Court Hands Valley Busway a Setback

A $330-million project for a busway across the San Fernando Valley hit an obstacle Monday when a state appellate court sided with a community group against the project.

The state justices told the Los Angeles Superior Court to throw out the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s environmental impact report and nullify approval of the project.

The proposed Orange Line was due to open in August 2005. When finished, the MTA said, buses would take 28 to 40 minutes to run from Warner Center in the West San Fernando Valley to the North Hollywood Red Line subway station.

The Superior Court had rejected challenges by a community group, Citizens Organized for Smart Transit, to the project’s impact report.

On Monday, the state appellate court in Los Angeles sided with the group. It told the lower court to nullify the certification of the project. It also said the MTA must address alternatives favored by the group.

“We’re ecstatic,” said Diana Lipari, chairwoman of the citizens group.

John A. Henning, the group’s lawyer, said that without an environmental impact report, “the busway is stopped.”

Officials at the MTA, however, disagreed.

“Since an injunction was not issued, the project can continue,” said Ronald Stamm, a lawyer for the agency.

Stamm said the agency was pleased the appellate court accepted parts of the report, including estimates of trip length and ridership. He was hopeful the court would let construction continue while the agency worked on the disputed parts of the report.

“Unless I hear otherwise, it’s absolutely full-speed ahead,” said Rick Thorpe, who oversees construction for the agency.

The decision on whether work will continue will be made by the Superior Court, which is expected to consider the case in about a month.

The community group initially filed suit two years ago, alleging that the final report violated the California Environmental Quality Act. The group contended that the busway’s angled intersection of roads could confuse pedestrians and drivers, that estimates of ridership and trip duration were inaccurate and that the project was a waste of money.

The group also argued that the county agency did not adequately consider adding more rapid buses with electronic devices that extend green lights.