Beginning Feb. 22, the elevator at the Slauson station on the Blue Line will be out of service for repair work and isn’t scheduled to reopen until early April. The station is elevated and the elevator is the only way for folks who use wheelchairs to access the train platform.

The elevator has some mechanical issues. The press release after the jump details how people who depend on the elevator can reach the nearby Florence or Vernon stations.The press release from Metro:

The elevator in the Metro Blue Line Slauson Station will be out of service due to extensive repair work for approximately six weeks beginning on Monday, February 22. The Slauson station is elevated and has only one elevator and no escalators to access the platform.

The projected completion date for the project is April 5. When finished, the elevator will have new stainless steel doors and floor and a new piston to stop oil leaks. The sill will be realigned and this will make the doors operate better.

Metro customers in wheelchairs traveling between Slauson Station and Vernon Station or Slauson Station and Florence Station will need to contact the Access Services Operations Monitoring Center (OMC) at 1 (800) 827-0829 and press option 2, so that a vehicle can be dispatched to transport them between Slauson and Vernon stations and Slauson and Florence Stations.

Excessive corrosion has caused the floor to swell under the sills and deteriorated many other components mandating these repairs. Metro will post signs in English and Spanish and will make announcements on its public announcement system and video screens along all Metro Blue Line stations to notify patrons that the elevator is out of service.

Metro patrons are advised to allow extra time for their trips if their stop is Slauson station. For more information on Metro bus or rail routes or schedules visit the Metro Trip Planner on Metro’s web page at www.metro.net.