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# MTA narrows transit options
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/mta-narrows-transit-options/
- Published: 2008-05-12T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T19:35:29.000Z
- Author: Melody Hanatani
- Tags: local, Downtown, #archive-import

*FROM CP PAGE 3 Subway makes the cut*

SM LIBRARY MTA officials exploring a variety of public transit options to better connect Downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica have narrowed the list of possible transportation modes and routes to improve mobility on the Westside, a handful of alternatives that includes the much-ballyhooed Subway to the Sea.

A list that included 17 different combinations of transportation methods and routes — including a monorail — has been shortened to just five, four of which involve a subway with different alignment options to Santa Monica.

The four subway alignment options are split into two categories — the “Wilshire Subway,” which would essentially be a straight shot down Wilshire Boulevard from Downtown Los Angeles to the Westside; and the “Wilshire/Santa Monica Combined Subway,” which would include West Hollywood in its route.

All are part of the Westside Extension Transit Corridor Study being conducted by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which is currently presenting the refined list of alternatives at a round of meetings this month, including most recently in Santa Monica last Thursday.

The Alternative Analysis study is the first step in defining a potential transportation project to the MTA Board.

The project area includes 38 square miles in the most congested regions of Los Angeles County.

Once the study is completed this summer, MTA officials plan to present the recommendations to the Board of Directors, which will consider whether to authorize a full environmental review.

Both the Wilshire and Wilshire/Santa Monica subways come with two alternative alignments.

The Wilshire subway could either take the busy Los Angles corridor straight through or take a slight detour shortly past the Miracle Mile. One of the two Wilshire/Santa Monica options includes an extra route in West Hollywood.

The fifth option includes a bus rapid transit alternative that starts at the Hollywood/Highland Red Line station through West Hollywood to its terminal in Westwood.

MTA officials believe the combined subway would result in the highest rider-ship.

The two subway options were chosen to move forward with the study, in addition to a bus rapid alternative, because they would serve a higher-density area, minimize traffic and fit better with the impacted Westside area.

Santa Monica residents and employees who attended the meeting last week expressed differing opinions on which alignments would best serve the Westside, all agreeing that congestion has reached unbearable levels.

“The Wilshire corridor is the true trunk line to a robust system in Los Angeles County,” Denny Zane, the executive director of the Subway to the Sea coalition, said.

The biggest hurdle in realizing another major transportation project is cost. The Wilshire Subway is estimated to cost more than $5 billion while the combined alternative is projected to cost nearly $8 billion.

Voters in the county could be asked to approve a half cent sales tax in the November election, the tax paying for transportation-related projects.

“I hope the Subway to the Sea really makes it to the sea,” Louisa Fish, a Santa Monica resident, said.

Among the concerns expressed about the alignments was parking. Lauren Cole said that many residents live more than half a mile from Wilshire Boulevard and would be more inclined to use a subway if parking was available at the station.

While nearly everyone at the meeting appeared to be in favor of a subway option, the proposal wasn’t without its detractors.

Roger Fernandez said a subway would not work well in Santa Monica and would instead degrade the class of the city.

“I hope it dies a miserable death,” he said. Some residents pointed out that while buses can contribute toward alleviating congestion, they won’t accomplish much in terms of cutting trip time.

“Traffic is only going to get worse and a bus will stay stuck in traffic as the cars are,” Joel Covarrubias said.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 12, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/051208.pdf?ref=smdp.com)