IN DEPTH : Hermosa Beach Backs Hawthorne Blvd Route for Metro C-Line Extension in 4-1 Vote

Our neighbors remind us about past support over oil drilling

Council stands with neighboring cities after marathon debate, despite transit advocates' objections

The Hermosa Beach City Council voted 4-1 on Tuesday evening to support the Hawthorne Boulevard alignment for the Metro C-Line extension to Torrance, siding with neighboring cities Redondo Beach, Lawndale, and Hawthorne in opposition to Metro's preferred right-of-way alternative.

The decision came after more than two hours of passionate public testimony from approximately 20 speakers and dominated a meeting that stretched past 11 p.m. The vote saw Mayor Rob Saemann and council members Dean Francois, Michael Keegan, and Ray Jackson supporting the motion, while Mayor Pro Tem Mike Detoy cast the sole dissenting vote without explaining his position during deliberations.

Two Routes, Two Visions

The debate centered on two competing visions for extending light rail service into the South Bay. Metro's locally preferred alternative (LPA), also called the hybrid option, would run trains along an existing freight corridor—the same right-of-way that runs through portions of Redondo Beach and Lawndale. The alternative Hawthorne Boulevard route would place trains along the commercial corridor, requiring more new construction but avoiding residential impacts.