Of the three Westside Subway Extension polls that we have done thus far, I think this is perhaps the most compelling. The Westwood area has offices, a major campus and a lot of residents nearby and is located near several major transit corridors.
And that means finding the right location for a subway station isn’t easy. An urban planning class could have a field day studying the issue.
If you missed our initial post that explains the issue in detail, here’s the link — I encourage you to read it before voting.
Thus far, readers have shown the most support for a station at Wilshire and Westwood. I’m also interested in your thoughts on the subject. For example, if you voted for Lot 36 or Wilshire/Westwood, why one over the other? Or do you think both locations is absolutely wrong? Email your comments to sourcemetro@gmail.com or one of our other channels — Metro’s Twitter account, Metro’s Facebook page or the Westside Subway Extension’s Facebook page.
A few comments we’ve spotted so far:
From Sally and Jerry, via email:
Westwood and Wilshire has huge traffic now. It would only be worse. It can’t be there.
From Carter Rubin, who does some writing for LA Streetsblog:
I don’t know how anyone can read the entire post and chose anything other than Lot 36. At first glance, 36 didn’t make sense on a gut level. However, a stop close to UCLA is more convenient for those traveling to UCLA, but not for bus connections on Wilshire or Westwood. A station under Wilshire would create HUGE problems during construction, to dig up the street and build a station (especially now that people are detouring around Sunset & 405 to the south). Plus the surface level connections for bikes/peds/buses/car drop off and would be severely impeded by a lack of space.
From Charles:
I voted for UCLA’s Lot 36 because the route would never be allowed to be tunneled and run under the Veteran’s Cemetery, and for a reason I didn’t see mentioned.
There are 11 high rise office buildings in Westwood along Wilshire Blvd., between Glendon and Veteran (including the Federal Bldg.). A stop in Lot 36 would be closer to the thousands of people working and doing business in them. As for UCLA, a stop underneath Lot 36 would likely result in enhancements to their existing campus-linking shuttle service: http://map.ais.ucla.edu/go/1001490.
Steve, via the Westside Subway Extension’s page on Facebook:
Wilshire/Westwood intersection — then the pedestrians can walk underground rather than cause all the traffic to stop.
Herm, also via Facebook:
In an ideal world there would be 3 UCLA stations: Hilgard/Sunset, Westwood Plaza, and Wilshire/Westwood. But if I had to pick only one I’d opt for Wilshire/Westwood, because there are already shuttles from there to campus.
Graham, via Facebook:
I agree… Wilshire/Westwood is the ideal location for the station. I’m sure construction could utilize lot 36 to minimize the impacts on Wilshire while the line is being built. Just be sure that the station is designed to integrate with the Sepulveda Pass project, so that we don’t end up with a Hollywood/Highland-type station that needs a major refit to link with an extension.
Defender, via LAist:
Wilshire/Westwood. This extension should parallel Wilshire Boulevard, as it should throughout the purple line, as that is THE central artery running east-west from downtown LA to the ocean. You’re in college, walk your lazy butt the rest of the way… or hop the bus from there.
PBunches, via Twitter:
Categories: Policy & Funding, Projects