Dixon’s Objections May Block Wilshire Metro Rail Routing

Just days after selecting Wilshire Boulevard as the route for a western extension of Metro Rail, RTD officials are retreating from their decision in the face of strong objections from one of the project’s leading congressional supporters.

In an agreement hastily negotiated in Washington on Tuesday to satisfy Rep. Julian C. Dixon (D-Culver City), Southern California Rapid Transit District officials agreed to call a special board of directors meeting this week to reconsider the Wilshire route.

Dixon, a powerful member of the House Appropriations Committee who has been the key strategist in obtaining federal funding for the $3.8-billion project, described himself as “terribly shocked” by the RTD board’s action Friday and demanded that the transit district abandon its stated intent to continue studying construction of a subway on Wilshire Boulevard in the Fairfax District.

‘Reevaluate His Support’

The congressman warned RTD board members Monday that he would “reevaluate his support” for the entire project if they did not drop the Wilshire subway alternative. Dixon was clearly upset by the effect of the board’s decision on his relations with Westside Democratic Rep. Henry A. Waxman, as well as his black constituents in Southwest Los Angeles.

Dixon noted that he had conducted delicate negotiations two years ago with Waxman, a Metro Rail critic. Thereafter, Dixon and Waxman co-authored a congressional ban on tunneling in the Fairfax District because of underground methane gas problems.

“Federal law prohibits tunneling, and I see no reason they should adopt language that continues to study the issue,” Dixon said a telephone interview from Washington.

Dixon said he had not been pressured by Waxman, a longtime ally and power broker in Los Angeles, to try to get the board to change its decision to authorize a Wilshire routing. But he added, “I felt . . . an obligation to Henry (Waxman) to abide by the agreement (not to dig a subway tunnel through the Fairfax area). I feel an obligation to all parties to live up to the agreement.”

A Wilshire elevated line remains an option under federal law, but strong opposition from homeowner groups and businesses along the boulevard has made that an increasingly difficult choice politically.

The RTD board selected the Wilshire route, citing its higher ridership potential and the Los Angeles City Council’s desire to keep the line on the heavily traveled street. But it deferred until December, 1988, a decision on whether to build a subway or elevated line. The board indicated it hoped the “democratic process” would work between Waxman and his constituents to decide whether to build above or below ground.

Citing the opposition to either a subway or an elevated line on Wilshire, Dixon is demanding alternative routes south of Wilshire Boulevard be studied--routes that were specifically excluded from further consideration by the RTD board last week.

Such an alternative would more directly serve the black areas of the city that Dixon represents, he acknowledged. But he said the RTD is “between a rock and hard place” on the Wilshire route. “The route must service the black community. . . . It’s more viable to me (to study) some route south of Wilshire Boulevard at the moment.”

Suggested Language Drafted

Dixon drafted suggested language for the RTD board to consider that he said would identify no route west of Western Avenue and Wilshire at this point.

Dixon received tentative assurances that his demands will be met in a meeting Tuesday in Washington with RTD board member Marv Holen, Los Angeles City Councilman Michael Woo, Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce President Ray Remy and Los Angeles County Transportation Commission member Jacki Bacharach.

In Los Angeles, RTD board member Nikolas Patsaouras said he believed that the Dixon amendments will be adopted.

The changes sought by Dixon will not affect the proposed elevated line on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.