UPDATE 2 p.m.: Patsaouras Transit Plaza and the underground parking structure at the East Portal entrance to Union Station have reopened following a helicopter operation to lift equipment to the high-rise rooftop of Metro Headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. The transit plaza and surrounding streets were closed for safety precautions from 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 29.

All Metro buses have returned to regular routes but the LAX FlyAway, MegaBus, and City of Commerce shuttle will continue to use assigned temporary boarding locations through Sunday or until further notice:

• Megabus: Board at Line 40 regular stop on Alameda in front of Union Station.
• LAX FlyAway: Board at one of the Amtrak bus bays on the Cesar Chavez Avenue (north) side of Union Station.
• City of Commerce shuttle: Board at Line 40 regular stop on Alameda in front of Union Station.

The helicopter operation will complete the maintenance rooftop work on January 26, again requiring the closure of the transit plaza, the underground parking structure and surrounding streets.

Previous post after the jump.

Building maintenance work involving helicopter lifts atop the Metro HQ highrise will restrict access to the Gateway Transit Plaza below during daytime hours this Saturday. Buses, including the LAX FlyAway and the Megabus, and parking will be detoured to other locations within the Union Station complex.

Construction to restrict daytime access to the Patsaouras Transit Plaza and East Portal parking structure of Union Station on Saturday, Dec. 29.

• Plaza bus stops will be temporarily relocated nearby. Board Flyaway at Amtrak bus bay; Megabus on Alameda St. in front of Union Station
• Enter at Alameda Street entrance to park at Union Station.
• Cars and pedestrians may not enter or exit from the East Portal area underground parking structure during the closure.

Pedestrians, buses and other vehicles will not be allowed in or out of Patsaouras Plaza and the parking structure or the surrounding streets. All Metro and Metrolink rail service will run normal operations and schedule. The public is advised to use the Alameda Street entrance of Union Station to access the Metro Red, Purple, and Gold Lines and Metrolink and Amtrak trains between the hours of 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Dec. 29.

The following bus stop relocations will be in effect during the plaza closure:

• Line 40: Board southbound buses at regular stops south of Temple Street.
• Lines 68, 70, 71, 78, 79, 378, 770: board eastbound buses at temporary stop on Aliso Stret at Los Angeles Street or at regular stops south of Broadway. on Cesar E. Chavez Avenue.
• Line 704: Board westbound buses at temporary stop on Temple Street west of Broadway.
• Lines 733, 745: Board westbound buses at temporary stop on Temple Street west of Alameda Street.
• City of Commerce shuttle: Board at Line 40 regular stop on Alameda in front of Union Station.
• Megabus: Board at Line 40 regular stop on Alameda in front of Union Station.
• LAX FlyAway: Board at one of the Amtrak bus bays on the Cesar Chavez Avenue (north) side of Union Station.

A helicopter will be used to bring the old cooling towers down and lift the new cooling towers and related equipment onto the roof of the Metro Headquarters building. To ensure safety during this work, the Federal Aviation Administration has required the closures of the plaza and also the surrounding streets of E. Cesar E. Chavez Avenue (from Mission Street to N. Alameda Street)  and Vignes Street (from the 101 Freeway exit to Bauchet Street) adjacent to the Metro Headquarters building

See previous post for additional details