Metro is providing complimentary rides until 3 a.m. on Monday for all Metro buses, trains, Metro Bike, and Metro Micro as part of the ongoing celebration of the Regional Connector project, which cost around $1.8 billion.
The Regional Connector officially opened on Friday, adding three underground stations and allowing commuters to travel between Azusa and Long Beach, as well as between East L.A. and Santa Monica, without any transfers.
This much-awaited upgrade eliminates the previous inconvenience of having to switch trains at the Seventh Street/Metro Center Station for passengers traveling on the inbound E (Expo) and A (Blue) lines. They can now seamlessly reach Union Station and board an L (Gold) Line train to reach East Los Angeles or Azusa.
To enable these transfer-free rides, three new underground stations have been opened: the Little Tokyo/Arts District Station, Historic Broadway Station, and Grand Avenue Arts/Bunker Hill Station.
These stations extend the routes of the A (Blue) Line and E (Expo) Line trains beyond their previous terminus at 7th Street/Metro Center Station, facilitating travel through the downtown area and Union Station.
With this expansion, the L (Gold) Line no longer exists in the Metro system. The stretch from Union Station to Azusa now forms part of the A (Blue) Line, while the segment from Union Station to East Los Angeles has been added to the E (Expo) Line.
Ara Najarian, Chair of the Metro Board of Directors and Glendale City Councilman, expects the new two-mile rail segment to cater to approximately 90,000 daily passenger trips, including 17,000 new transit riders.
The history of the Regional Connector dates back to the 1990s when the original L Line was being planned. The idea was for it to start at Seventh/Metro and function as an extension of the A Line. However, due to funding constraints, the plan was impractical, and the L Line’s initial segment was constructed between Union Station and Pasadena instead.
In 2008, the Metro Board of Directors included funding for the Regional Connector in the Measure R sales tax ballot measure, which received approval from L.A. County voters. The project was also financed through approximately $1 billion in federal grants and loans, along with bonds from the state’s high-speed rail project.
Originally planned as an at-grade rail line, the project was moved underground in response to public demand. This adjustment ensures faster train travel and minimizes disruption to regular traffic. Construction on the project commenced in October 2014.
Metro’s staff had the challenging task of planning and building an entirely new subway beneath the existing streets and structures of downtown L.A. This involved relocating utilities and strengthening other pre-existing infrastructure.
“This project exceeded our goals to employ a diverse construction workforce, especially individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds,” said Hilda Solis, county Supervisor and Metro board member. “Constructing an underground tunnel in an urban neighborhood and navigating a complex network of existing infrastructure is no small feat.”
The opening ceremony, held at the Japanese American National Museum on Friday, included the unveiling of a plaque that will be installed at the Little Tokyo/Arts District Station in honor of former Secretary of Transportation Norman Yoshio Mineta. Mineta played a key role in establishing the Transportation Security Administration following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
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