Parking fees coming June 26 to APU/Citrus, Irwindale and Monrovia stations on Gold Line

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A $3 daily parking fee and monthly fee of $59 will go into effect on June 26 at three Metro stations along the Gold Line: APU/Citrus, Irwindale and Monrovia. Metro is targeting late June for most of the fees to go into effect. We’ll announce the exact date and details soon.

All stations will have the automated pay systems that are in use at other Metro pay parking lots. Riders will just need a valid TAP card and either cash or credit card to pay. Metro also has a smartphone parking app that can used to pay the fees. The app is now available in the iTunes store and the Google Play store (there is a 15 cent fee to use the app so parking is $3.15 a day).

At the same time, a change will also go into effect at the Azusa Downtown parking structure: all parking spaces within Metro’s portion of the garage will become paid permit parking spaces on weekdays, meaning there will be no more first-come, first-served parking in the Metro part of the structure. After 10 a.m. Monday through Friday, those spaces will be open to any transit patron for free. The current $39 monthly permit fee will remain in place but will be raised to $59 later in the summer.

Under a plan approved by the Metro Board of Directors last year, Metro has converted some of its busiest parking lots to pay lots. The reasons are twofold: 1) the fee helps keep some parking spaces open throughout the day for transit riders, and; 2) the fees prevent parking spaces from being taken by people not using transit.

So far the fees have had the desired effect. Generally speaking, about 10 percent of spaces are available throughout the day at stations where Metro has implemented fees — including North Hollywood Station and Universal City/Studio City Station, where the fees began in April (some vehicles have moved to two lots on the Orange Line that remain free).

At Monrovia Station, members of the public be able to park in the garage after 6 p.m. on weekdays and all day on Saturday and Sunday without having a TAP card. The fee would still be $3 per day. The station is adjacent to Monrovia’s Station Square Park. The Metro Board approved the fees for Monrovia Station on Thursday; the fees for APU/Citrus and Irwindale had already been approved by the Board.

Free spaces remain in many parking lots on the Metro system, including Sierra Madre Villa Station, Arcadia Station and Duarte Station along the Gold Line.

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62 replies ›

  1. im am so dissapointed. I live on a fixed income, like everybody else.

    • Yes, all parking spaces are included.

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Source

  4. I don’t see why Gold Line riders need to now pay for the parking garage builders not building enough parking spaces for the end of the line at APU Citrus College. Did they really think 200 spaces would cover the number of people who were going to use the lot? The riders MUST use their cars since there is NO public transportation to the station. The spaces are full by 6:15 am. These are not people who are mindlessly using the parking garage for other things.

    $59 is a slap in the face to people contributing to easing the congestion of Los Angeles freeways.

    (And 15 cents a day to use an app?? Get real!!! How dare you?)

    This is just another way the powers that be are sticking it to the working men and women of Los Angeles.

  5. Im also a bit sad to learn about the fee at the Monrovia station because it will double the cost of my commute, since I drop/pick-up two kids before/after my commute I don’t have much choice but to drive to the station. However, the parking is overcrowded and I guess this measure will reduce that (some mornings I cant park and have to drive to work after all). Hopefully it will encourage more people to bike/walk/take the bus to the metro station in the morning and not just push people back to driving to work.

    • I’ve also had trouble finding parking at Monrovia. If it’s all paid spots and still not enough parking that would be really bad.

      I ended up splurging for a monthly to ensure I had parking each day. It’s barely worth it as it is now at $39/mo – a little over if I’m honest, but sanity from not fighting traffic makes it worth it. The extra $20 puts me well over what it would cost to drive in to work each day.

      Steve, is there any new information regarding when the monthly cost will increase at Monrovia?

      • Hi Eric;

        I don’t have an exact date but I’ll check today with parking staff and try to get you the info!

        Steve Hymon
        Editor, The Source

      • Hey Eric – parking staff tells me that it will remain $39 for a monthly pass for now at Monrovia and staff will see what parking demand is like after the fees kick in and then determine whether to raise it to $59. The Metro Board has approved going to $59 if need be. Hope that makes sense.

        Steve Hymon
        Editor, The Source

  6. Steve, please send back ALL of the comments to metro or someone who cares. We are the riders! Metros customers

  7. This defeats the entire purpose for using the train. Thank You Steve Hymon and company. BTW, hoe about responding to all of the riders comments, instead of the ones that are pro Metro.

  8. Kudos to keeping cars off the road, which I thought was one of the benefits of taking the metro.

  9. I just qualified for the senior discount to ride the gold line. Now the new parking fees will pretty much negate any benefit there. I suppose I and other seniors can park on the street and walk the mile to the APU station.

    • Hi Ann;

      Yes, all those who park must pay the fee.

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Source

  11. what happens with hybrid ‘clear air’ spots at downtown azusa? do you need a permit for those or daily parking? and how about for EV charging stations?

  12. who came up with this? will reduce ridership, add to pollution. for the last 6 months at gold line stations from azusa to pasadena there is no one NO ONE checking fairs. there are people parking in the ‘clean air parking spots’ supposedly for hybrid cars that are mustangs and gas guzzlers. ridiculous. no one cares or has a clue. no one monitors the parking. there are approx 10-15 homeless people on the train riding for free any weekend am at azusa. i’m so disappointed in metro and the lines in general.

  14. Finding a parking space in evening and weekends is no problem. Now to pay???
    This only a money grab. I would’ve voted no on the bond issue if I had known.
    You have made the bus more desirable.

