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Transportation Projects And Eminent Domain

Large scale transportation projects within Los Angeles County, and a high-speed rail project from Northern California to Southern California, will displace hundreds of homes and businesses.

The eminent domain attorneys at The Horowitz Law Firm, APC represent residential and commercial property owners in California facing the acquisition of their property through condemnation to make way for these projects.

If you expect that your property may be along the route of a major California transportation project, it’s important to be aware of your rights under the law. You have a right to full and fair compensation for the value of your property and relocation expenses.

Contact the eminent domain lawyers at the Sherman Oaks law office of The Horowitz Law Firm, APC.

California High-Speed Rail Project – Los Angeles Metro

The California high-speed train will eventually run from San Francisco and Sacramento in the north to San Diego in the south, 616 miles from end to end. The high-speed train will span that distance in an unprecedented 3 hours and 56 minutes, greatly improving transportation in our state but causing massive dislocation of property owners along its path. Project sections will run through these communities, constructed in sections:

  • San Francisco – San Jose / Altamont Corridor / Sacramento – Merced
  • San Jose – Merced
  • Merced – Fresno
  • Fresno – Bakersfield
  • Bakersfield – Palmdale
  • Palmdale – Los Angeles
  • Los Angeles – Anaheim / Los Angeles – San Diego

This big public works project is being tracked on the California High-Speed Rail website.

Take a look at our Eminent Domain Blog for up to date information on the California High Speed Rail project.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Crenshaw/LAX line, travelling north/south will eventually connect two other lines, the Expo Line (Phase 2) and the Green Line. It will span about 8.5 miles, from the Crenshaw/Exposition station to Aviation/LAX. Six stations were included in the plans for construction of the Crenshaw/LAX line.

In late May 2013, the Metro Board approved funding for stations at Leimert Park and Hindry. A major source of funding for the project comes from Measure R, a sales tax increase approved by Los Angeles voters in 2008.

According to the executive summary for the project, the Crenshaw/LAX Corridor is considered a highly congested urban area with limited connectivity to other transportation within and outside of the area.

The Los Angeles Metro rail projects will extend subway and light rail projects in Los Angeles County. Community meetings are currently underway to finalize the route of the Westside subway extension along Wilshire.

Other projects include the West Santa Ana Transit Corridor and the Gold Line Foothill Extension.

The proposed Gold Line extension consists of two phases. The first phase will continue eastwards from Sierra Madre Villa in Pasadena over 11 miles with stops in the cities of Arcadia, Duarte, Irwindale, Monrovia and two in Azusa.

The second phase will continue east through Glendora, La Verne, Montclair, Pomona and San Dimas.

On October 28, 2010, the Metro Board of Directors voted to connect the Metro Gold Line to the Metro Blue Line and future Expo Line enabling passengers to travel from Azusa to Long Beach and from the Eastside to Culver City.

Visit the Metro website to learn more about these projects and whether they will affect your Los Angeles residential or commercial property.

Caltrans Transportation Projects – Freeway Construction And Improvements

A part of the 2030 San Diego Regional Transportation Plan, the Interstate 805 Managed Lanes South Project, entails the construction of Managed Lanes between Chula Vista and San Diego and High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) transit lanes within the City of San Diego.

In its final EIR, the California Department of Transportation describes the Project length as around 11.4 miles along the I-805, extending through San Diego, Chula Vista and National Cities, as well as unincorporated areas of San Diego County.

The intention of the project is to improve current traffic condition and to adapt to projected increases in the population of San Diego County by providing for HOV and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lanes along the I-805. Construction on Phase 1 of the project began in the summer of 2012 and includes building one northbound and one southbound HOV lane.

Also, 10 sound walls intended to minimize noise levels are planned to be completed by the fall of 2013. Eminent domain has been used to acquire property for building a transit station at East Palomar, which is also part of the first phase of the project.

In June 2012, the California Department of Transportation, along with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, released their Draft Environmental Impact Report (“DEIR”) for the transportation initiative known as the “I-710 Corridor Project”. The 710 freeway moves traffic in a north-south direction and is the major conduit for cargo traveling to and from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Because of this, the 710 experiences a high volume of traffic from trucks, the amount of which is expected to continue increasing significantly over the next 20 years. The purpose of the Project is to improve traffic conditions along the 710 from Ocean Boulevard up to State Route 60. Currently the 710 consists of 8 lanes moving north of the 405 freeway, and 6 lanes south of the 405. This includes traffic on both sides of the freeway.

The Project includes plans for widening the 710 to a maximum of 10 lanes. The Project will also make improvements at the interchanges of the 710 with the 5 Freeway, 405 Freeway and Route 91.

The Draft Environmental Report for the I-710 Corridor Project indicates that relocation of businesses and residences will occur unless the no build alternative is selected. Assuming the Project goes forward with one of the build alternatives noted in the DEIR, it is expected that eminent domain or the threat of eminent domain would have to be used to acquire the affected properties.

You can get more information on the I-710 Corridor Project at Metro.net: http://www.metro.net/projects/i-710-corridor-project/

Contact A California High-Speed Rail Project Land Condemnation Attorney

If you are facing possible condemnation of your residential or business property, assert your constitutional rights. Contact a California high-speed rail project land condemnation attorney. We handle cases across the entire state of California.