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September 22, 2020
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Attn: Phillip Washington, CEO
One Gateway Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90012
RE: Draft NextGen Bus Plan
Metro Lines 14, 16/316, 30/330
Dear Mr. Washington:
As a follow-up to the City of Beverly Hills letter dated March 16, 2020 with comments on the draft
Metro NextGen Bus Plan, I would like to reiterate the City’s concerns to the proposed elimination
of Metro Line 14 and Line 16/316 and modifications to Line 30/330 that serve the Beverly Hills
community. A countywide overhaul of the Metro bus transit system to enhance service on some
routes means cutting service on others. The multiple proposals to cut service in Beverly Hills will
impact the ability of our residents, visitors, and business community to commute by transit.
Most significantly is the impact of eliminating Metro Line 14 through Beverly Hills. Line 14 is the
only north/south bus service into the Beverly Hills business triangle and medical district, and to
the future Rodeo Purple Line station. Truncating Line 14 at San Vicente Boulevard in West
Hollywood and eliminating bus service and nine bus stops through the heart of the of the Beverly
Hills medical, retail and financial district will create undue hardship for patients, employees and
residents in reaching their destination. The City, in partnership with Metro, is currently investing
funds and resources to create a North Portal entrance to enhance the Rodeo Drive station at
Wilshire/Beverly Drive, thus it does not seem logical to eliminate bus lines that connect people to
the subway station.
Both Line 14 and Line 16/316 connect transit dependent residents from Beverly Hills and
constituents from Westside neighborhoods to Cedars Sinai Medical Center and local medical
offices. Requiring infirmed individuals to add significant distance and time to access medical care
is unreasonable and inhumane.
Eliminating Metro Line 16/316 on Burton Way and Line 30/330 on San Vicente Boulevard will
reduce access to residence and hotels along Burton Way, access to the City of Beverly Hills Civic
Center and Police Station, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and the future Purple Line Station at
Wilshire/La Cienega Boulevard. Both sets of bus lines are vital connectors to other north-south
Metro and regional bus routes.
Due to active construction at the La Cienega and Rodeo Drive subway stations, both Line 14 and
Line 30/330 bus ridership have been affected by the rerouting and relocation or elimination of
decades-old bus stops along Wilshire Boulevard, La Cienega Boulevard, Canon Drive and
Beverly Drive that may have contributed to skewed ridership numbers during the evaluation of
the Metro NextGen project.
Overall, we support Metro’s efforts to improve transit service. We frequently hear during our public
outreach meetings that our residents and stakeholders would ride the bus more often with more
frequent service and shorter travel times. We are optimistic that the plan’s proposals will help
improve these points.
Thank you very much for the opportunity to provide additional feedback. Should you have any
questions, please feel free to contact Aaron Kunz, Deputy Director of Transportation, at (310)
285-1128.
Sincerely,
George Chavez
City Manager
CC: Joe Forgiarini, Metro Senior Director, Service Performance & Analysis
Carl Torres, Metro Transportation Planning Manager
Dolores Ramos, Metro Service Councils Administrator
Nancy Hunt-Coffey, Assistant City Manager
Susan Healy Keene, Director of Community Development
Aaron Kunz, Deputy Director of Transportation
Martha Eros, Transportation Planner
