Here is the latest from Metro’s Twitter account:
Blue Line up to 20 min delays due to auto accident blocking 1 track at Washington/Los Angeles. Trains share LB bound track at Grand. ^ST
Silver Line, 450, 460 upcharge WAIVED this evening due to Blue Line accident near San Pedro Stn. Use these lines to xfer w/ Green Line. ^ST
Categories: Service Alerts
Blue Line is going to loose the commuter’s trust, if the problems continue. It is almost more than month that the Blue Line is not fully operating. Trains are outdated and old and the line requires serious upgrade. I don’t know if Metro is ignoring the problem or they have no resolution for it. Grade separation is a very good idea to avoid the City traffic. Also, it seems the entire line requires traffic signal upgrade, roadway realignment and Power system upgrades. I hope we see that Metro considers the Blue Line issue as a urgent matter.
The Blue Line is over 20 years old now and it needs serious maintenance to its tracks, overhead wires, stations, etc., but they don’t have the money. And I presume this long term maintenance cost issue will become a bigger problem across other lines too.
This is exactly why Metro should really get serious about finding other ways to find alternative sources of funding. Building new lines are one thing, but finding funds for long term maintenance costs are a must. And expecting big handouts from the federal government with a divided Congress or raising local taxes in this tough economy is not going to be the answer either.
Start opening up the stations to retail and businesses for rental income and profit sharing. Start charging for parking spaces at the free park-and-ride lots. Start moving toward a distance based system. All of these are measures are desperately needed to secure capital for long term costs of operation.
Blue Line power problems have been occurring with frequency for years now. Will Meto please take some of money and do all the work necessary to make Blue Line reliable again?
The biggest problem with collisions in the most recent years seems to be the street running on Washington Blvd. I always believed it to be the WORST decision and street to have street running. There is just no $$ for comprehensive grade separation, but it would be worth it (perhaps feesable) at some point in the future really push and commit to putting the Blue Line UNDER Washington Blvd. Cut and cover for a shallow trench-like design with the street covering it. That would go a long way to making the line more reliable and have much fewer collisions, and it would cut down several minutes of travel time.
I agree. This line has been nothing but power related problems for weeks on end now. I see more delays on this line with shuttle buses being used than ever before. I am afraid to use this line now as I can’t be sure I will get to where I need to be on time. There needs to more permanent work done with the power lines and whatever it is that shut down stations between 7th street and Washington. This a long time line usually running good, but lately something seems to getting old and worn out. Serious repairs need to be made.
With so many delays and accidents on the Blue Line these days, has Metro considered upgrading some of the most dangerous portions of the tracks to over/underpasses so that street traffic doesn’t physically bisect with the tracks?
At some point this will have to be made if frequencies are to be increased in the future. You can’t keep signals going up and down all the time. The cost of Blue Line delays will only continue to add up if nothing is done and instead, might end up more than the cost to build an underpass for street traffic.