VALLEY BUSWAY HALTED MTA, FOES OF PROJECT FACE AUG. 11 DEADLINE.Byline: Dana Bartholomew Staff WriterA state appellate court A court having jurisdiction to review decisions of a trial-level or other lower court. An unsuccessful party in a lawsuit must file an appeal with an appellate court in order to have the decision reviewed. issued a ruling late Monday to temporarily halt construction of a $330 million busway across the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . The California Court of Appeal ordered the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to stop work on the Orange Line until Aug. 11, pending a response from the MTA (1) (Message Transfer Agent or Mail Transfer Agent) The store and forward part of a messaging system. See messaging system. (2) See M Technology Association. 1. (messaging) MTA - Message Transfer Agent. on why it should proceed with the work. The group Citizens Organized for Smart Transit had sued for an injunction, saying construction should be stopped after the appeals court ruled last month that another environmental study was needed for the project. John Henning, lead attorney for COST, which has been fighting the busway for three years and claims several thousand members across the Valley, called the court decision Monday a ``tentative victory.'' ``We feel that the court of appeals is listening to our concerns, that the busway should not continue to be constructed while the MTA is complying with the court's order.'' The MTA has said halting halt·ing adj. 1. Hesitant or wavering: a halting voice. 2. Imperfect; defective: halting verse. 3. Limping; lame. construction of the 14-mile route would add to the cost and disruption of a project that was to be completed next summer. Supporters say the busway built atop a former rail line is needed to help provide relief to weary Valley commuters who have faced congestion The condition of a network when there is not enough bandwidth to support the current traffic load. congestion - When the offered load of a data communication path exceeds the capacity. on surface streets and freeways for decades. The busway promises to whisk riders between North Hollywood and the Warner Center in Woodland Hills in 40 minutes. Construction on the Orange Line, now 40 percent complete, has created problems for businesses along the east-west route by driving away customers and forcing at least one business into bankruptcy. Supporters have said, however, that the completed project will improve the Valley neighborhoods along the way. In December 2002, a Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Superior Court sided with the MTA and its environmental review of the bus line. But last month, the state 2nd Appellate Relating to appeals; reviews by superior courts of decisions of inferior courts or administrative agencies and other proceedings. District handed COST its first victory in its battle to halt the Orange Line when it ruled that the MTA had failed to include a study of expanding its Rapid bus network rather than build its busway. ``I'm happy with this decision, but it's not a final decision,'' said Diana Lipari, chairwoman of COST. ``The idea here is to make an (environmental) comparison of the busway. ``COST has always felt this was a waste of money and an unnecessary project.'' Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky Zev Yaroslavsky (born December 21, 1948) is a Los Angeles County politician. He served on the Los Angeles City Council from 1975 until 1994, when he was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. He was preceded in both offices by Edmund D. Edelman. , a champion of the Orange Line that would run through his district, was unavailable for comment. MTA Chairman Frank Roberts Frank Roberts may refer to:
MTA lawyers on Monday were also not available to comment on the appellate court decision. ``Our official position is we just got it (the decision) late today and we're looking it over,'' said MTA spokesman Marc Littman. ``Obviously, we're going to comply with the letter of the law.'' The MTA is petitioning the appeals court for a rehearing rehearing n. conducting a hearing again based on the motion of one of the parties to a lawsuit, petition or criminal prosecution, usually by the court or agency which originally heard the matter. on its environmental review decision. The MTA board last week also voted to immediately conduct the Rapid bus environmental study while also giving the go-ahead to appeal the case to the California Supreme Court. In its ruling Monday, the appeals court stipulated that the MTA temporarily stop work on the busway project approved Feb. 8, 2002. It gave the agency until next Monday to file a brief stating why the project should not be stopped. The court then gave COST attorneys until Aug. 11 to file a response to the MTA position. The appeals court is expected to rule this month on whether the COST injunction should be further extended. The MTA has a history of fighting court decisions regarding its transit services. The agency recently lost its battle with rider advocates to limit its bus fleet. Members of COST said Monday's court decision is one more step toward stopping a misguided mis·guid·ed adj. Based or acting on error; misled: well-intentioned but misguided efforts; misguided do-gooders. mis·guid bus route. ``Everyone knows at the end of the road what the trial court has been ordered to do - to set aside the approved busway, and to set aside the MTA (environmental review),'' Henning said. Staff Writer Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. Dana Bartholomew, (818) 713-3730 dana.bartholomew(at)dailynews.com |
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