bound extension to La Cienega, and those who will feel disappointed that we can't do more, but it should be noted that this effort is the culmination of efforts of multiple L.A. Mayors and Metro Boards to reverse the fiscal and political damage of our past Subway-building efforts. 

Ditto for the latest LA City budget proposed by Mayor Garcetti to the tune of $8 billion-plus that moves the City towards fiscal soundness, improved City services and getting our streets fixed.  There will be those who proclaim it as a major victory, and others who call "shenanigans" that the budgetary proposal takes sufficient steps to move L.A. forward from its past dysfunctions. 

But it should be noted that both Metro's supporters and detractors, and the Mayor's supporters and detractors, are both right--and ignore the other side at our collective peril. 

Because there's nothing like a cocky Metro or Mayor to change a good thing to a bad thing.  The same LA County Supervisor Yaroslavsky and House Representative Henry Waxman who once fought the Wilshire Subway (bad spending, safety concerns, unclear planning and public support) are now part of the team that championed this big boost from Washington.  Let's not let this go to anyone's head and ruin this for the next round of "asks" we send to Washington or Sacramento. 

And a side note to President Obama and Governor Brown:  I doubt that this Subway Extension will have the same blowback we're seeing with the California High-Speed Rail Project, which is much less defined (and arguably much less legally, scientifically or fiscally defined).  This $1-2 billion expenditure/loan is probably what the taxpayers want, and it also frees up Metro for other projects to fund like the Gold Line extension to Claremont, as well as a host of other road and freeway projects. 

Or expanding the structure and budget of the Crenshaw/LAX Line to include a true connection to LAX. 

The "Purple" of the Purple Line might also have a double-meaning:  both local and national Democrats and Republicans alike will point to this rail project as one that is a proper appropriation of taxpayer money than other transportation projects doled out in the past, and which was questionable pork given to a Red or Blue state because of some elected's political capital.  Honest, focused, pro-economy politicians of both parties should appreciate this step as a "Purple" expenditure of taxpayer dollars. 

This Wilshire Subway is no "bridge or rail to nowhere" but rather is a connecting element of what is Los Angeles' extended "second Downtown", which is the Wilshire Corridor. 

As for the "original Downtown" of central Los Angeles City/County, the Downtown Light Rail Connector (a.k.a., "the other Metro subway") was awarded a $670 million federal grant and a $160 million loan) earlier this year.  This Connector is, arguably, as vital if not more vital to creating a countywide Metro Rail grid than the Wilshire Subway, and links both Gold Lines to the Blue and Expo Lines.  Having not one but two major grant/loan awards in one year is of historic significance. 

Clearly, the relationship between Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. has come a long way since the City of the Angels was given the cold shoulder by Washington after the Subway cost overruns and administrative failures of the 1990's.  It's nice to have a working partnership with Washington again. 

And with the Expo Line potentially opening a year earlier than anticipated, in mid-late 2015, it's evident that more and more neighborhoods, commuters, and residents will have greater access to Downtown (and vice versa), and therefore we will enjoy both greater mobility and scrutiny of what Downtown has to offer. 

So Angelenos' ability to attend Downtown meetings, City Hall , and attend budgetary sessions will be enhanced.  The need to point out insufficient budgetary actions and praise hard-won progress will be greater than ever.  The Los Angeles and Santa Monica City Councils can both be more easily called to task for the Bergamot Station and Hollywood Millennium and JMB Projects, while offering more parties access to the decision-making that is best done by public and open consent and debate. 

This grant/loans from Washington (where is YOUR grant/loan, Sacramento?) for both the Wilshire and Downtown Subways are much appreciated.  They are the final results of years of exhaustive political and bureaucratic "underground" talks and paperwork.  The underground effort to create and fund these projects, as with the Expo and Crenshaw Light Rail Lines, and the I-405 freeway widening drawing to a close this week, is clearly paying off. 

A big "thank you" to Mayor Garcetti and the Los Angeles political delegation is truly warranted...but it's hoped they won't be too put off if the public critiques and criticisms continue, because that scrutiny is the best way to prevent the underground movement from grinding to a very visible halt if fiscal and operational prudence isn't adhered to. 

We're making amazing progress, thanks to Mayor Garcetti and others, but the train hasn't reached its destination yet.

(Ken Alpern is a Westside Village Zone Director and Boardmember of the Mar Vista Community Council (MVCC), previously co-chaired its Planning and Outreach Committees, and currently is Co-Chair of its MVCC Transportation/Infrastructure Committee.  He is co-chair of the CD11 Transportation Advisory Committee and chairs the nonprofit Transit Coalition, and can be reached at  [email protected] This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . He also does regular commentary on the Mark Isler Radio Show on AM 870, and co-chairs the grassroots Friends of the Green Line at www.fogl.us .   The views expressed in this article are solely those of Mr. Alpern.)

-cw

CityWatch

Vol 12 Issue 42

Pub: May 23, 2014