The LA Metro K Line northern extension is turning into a bit of a corruption shitshow
"Nandert," Nick Andert, a youtuber who makes loads of content about LA area train systems, has been posting a ton over the last few weeks about what he describes as an attempt by Karen Bass to slow, delay, or bureaucratically end the development of the northern extension to our K line. This line is supposed to go under West Hollywood, and it would add a fuck ton of riders to the system. However, it also goes directly underneath the home of a Metro board official involved in ratifying the plans for the K line.
This shit is so crazy that I had a hard time believing it the first time I learned about it. Jackie Dupont-Walker, the Metro board member appointed by LA Mayor Karen Bass, owns a house directly above the train line. That's wild enough all on its own. What's wilder is that she seemingly believes that the tunneling machines or trains would shake her house to the extent that she could feel it and it would lower her property values. This is not the case - it's apparently provably false - but all rich people in LA use this exact excuse when they get scared about trains.
But... Dupont-Walker has apparently been seen lobbying other Metro board members on this issue, which is extremely not allowed? And all the delays and alignment changes she's already participated in have added up to over a hundred million dollars of potential project spending?? And this is a Karen Bass appointee??? And she's been telling everyone that her recusal is "voluntary" rather than necessary, even though she owns a house directly above the train?? And Bass was planning to introduce a motion to delay the train construction for EVEN MORE "vibration" investigation????
This hyperlocal corruption controversy has been going in so many directions so quickly that I have barely had time to follow it. It's the kind of issue where you have to follow all the right extremely clued-in LA transit freaks on social media to even know what's happening. There is however a breathlessly furious Nandert video that summarizes it all here:
In the time since this video came out, Bass has apparently withdrawn the weaselly train-delaying motion Andert covers in the video. However, if you've got time and this matters to you, you should still consider calling in to listen and comment at the Metro board meeting on Thursday. The Youtube video description has instructions on how to participate and harangue government officials on this issue.
I am definitely majorly disappointed by Bass. She's racking up corruption controversies and hasn't done anything to fix our housing situation. Fixing housing supply and transportation issues in SoCal are bigger problems than our weak Mayor could ever handle alone, no matter who they are... but they sure as fuck could help by not getting in the way of transit!