Breaking: Officials choose path for long-awaited subway to the Westside (LA Times)

[pinto]

Los Angeles Times | Oct. 28, 2010 | 11:49 a.m.

Development of a long-awaited subway link from downtown Los Angeles to the Westside took a giant leap Thursday when county transportation officials selected a general route from the Wilshire-Western station to the veterans hospital in Westwood.

The decision by board members of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority sets the stage for the trickier business of going block by block to establish the precise path and determine where best to place stations.

Construction is set to begin in 2013 after a final environmental impact review. MTA staff had recommended the 9 1/2-mile route to the veterans' hospital because of higher ridership projections. The estimated cost of that option is $5.15 billion.

More at http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/10/westside-subway.html