May 3, 2022
Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell
500 West Temple Street, Ste. 866
Los Angeles, CA 90012
RE: Metro C Line (Green) Extension to Torrance Project Comments and Request Dear Supervisor Mitchell:
On behalf of the City of Redondo Beach, California, please accept this letter as the City’s official support of an elevated Hawthorne Boulevard alignment for the Metro C Line (Green) Extension to Torrance Project. The City respectfully submits these comments to you, as the County Supervisor representing our community, for consideration as Metro continues to prepare the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for this project and consider alternative alignments.
Metro has proposed the C Line (Green) Extension to Torrance Project, which would create a light rail transit option along a four-mile segment of the Harbor Subdivision Corridor (a freight rail line) from the existing Metro Redondo Beach Station to the under-construction Torrance Transit Park and Ride Regional Terminal (Torrance Transit Center) in Torrance, also encompassing the under-construction and almost complete Redondo Beach Transit Center. The extension will be served by the Metro C Line (Green) and future Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project. Metro is considering and studying through the DEIR, two potential alignments–the Metro railroad right-ofway alignment, currently used by heavy rail, and the Hawthorne Boulevard roadway alignment.
Although Metro is considering the Hawthorne Boulevard alignment, the Redondo Beach City Council have repeatedly urged the Metro Board to focus on an elevated route along Hawthorne Boulevard. The elevated alignment addresses many of the Redondo Beach residents’ concerns regarding noise, vibration, resident/child safety, and other factors, as well as having a speedier route to the Torrance Transit center than Metro’s at-grade alternative. The Redondo Beach City Council re-affirms its recommendation of an elevated alternative along Hawthorne Blvd.
As noted previously in the Redondo Beach comments on the Notice of Preparation (NOP) of the Draft EIR in the March 16, 2021 letter (attached), the Metro railroad right-of-way (ROW) at grade option is expected to have devastating impacts on the 200+ Redondo Beach private homeowners whose homes are positioned directly adjacent to the ROW and will be directly impacted by the drastic changes to many environmental factors that will affect their quality of life and the value of their property. The City of Redondo Beach has expressed significant concerns with utilizing the existing rail right-of-way alternative (see March 16, 2021 letter), including issues related to hazards and hazardous materials, noise and vibration, land use and planning, public services, transportation, and public art requirements.
On April 11, myself, Redondo Beach City Councilmembers, and more than 50 concerned community members participated in a Walk with Metro event to learn more about the proposed route through our residential neighborhoods. Several new factors were presented that escalated 415 Diamond Street, P.O. Box 270
Redondo Beach, California 90277-0270
www.redondo.org
Bill Brand
Mayor
tel: 310 372-1171
ext. 2260
fax: 310 374-2039
City of Redondo Beach May 3, 2022
Metro C Line (Green) Extension to Torrance Project Comments and Request Page 2 of 3 existing concerns regarding this alternative alignment, including the need to re-align the freight line (that hauls oil cars and other industrial materials) further west, closer to the existing homes.
The City requests that the following questions are addressed, at a minimum in the DEIR.
1. What are the standardized noise levels being used (federal or state guidelines?)? a. If the noise levels exceed certain levels, will Metro provide noise-proofing to surrounding homes? (such as LAX does in El Segundo) This should be considered for both during construction and post-construction impacts. b. Are the “ambient noise levels” greater for the freight train for the current position or the new position proposed after the freight rail realignment?
2. Since the freight line will be re-aligned, closer to the existing homes, what are the potential impacts of a derailment? If there is a derailment, what would the costs and impacts be to the City?
3. Are police/fire response times taken into account for the crossing on 182nd and the rail line, both during construction and after?
4. If the ROW alignment goes below grade at the crossing on 182nd and other intersections, how would the rail line retaining wall be structured to support the weight of the heavy freight on grade immediately next to the deep below-grade alignment (the representative on the tour mentioned needing to go as far as 30 feet or more below grade) for the Metro line to prevent soil subsidence issues we have seen elsewhere in the City?
5. Since the berms for the freight lines will be brought closer to private property, what is the plan for providing extra retaining walls, addressing sound, vibration, and accommodating proper drainage?
6. Will personal transportation improvements, including a bike path and pedestrian walkway still be implemented? And, if so, where in Redondo Beach? These comments have been reviewed and approved by the Redondo Beach City Council at their May 3, 2022 public meeting. If you or Metro have any questions regarding this comment letter, please contact Brandy Forbes, Community Development Director for the City of Redondo Beach at 310-318-0637 x2200 or [email protected]. Thank you for your consideration of our comments.
Sincerely,
Mayor William Brand
CC: City Council Members, City of Redondo Beach
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
Luke Smude, Assistant to the City Manager
Brandy Forbes, Community Development Director
Roybal Saltarelli, Project Manager, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
City of Redondo Beach May 3, 2022
Metro C Line (Green) Extension to Torrance Project Comments and Request Page 3 of 3 Attachments:
• City of Redondo Beach Support Letter Green Line Alternative 3 Signed July 18, 2018 • City of Redondo Beach Letter Submitting Comments on Revised and Recirculated Notice of Preparation Dated March 16, 2021
• City of Redondo Beach Land Use and Noise Regulations Pertaining to Proposed Alternatives