Court Dismisses Expo Line Challenge

The California Court of Appeal ruled unanimously Tuesday in favor of Metro in litigation brought by Neighbors for Smart Rail against the Expo Line Phase 2 project, which will connect downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica via Culver City.

The court upheld the Superior Court’s February 2011 decision, which dismissed a claim by the opposition group, which argued that the Expo Authority had not complied with the California Environmental Quality Act in its certification of a final environmental review.

According to a statement released by Metro, the Court of Appeal rejected all of the Neighbors for Smart Rail’s challenges, and concluded that the Final Environmental Impact Report adequately evaluated potential impacts of the project, including traffic on Sepulveda Boulevard.

The court concluded that the authority also complied with state's environmental quality act in evaluating the significance of potential traffic and air quality impacts of the project against projected future traffic and air quality conditions in 2030.

“We strongly disagree with the court’s decision. It’s in conflict with the Sunnyvale decision in the 5th and 6th Appellate Districts," Neighbors for Smart Rail President Terri Tippit told Patch in a telephone conversation. "We are going to take this to the California Supreme Court because they need to review this decision and decide what the law is.”

Click here to read more about the Sunnyvale decision, which Neighbors For Smart Rail cited in its suit against Expo.

Phase 1 of the Expo Line from downtown to La Cienega/Jefferson station officially opens on April 28 and