RTD Seeking Additional Sites for Venice Bus Yard Relocation

Although it is already considering six sites for a new Westside bus yard, the Southern California Rapid Transit District has announced that it is seeking other possible locations to replace its controversial Venice yard.

David D. Dominguez, assistant to RTD General Manager John Dyer, said the RTD would be “comfortable” with any of the existing six sites but wanted to test the market for additional locations.

“We are just starting an environmental assessment of the six sites,” he said, “with community meetings to follow. Some may fall by the wayside during that process. If that happens, we want other possibilities to consider.

“We also want to make certain that we are not jumping from the frying pan into the fire.”

Dominguez referred to the district’s longtime feud with residents near the current Westside center at Main Street and Thornton Place.

Residents have criticized the bus yard because of the noise and air pollution generated by the approximately 100 buses that use it day and night.

The six sites range from 4.4 acres to more than 11 acres and cost between $6.1 million and $16.8 million. Three are in Los Angeles territory immediately north of Marina del Rey, two are in Santa Monica and the other is in West Los Angeles just north of the interchange of the Santa Monica and San Diego freeways.

They are:

- A 4.7-acre site costing $6.1 million at the southwest corner of Olympic Boulevard and Centinela Avenue in Santa Monica. The RTD staff said the site would minimize deadhead travel (buses returning to site without passengers).

- A 6.8-acre site costing $9.1 million on the northeast corner of Stewart Street and Olympic Boulevard in Santa Monica. The RTD staff described the location’s size as its most advantageous attribute.

- An 8-acre site costing $10 million, bounded by Exposition Way, Sawtelle, Pico and Sepulveda boulevards in West Los Angeles. The RTD staff said the location near the rail right of way is beneficial because of the possibility of modifying the site to service rail cars if and when they are introduced.

- A 4.4-acre site costing $7.7 million on the northwest corner of Glencoe and Maxella avenues east of Marina del Rey. The RTD staff described the site as acceptable, although it noted that because of the limited acreage, multilevel construction would be required.

- An 11-acre site costing $16.8 million at 5353 Grosvenor Blvd. near Hughes Airport north of Marina del Rey. The RTD staff praised its location within an industrial park, away from residential neighborhoods, and noted the possibility of creating an access ramp to the Marina Freeway.

- A 4.8-acre site costing $8.4 million at 4935 McConnell Ave. south of Culver Boulevard and east of Marina del Rey. The RTD staff said a negative feature is the property’s location near residences but that the impact on residences could be lessened by creating a direct access to the Marina Freeway.

Dominguez said that any one of the six sites would accommodate the 125 buses the district considers necessary for a Westside bus yard. He could give no date on actual site selection.

“We have given the RTD board our assurances that we are pursuing a new site with vigor,” he said.