Politics & Government

Neighbors for Smart Rail Petition for Expo Line Rehearing

A Westside neighborhood group believes the State Supreme Court ruling contains holes.

By Matthew Sanderson

If you thought the legal battle over Expo Line Phase II ended with the California Supreme Court upholding a ruling in early August that will allow the Exposition Light Rail project from Culver City to Santa Monica to go forward as planned, think again, reports CurbedLA.

The case is set to be reheard, reports LAStreetsBlog as the Cheviot Hills group Neighbors For Smart Rail is appealing the State Supreme Court's decision.

In a 6-1 decision, the court upheld earlier judgments by the state Court of Appeal and the Superior Court, denying claims that the Expo Phase II rail project relied on an Environmental Impact Report that did not meet standards under the California Environmental Quality Act.

The court rejected NFSR's claims that the Expo Line Authority did not properly study the traffic impacts, stating it did not deprive the public of any "substantial relevant information on those impacts." The court did say Metro should have looked at current traffic conditions, but the error did not force the need for a new environmental impact report. 

Streetsblog reports NFSR will try to persuade that the court "accidentally misstated the law in its conclusion."

Click here to read the full court ruling.

Click here to read NFSR's blog post in response to the court ruling.


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