BEVERLY HILLS—The city of Beverly Hills announced that the public comment and review period is now open for the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The document analyzes the potential environmental impacts of Metro’s Westside Purple Line Wilshire/Rodeo Station North Portal. It is available for review at beverlyhills.org/northportal.
Public comments will be accepted through October 8 no later than 5:00 p.m. The city is also inviting the public to attend the Virtual Special City Council Meeting on September 16 at 7:00 p.m. to learn about the project and submit comments on the Draft EIR.
The initial deadline for comments was through October 5, but the period was extended by three days. Access to the document during its first release resulted in some issues, which were brought to the city’s attention and prompted the added days, according to the city’s website. All comments received for the Draft EIR will be compiled and applied towards the Final EIR.
According to a press release, the project is a second entrance/exit for the Wilshire/Rodeo Station on the north side of Wilshire Boulevard. The Draft EIR evaluates the potential for environmental impacts resulting from three possible portal locations and provides mitigation measures where needed. Beverly Drive, Cañon Drive-Half Portal, and Cañon Drive Staging Yard are the possible portal locations.
The Wilshire/Rodeo Station is currently under construction within the city. It was originally designed to have only one entrance on the southwest corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Reeves Drive, per the Final EIS/EIR. In 2018, Metro and the city of Beverly Hills teamed up to create the second entrance/exit. The intent was “to deliver improved, convenient passenger access within the city with fewer street crossings and provide direct access to dense commercial activity centers located north of Wilshire Boulevard,” states the press release.
Metro’s Wilshire/Rodeo Station will be located under Wilshire Boulevard, with the main entrance on the southwest corner of Wilshire and Reeves Drive. The underground station is part of the Purple Line Extension Section 2 that will extend Metro’s subway to downtown Beverly Hills and Century City. Section 2 is still under construction and expected to complete by 2025.
According to details on Metro’s website, the second section will add 2.59 miles of tracks to its rail system. Century City/Constellation will be a new station in addition to Wilshire/Rodeo. Full Federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation was given to the project in January 2017.
“Located in the heart of Beverly Hills, the station will not only service those who live and work in the area, but also visitors seeking to shop and dine in the Golden Triangle Area,” Metro’s website states.
Public comments can be submitted by email to NorthPortal@beverlyhills.org or by mail to: Jessie Holzer Transportation Planner, City of Beverly Hills Community Development Department, 455 North Rexford Drive Beverly Hills, California, 90210.
Participants are advised to contact the Transportation Planning Division at (310) 285-1128 or NorthPortal@beverlyhills.org for questions or if special assistance is needed to attend the meeting.
Information is available at www.beverlyhills.org/citycouncilmeetings for details on how to access the meeting by telephone, online, or on Beverly Hills Television Channel 10 on Spectrum Cable. Attendees can also watch it online at www.beverlyhills.org/live.
