The Connector will link the Gold Line to the Blue Line and the future Expo Line so that passengers can travel through downtown without having to transfer. Here’s the latest news release from Metro, which is planning the line:

Over the next two weeks, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) will continue geotechnical testing at multiple locations along the planned alignment of the downtown Regional Connector project as part of the planning and engineering for the project.

The geotechnical work in downtown Los Angeles will include lane closures, locating utilities, soil borings, and noise and vibration tests. The test samples and data collected will provide information on subsurface conditions to evaluate optimum excavation and construction methodologies of tunnels and underground stations.

Included in the geotechnical borings will be a variety of tests that establish soil conditions. Part of the testing will include Sonic Core Drilling that measures noise and vibration in relation to geotechnical conditions and existing infrastructure.

Most of the testing will occur during the day with a limited amount of nighttime testing. Traffic controls will be implemented to minimize impact to the community.

The planned locations of geotechnical activities are as follows:

•May 9, 2011: 2nd at Hope, Spring and Olive Streets; Gen. Kosciuszko Way between Hope and Flower Streets

•May 10, 2011: 2nd at Main, Olive, and Spring Streets; Gen. Kosciuszko Way between Hope and Flower Streets

•May 11, 2011: 2nd at Los Angeles, Spring, and Olive Streets; Alameda between 1st and Temple Streets; Gen. Kosciuszko Way between Hope and Flower Streets

•May 12, 2011: 2nd at San Pedro, Spring and Olive Streets, and Gen. Kosciuszko Way between Hope and Flower Streets

•May 13, 2011; 2nd at San Pedro Streets and Central Avenue; Flower between 3rd, 5th, and 6th Streets; and at 2nd and Olive Streets.

The Metro Regional Connector project will provide a 1.9-mile fully-underground connection for the Metro Gold, Blue and Exposition Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines. The project is completing the Final EIS/EIR, and initiated Preliminary Engineering in January 2011. The Final EIS/EIR is expected to be adopted by the end of 2011, with the possible initiation of construction in 2013. The project will provide three new stations, serving approximately 90,000 transit passengers daily.

For more information about the Regional Connector, the public can leave a message at 213-922-7277 or visit www.metro.net/regionalconnector. For day-to-day testing location updates, please follow us at twitter.com/metroconnector.