A reminder: Bus service will replace Blue Line service between the Washington station and 7th/Metro Center in downtown Los Angeles this weekend due to work constructing the junction of Blue Line and Expo Line tracks. Work begins at 9 p.m. tonight and will continue until early Monday.

Blue Line patrons should expect delays up to 40 minutes in those areas.

More details are in a press release after the jump.
Full closure of Metro Blue Line service set next two weekends from Washington Station to 7th/Metro Center due to construction work on Expo light rail line

Tuesday March 02, 2010

Metro Blue Line passengers will experience travel delays of up to 40 minutes for the next two weekends beginning this Friday night, March 5, due to construction of the Expo light rail line, which will connect with the Metro Blue Line in downtown Los Angeles. Bus bridge begins Friday, March 5, at 9 p.m.

Work will begin at 9 p.m. on Friday and will continue until the early morning hours of Monday, March 8, on the first weekend. The same plan is for the second weekend beginning Friday night, March 12, and continuing until the early hours of Monday, March 15.

The Metro stations affected will be San Pedro, Grand Avenue, Pico/Chick Hearn and 7th/Metro Center. Rail service from Washington Station to Long Beach Transit Mall will not be affected.

Metro will implement a bus bridge to serve these stations from 7th/Metro Center to and from Washington Station. There also will be Metro personnel at Washington and 7th/Metro Center stations to help direct patrons.

The bus bridge service will be every 15 to 20 minutes on Friday nights. On Saturdays and Sundays buses will run every 5 to 10 minutes and after 8 p.m. every 15 to 20 minutes.

The temporary bus stops will be located near the stations: those passengers coming from Long Beach and going to downtown Los Angeles can transfer from the train to the bus at Washington Station, on Long Beach Avenue just south of Washington Boulevard, at San Pedro Station on Washington Boulevard just east of San Pedro Street, at Grand Avenue Station on Olive Avenue just north of Washington Boulevard, at Pico/ Chick Hearn Station on Pico Boulevard just east of Flower Street and the final stop at 7th/Metro Center at the Figueroa Street entrance to the Metro Rail station.

When Metro customers travel to Long Beach they can board buses at the Hope Street entrance to the 7th/Metro Center. The next stop will be at Pico/Chick Hearn station on Pico Boulevard just east of Flower Street, the Grand Avenue Station on Washington Boulevard just east of Hill Street, at San Pedro Station on Washington Boulevard just east of San Pedro Street, and the final stop at Washington Station will be on Washington Boulevard just east of Long Beach Boulevard.

Metro will make every attempt to have service restored before peak hours Monday mornings. Should any unforeseen delay occur, the bus bridge will continue in operation with many additional buses running between Washington and 7th/Metro Center stations.

All work is subject to weather delays. Metro patrons are advised to allow extra time for their trips and check television monitors in train stations or call Metro’s hot line number 213- 922-4999 for the latest information on the construction work and service impacts or go online to metro.net.

Metro apologizes for this inconvenience and appreciates the public understanding and cooperation during this construction period. For schedule information, contact Metro Customer Relations at (213) 922-6235.

The Expo Line is a new 8.5 mile light rail line under construction from downtown Los Angeles to Culver City. It will share tracks and two stations with the Metro Blue Line along the Flower Street portion of the alignment. For Expo Line Construction information contact (213) 922-5609.