West Hollywood Encourages Residents And Community Members To Attend An Upcoming Virtual Metro Scoping Meeting

Press release from the City of West Hollywood:

April 26, 2021

The City of West Hollywood is getting the word out that Metro is starting the formal Environmental Impact Report (EIR) process for the Northern Extension of the Crenshaw/LAX line, the project that could bring Metro light rail service to West Hollywood.

As part of that process, Metro will be hosting three two-hour virtual scoping meetings to determine what to include in its analysis, which will ultimately help Metro to select the final route and get the project shovel-ready for construction.

“It’s important that Metro gets feedback from the community members who will be using Metro rail service to our city and to connect the region,” said City of West Hollywood Mayor Lindsey P. Horvath. “The City of West Hollywood is one step closer to realizing our vision to #FinishTheLine, building on years of progress, advocacy, and community support for more transit opportunities. The Crenshaw Northern Extension will provide critical north-south connections and enhance the existing Metro regional rail network, which is excellent not only for West Hollywood — it’s also a wonderful step forward for the entire metropolitan region.”

West Hollywood residents and community members are encouraged to attend one of Metro’s upcoming virtual meetings to let Metro know what issues and design considerations matter to them, as well as what destinations and route alternatives should be included in Metro’s study. The meetings will each cover the same topic and general information and will take place by Zoom, as follows:

• Thursday, April 29, 2021, 11:30 a.m.
  • Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87500507019
  • Meeting ID: 875 0050 7019
• Thursday, May 6, 2021, 6 p.m.
  • Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82996680178
  • Meeting ID: 829 9668 0178
• Saturday, May 8, 2021, 10 a.m.
  • Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84880363069
  • Meeting ID: 848 8036 3069

For community members who wish to provide feedback but who cannot attend any of the scheduled virtual meetings, email comments may be sent to Metro directly at crenshawnorth@metro.net or may be submitted by calling Metro’s project hotline at (213) 418-3093. More information including project updates and background information is available at www.weho.org/rail

For the past several years, the City of West Hollywood has been working with West Hollywood Advocates for Metro Rail (WHAM), All on Board Coalition, and the City of Los Angeles to build support for the Metro light rail line Northern Extension to connect the Crenshaw/LAX rail line with Mid-City, West Hollywood, the Metro Red Line station at Hollywood & Highland in Hollywood, and possibly even the Hollywood Bowl.

The City of West Hollywood and its coalition partners have built momentum on a proposal to accelerate the completion of the Crenshaw/LAX rail line Northern Extension to as early as 2028, instead of 2047, in time for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and Paralympics. The West Hollywood City Council, in 2015, first approved its plan in support of a Metro rail line Northern Extension to connect to the Crenshaw/LAX rail line.

The regional impact of the Northern Extension cannot be underestimated. It will have a strong impact on many communities that are currently underserved by access to a rail line and will more conveniently connect the Los Angeles International Airport to the San Fernando Valley. It will also mean more mobility options to and from the City of West Hollywood and more convenient access to key healthcare and employment centers such as Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the Pacific Design Center, as well as cultural and entertainment destinations such as The Grove and the Hollywood Bowl.

The Northern Extension will create more equitable and convenient regional access and improve the overall efficiency of the transit system, which will benefit transit-dependent residents throughout the metropolitan area.

Metro provides a short informational video about the proposed project and the environmental process, Metro Crenshaw Northern Extension – Project Update April 2021, on the Metro Los Angeles YouTube Channel at https://youtu.be/dKXN8ovUZyY.

A one-minute video, #FinishTheLine, is posted on the City of West Hollywood’s WeHoTV YouTube channel. It maps-out the benefits of the proposed project at https://youtu.be/nPenhILOd0M. WeHo on the Go highlights the benefits of accelerating the proposed project at https://youtu.be/TOg-R21mQjs.

For additional information about West Hollywood Advocates for Metro Rail (WHAM), please visit www.whamrail.com. For additional information about the All on Board Coalition, please visit www.allonboardcoalition.com. More detailed information about the City’s efforts to accelerate the project is available at www.weho.org/rail.

For more information, please contact David Fenn, City of West Hollywood Associate Planner, at (323) 848-6336 or at dfenn@weho.org. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.

The City of West Hollywood has declared a local emergency in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Individuals are advised to stay at home as much as possible and limit close interactions to those in your household. When in public, community members should maintain your space with social (physical) distancing of at least six feet, and cover your face. Public Health officials recommend that everyone, even those who are vaccinated, to continue to follow physical distancing and infection control directives and wear a clean face covering that securely covers both your nose and mouth when in in public.

West Hollywood City Hall is currently closed to the public and has suspended all in-person transactions. Most public City buildings and facilities remain closed. City Hall remains accessible for business and essential services with transactions to be conducted by phone (323) 848-6400 and via the City’s website at www.weho.org.

City of West Hollywood coronavirus updates are available at www.weho.org/coronavirus and the City encourages community members to follow @wehocity on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram and turn on notifications. For up-to-date news and events, follow the City of West Hollywood on social media, sign up for news updates at www.weho.org/email, and visit the City’s calendar of meetings and events at www.weho.org/calendar.

For reporters and members of the media seeking additional information about the City of West Hollywood, please contact the City of West Hollywood’s Public Information Officer, Sheri A. Lunn, at (323) 848-6391 or slunn@weho.org.

This press release was produced by the City of West Hollywood. The views expressed here are the author’s own.