MTA's South Bay Planner met with three bus riders and the Executive Director of the San Pedro Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. Two riders and a 6 year old boy walked the Weymouth Corners business area with the Chamber director and the planner.

This area, a transit node, has been under attack from NIMBYs who have gotten layover zones changed to the bottom of a steep hill, and one vital bus stop across from the hospital eliminated. They got the planner to ride around the area with them, submitted a petition, and showed up at the South Bay hearing misrepresenting the number of buses and mendaciously claiming the area was "residential". I corrected them on that.

Weymouth Corners is several blocks up a steep hill from San Pedro's hospital where MTA routes 550 (San Pedro - W. Hollywood via Transitway) and 447 (San Pedro - Union Station via Wilmington and Carson) now layover. Their former Weymouth Corners layover was changed due to NIMBYs. This has impacted access to the business district and transfers to the 225/226, 205, and MAX3.

Weymouth Corners is bounded by 7th and 9th St. and by Weymouth Ave. and Averill Sts. But there is a gas station, church, and many medical/dental offices on the north side of 7th St. as well as many, many medical and dental offices plus various care facilities, a pharmancy and labratory on 6th St. Weymouth Corners is in the City of Los Angeles, but 7th and 6th Sts. are in the unincorported county jurisdiction.

Routes 225/226 (Palos Verdes Peninsula Loop), 205 (San Pedro - Imperial Blue-Green Line Station via almost everywhere), and MAX 3 serve the area.

Walking the area showed the planner what the area really was like. Of course the Chamber director knew and he said he would talk to some businesses in the area about bus service. The chamber is basically pro transit. The planner did not have time to ride the 550 but will do so with us later. One rider has already gotten a county transportation staff person out to ride from San Pedro to County-UCLA Harbor Medical Center at Vermont Ave. and Carson St.

Due to NIMBY complaints MTA is now planning to terminate alternate 550s south-bound at Carson St. and Vermont Ave., halving service both north and southbound south of there. This will impact Weymouth Corners as well as the DMV, employment office, landscape contractor, Kaiser Harbor City, a continuation school and grammar school as well as a parochial high school.