Update on the Regional Connector Final EIS/EIR: It looks like the release date for the Final Environmental Impact Statement/Report for the Regional Connector project will be in early January with a 30-day review period to follow.
Under that schedule, the Metro Board of Directors would consider approving the FEIS/R at their February meeting.
Once released, the document can be viewed and downloaded by visiting www.metro.net/regionalconnector.
The Regional Connector, to be funded in part by Measure R, will connect the Blue Line, Gold Line and future Expo Line to allow for seamless light rail travel through downtown Los Angeles.
Categories: Projects
I agree with Jon Kaji. I hope that the Little Tokyo community and Metro can get together and finally get the Nikkei Center off the ground.
I would love to see something similar to the major stations in Tokyo where underground station corridors flow naturally into the surrounding neighborhood.
It will take cooperation between private development, the city and the community, but it would be worth it.
I would like to maybe see a mix of both. NYC has multiple routes that run through the same stations and platforms.
Little Tokyo and the Arts District have supported the Nikkei Center concept for the development site. We, of course, are still interested in creating a public-private partnership with the City of LA and METRO and hope that the Mayor (and as the current METRO chair) will support the plan. Then, we can jointly design and engineer the underground station and create both an underground and above-ground retail experience like other major global cities and fully-maximize the tax-payers investment.
@ Bob, “Just a person,” Steve (or anyone else)
Has it been officially decided that trains will run East/West (East LA to Santa Monica) and North/South (Pasadena to Long Beach)? Is this something that will be spelled out in the Final EIS/EIR?
That does seem like the simplest way to do it, and has been the most-talked-about so far, but theoretically trains could be routed Pasadena-Santa Monica and East LA-Long Beach as well, right? It seems like some ridership studies should be done to determine where the majority of the trips THROUGH Downtown will be going and then route the trains to follow this pattern so there are less transfers overall.
Hi Steve;
The east-west/north-south is the plan being discussed at this point. Like all plans, it could change. I’m not sure the degree to which it will be discussed in the FEIS/R. We’ll know when the study is released in a few weeks.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
@Bob, what is currently called the Expo line will be joined with what is known as the Gold line Eastside extension. To go to points north, you will have to change over to the Gold/Blue line.
@John, “Regional Connector” is a poor name that ‘burries the lead.’ This project will do several things.
1. It will become a second subway route downtown, adding sorely needed capacity. Downtown needs more routes and capacity, this will ease that, making the area a more practical place to live or work.
2. It will allow train passengers going through downtown to make one (or no) transfer only. Until then many riders will have to make 2 transfers.
3. It will make transit to the Staples/Convention Center/Nokia/Farmers Field complex practial for those living to the north and east of downtown.
4. If/when the High-Speed Rail project gets off the ground, the ‘Regional Connector’ will allow those heading to the south and west of downtown to transfer rapidly to transit.
5. It will make express trains a more viable option. Because of the longer distance travelled by a single train, express trains will gain time cumulatively.
I look forward to seeing the document. I’m especially looking forward to the Little Tokyo subway station, and curious to see where the subway entrances will be in relation to Japanese Village Plaza. Also, what ideas there are for the land on top of the station.
Why is money being wasted on this “Regional Connector” when an opening date for the “Expo Line” can’t even be established? How many BOONDOGGLES does the MTA insist on perpetuating in the light-rail department?
If I am coming from santa monica, will I have to get off at little tokyo to get on the gold line to go to pasadena. Or will the train the expo line share a track with the gold line, so I don’t have to get off.
Thanks