L.A. Expo Line - 1, NIMBYs - 0

[WhoozOn1st]

In a split decision (the article calls it "fractured"), the California Supreme Court found in favor of going ahead with the Expo light rail line's extension to Santa Monica. Game over for the NIMBYs? Don't bet on it.

California high court lets Expo Line to Santa Monica move forward - http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-expo-line-20130806,0,7267461.story

"The Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority approved the rail line from Culver City to Santa Monica even though the review of traffic and air-quality effects relied on a base line of conditions in the year 2030. The Expo Line segment to Santa Monica is scheduled to start operating in 2015.

"A group called Neighbors for Smart Rail, supported by homeowners' groups, challenged the environmental impact report in court.

"Four of the Supreme Court's seven members said environmental reviews generally should include analysis of a project's immediate effect, but only one justice was willing to reject the report."

Though labeled as a Purple Line ("subway to the sea") map, the Expo Line is right there as well, in blue:

 

[CHamilton]

Los Angeles' Purple Line getting $1.25 billion federal promise

Los Angeles is one step closer to extending a subway route to the L.A. County Museum of Art. Wednesday morning, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx will announce a new grant for Metro's Purple Line.

The money won't quite complete the vaunted subway-to-the-sea, but it will take riders of the Purple Line from Union Station west to La Cienega Blvd. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti will join Secretary Foxx, both California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, and other members of Congress on Capitol Hill to announce the $1.25 billion grant.
This is the second big federal chunk of change for the Purple Line. The Department of Transportation has already loaned the project $856 million, to be repaid from a sales tax hike approved by L.A. County voters.

Metro also has received loans for the Regional Connector, which will link the Gold and Blue lines downtown, and the Green Line extension, which promises to reach L.A. International Airport....
The Purple Line extension won't reach La Cienega until 2024. After that, Metro wants the Purple Line to go under Beverly Hills and end on the west side of Los Angeles. Opponents of the extension have sued, saying the tracks should not go under Beverly Hills High School.