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# Rail line heading in right direction
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/rail-line-heading-in-right-direction/
- Published: 2005-12-16T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T08:17:56.000Z
- Author: Ryan Hyatt
- Tags: Environment, Downtown, #archive-import

*Expo should be ready to roll by 2010*

DOWNTOWN LA — The group in charge of the proposed Expo rail line, which will one day connect downtown Los Angeles with Santa Monica, approved an environmental report on Tuesday that paves the way for construction on the project beginning next year.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board of directors on Tuesday certified the mid-city/exposition corridor final environmental impact report. With the report now approved, construction may begin as early as next year on the $640 million Expo Line project, which will run from its outset between downtown LA and Culver City.

The project is expected to be completed by June 2010\. A future second phase will extend all the way to Santa Monica.

“This signals the start of a much-needed transportation project that will serve thousands of Westside residents,” said City of Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chairman Antonio R. Villaraigosa.

In certifying the EIR, the board also adopted a locally preferred alternative that was approved in June of 2001\. The light rail will run from downtown Los Angeles, at Seventh Street and the Metro Center, to Culver City, at the corner of Venice and Robertson boulevards, by way of Flower Street.

The Expo Line will use local funding instead of federal money, thereby keeping the project on an accelerated schedule. Almost all of the $640 million for the project has already been secured through sales taxes, according to Rick Jager, MTA spokesman. Only $40 million is still needed, and the MTA hopes LA will be willing to pay it.

Jager said the MTA will now seek federal environmental clearance. The MTA hopes to award a construction design contract by February with a ground breaking to take place in March or April.

Santa Monica City Councilwoman Pam O’Connor agreed with Mayor Villaraigosa the approval of the EIR is an important milestone in the project. O’Connor said the MTA board on Tuesday also decided to allow the preliminary planning for the second phase of the project.

“Our goal is that once we’re finished with the first phase construction we can continue right on with the second phase, which will bring the Expo Line all the way to Santa Monica,” O’Connor said.

The first phase of the Expo Line will be approximately 9 miles in length and will share common track and two stations with the Metro Blue Line as it leaves downtown LA.

Just south of downtown, the line will proceed west on the Metro-owned right-of-way on Exposition Boulevard, which parallels the heavily congested I-10 Freeway, with a terminus at Venice and Robertson boulevards.

Approximately eight new stations will be constructed between downtown LA and Culver City.

The board’s action on the environmental report came after a 45-day public circulation period that concluded on Nov. 28.

The Exposition will include design options like: an undercrossing between Jefferson Boulevard and Trousdale Parkway; La Brea aerial station and grade separation; La Cienega station parking facility on the southeast corner; Jefferson Boulevard north-side widening at La Cienega Boulevard; Jefferson Boulevard grade separation near Ballona Creek; Venice/Robertson interim station located east of National Boulevard within the Metro-owned Exposition right-of-way; and a Venice/Robertson aerial station.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/121605-01_02.jpg)

(Photo: Fabian Lewkowicz/Daily Press)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 16, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/121605.pdf?ref=smdp.com)