Concerns Raised Over Impact on Local Streets and Lack of Transit Alternatives
In a recent presentation to the Brentwood Community Council (BCC) on December 13, Metro unveiled its Traffic Reduction Study (TRS) and Congestion Pricing Proposal to the members of BCC. The organization has responded to Metro’s presentation via a letter to Metro.
The Brentwood Community Council’s letter to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority on January 10 states that Brentwood, notorious for its extreme traffic congestion during peak hours, has long grappled with the influx of commuters navigating through the area to reach Westside cities like Santa Monica. A notable concern arises from commuters using Brentwood as a diagonal shortcut to access the I-405 freeway at the Sunset Blvd. and Wilshire Blvd. on-ramps, particularly those driving from Santa Monica to the Valley. This practice aims to bypass congestion on the I-10 and I-405, utilizing east-west streets such as Sunset Blvd., San Vicente Blvd., Montana Ave., and Wilshire Blvd., along with north-south streets like Bundy Drive and Barrington Ave.
Metro’s proposed study on congestion pricing in Brentwood has sparked significant interest within the Brentwood community. The BCC stated via the letter that it strongly opposes the implementation of congestion pricing on the I-10 west of the 405 and in the Santa Monica mountains on the Westside, encompassing areas such as Sepulveda Blvd., Benedict Canyon, Roscomare Road, and Coldwater Canyon. The council requests that no recommendation be made to the Metro Board for further study until after the completion of the Sepulveda Transit Corridor (STC) and D/Purple Line (Wilshire Blvd.) projects. This delay aims to assess the impact of these projects before considering congestion pricing.
In the letter, the BCC contends that implementing congestion pricing in these areas could potentially shift the traffic burden from freeways to local streets, exacerbating existing gridlock without achieving the TRS’s goal of reducing vehicle trips. The community council voices objection to any further consideration of congestion pricing until the completion of the STC’s implementation. It also cites one key reason for their objection to the proposed plan is the lack of public transit alternatives for drivers passing through Brentwood and other points west of the I-405. Unlike other parts of the city, these drivers face extremely limited public transportation options and lack viable routes to reach the Valley.
