Neighbors for Smart Rail Petition for Expo Line Rehearing

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.


Even though it's a long shot the case will be reheard, reports LAStreetsBlog, the Cheviot Hills group Neighbors For Smart Rail is appealing the State Supreme Court's decision in hopes there are enough holes in it.

In a 6-1 decision, the court affirmed earlier judgments by the state Court of Appeal and the Superior Court in 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 (CEQA).

The court mostly rejected NFSR's claims against the Expo Authority not properly studying the train's impact on traffic, arguing that the study 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.

What are your thoughts?