BHUSD Urges Residents to Lobby Metro Board Members About Subway Route

The following is an annoucement released Tuesday from the Beverly Hills Unified School District concerning Metro's recent decision to route the Westside Subway Extension under Beverly Hills High School.

Get involved! How do I get involved?

Here are some things you can do to stop Metro from tunneling under Beverly Hills High School:

• Educate yourself on the issues;
• Share your thoughts with friends and members of the community in person and online;
• Attend Metro’s meetings;
• Contact Metro Board Members to let your voice be heard by April 23;
• Contact Representative Waxman and Senators Feinstein and Boxer;
• Stay connected and check for more updates.

Metro is currently soliciting comments from the public about the Final Environmental Impact report for the Westside Subway Extension. Submit your comments to Metro by April 23, 2012 to make sure your voice is heard. Stay connected by liking us on Facebook and checking back here regularly for updates and more ways to help.

 A few key points to remember:

• Both the City of Beverly Hills and the Beverly Hills Unified School District have commissioned independent studies to evaluate Metro’s findings and perform their own research. Beverly Hills is asking the Metro Board to wait for their studies to be completed before approving the final EIR [Environmental Impact Report];
• The studies have already shown that Metro’s findings and methodology were flawed at that there are significant safety concerns;
• Beverly Hills supports the Westside subway, but has legitimate concerns about safety and the proposed location of the Century City station. Nowhere else in California does a subway run directly under permanent school buildings. Metro has other options for where to put the subway, but Beverly Hills High School has nowhere else to go;
• We only have one chance to build this subway and get the decision right. The Metro Board must take a close look at Metro’s recommendations and make the right decision. Beverly Hills High School is an important community resource and there’s no need for Metro to rush to a decision.

Upcoming Meetings

MEETING ALERT: The next upcoming meeting is April 18 at 1 p.m. Mark your calendars!

The city of Beverly Hills announced that it will provide transportation to two Metro meetings being held April 18 and 26 in downtown Los Angeles, during which the Metro Board of Directors will discuss the Westside Subway Extension route.

Contact Metro by April 23rd, 2012

You can submit comments to Metro three different ways:

1. Send mail to David Mieger at Metro, One Gateway Plaza 99-22-5, Los Angeles, CA, 90012

2. Complete an online comment form at www.metro.net/westside

3. Send an email to WestsideExtension@metro.net

Sample comment:

Copy and paste this letter into your comment to Metro, or share your own thoughts.

Dear Metro:

The Final Environmental Impact Report for the Westside Subway Extension recommends a station in Century City at Constellation Avenue and Avenue of the Stars, which would require tunneling directly under Beverly Hills High School.

Please, do not tunnel under Beverly Hills High School. Beverly Hills is currently conducting its own studies and reviewing the Final EIR. Metro should put safety first and consider those studies before coming to a decision. We only have once chance to get this right and it appears that Metro is not making the best decision possible by recommending a subway tunnel underneath Beverly Hills High School. Please take a closer look and consider the independent studies commissioned by Beverly Hills.

The safety of our students, our community, and our future generations is too important to rush this decision. Constellation is not the only option!

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
[Your name here]

Contact the Metro Board of Directors by April 23, 2012

Letters can be sent to the Board of Directors directly, or you can contact Board members individually.

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