  15. The more I think about this parking fee, the angrier it makes me. There’s very little currently within walking distance from the Monrovia station that would appeal to non-riders, so the rationale that this is to keep spots open for riders is dubious at best. Metro could address that concern by making parking cheap or free for riders with validated TAP cards. Metro should be candid: this is just to make more money from riders. And why are these stations going to be $3 per day, when other stations on the line with attractive restaurants within walking distance (Del Mar, in particular) are only $2? Del Mar has to have a bigger problem with non-riders using the parking than Monrovia does. I agree with all of those who say this is a message to riders to start driving again. Doubling the daily cost of riding the train is a way to reduce ridership, not grow it.

  16. It seems to me that many train riders will transition back to driving their cars — Metro will see a reduced ridership. I think it would be in the best interest of the community and riders to share all these comments with Metro Board and Staff.

  17. LA Metro every few years asks LA County voters for increase and support for Measures like Measure R and Measure M. These new parking fees are a big “F” You come from LA Metro to the commuters in Monrovia, Irwindale, Azusa-Downtown, and APU/Citrus College. Commuters living in the San Gabriel Valley supported and enthusiastically voted for Measure M. The stations east of Pasadena are are barely less than a year old and this is sending a message that people should return to their cars and start driving again.

  18. Will they open up more spots for those of us on the waitlist for a monthly pass?

    • Hi Phillip;

      Unfortunately, no new spots for those who are on the waitlist.

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Source

  19. The added daily cost of parking will equal what I was paying to take the Foothill Transit Express bus. Back to the express bus I guess.

  20. I ride my motorcycle to the station and don’t park in a actual parking space, will I still need to pay the parking fee?

    • Hey Allan;

      You are probably not going to like this answer from our parking staff: all vehicles must pay. Sorry!

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Sourc

      • We’re not going to like this answer obviously because the people who voted for Measure M are screwed over. Thanks Metro. No more supporting Measures endorsed by you!

  21. I don’t use a reloadable TAP card. I use my Metrolink monthly pass to TAP. How will I pay for parking? Thank you

    • Hi Debra —

      Sorry missed your question first time around. I need to check with our parking staff to get an answer — which I’ll do first thing Monday. Thank you for your patience!

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Source

      • Hi Debra — here’s the answer from parking staff:

        The Metrolink monthly pass can still be used at the parking pay kiosk. Instead of tapping the TAP card, users will tap their Metrolink monthly pass and it will register. The Metrolink pass cannot currently be registered on the mobile app so those with Metrolink passes will have to pay using the pay kiosk.

        Hope that helps,

        Steve Hymon
        Editor, The Source

  22. You are making it cheaper to drive to work which negates the need for the train all together!!! Why do train riders have to pay for the wrong doing of people who abuse parking? There has to be a better way to deter parking by people who aren’t using the train.

  23. Is the new fee plan for all parking spots in the Monrovia lot or just those marked on the first floor as permit only?

  24. Expect the streets around the stations to get more crowded as people park there instead of the lots. Also APU/Citrus will be even more desolate than usual nights and weekends.

  25. I suggest to use the same technology that scans TAP cards to verify riders have paid their fare. Install a reader when people exit the parking lot. The riders have their TAP card scanned to verify they used the Metro. If a fare was paid, it will validate the parking. If a fare was not paid then a parking fee would be charged. Metro riders should be able to park for free. Non-Metro riders should be charged $6 to park. This plan would encourage more riders to use the Metro and leave enough parking spaces available for the people actually using Metro

  26. Maybe if we’re lucky the fees will help improve the atrocious Bus connection options to the Expo Line from the South Bay.

  27. I hate paying to park my car, too. For five years I have park-n-rode on the Expo Line using the “free” parking structure at the La Cienega station. Since the parking charges at that station were implemented in March I have switched to riding my bike to the station (75 percent of the time), riding the bus to the station (10%) or paying to park at the station (15%). We all have choices, and those choices have costs, both in money and in time.

  28. Hi Steve​, did the parking lease for the West Angeles Church Of God lot on Crenshaw change? They have recently put up a barricade blocking the two upper floors. Didn’t Metro rent 450 spots from them? If they reduced the number of spots, is Metro now paying them less?

    • so true, several of us riders are going back to car pool, more pollution , guess that’s ok with metro

  32. Measure M is supposed to mitigate the cost. What I see is Metro double-dipping into train riders pockets also. Shameful…

  33. Is the desired effect to have those “willing” to use the train and willing (and making contributions) to reduce freeway congestion to pay more for actually using it. It seems counter-productive and unfair to train riders.

    • yes, trying to get more riders, this is not the way. discouraging for sure

  34. So Irwindale is going from $39 to $59? Right now, I think it’s $39 for the first floor, free for the rest of the structure. Your December 2016 post (on the chart) indicated jumping to $39, so it sounded like all spots would now pay $39, so did that change?. Is the rate increase just for the first floor, or for the entire parking lot?

    • Hi —

      The $39 per month on the monthly parking permit program will remain the same during the transition period but may go up to $59 eventually at Irwindale. The Metro Board gave staff authority to go to $59. I’ve asked for more details so customers have all the info they need to decide whether to purchase a pass or not. Thanks for your patience!

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Source

      • Steve – Thanks. Please give the staff feedback – increasing the portion of the parking lot as paid (say, increase the paid portion from one floor to two @ Irwindale), and keeping it the same price, is viewed more positively than increasing the price on the same small portion.

        • Will send along your comment! Thanks for riding and reading!

          Steve Hymon
          Editor, The Source

    • Because Metro can get it! Similar to the fees for transponders that are used only occasionally. At least this fee is paid by actual users.