As you’ve likely heard, the Summer Olympics and Paralympics are coming to the Los Angeles region in 2028. Many people have asked what our transit system might look like 11 years from now — so we published a blog post in August that got a lot of interest. We’ve since turned the post into the video above with the help of my videographer colleagues, Joe Lemon and Murillo Goncalves. Bon appetit!
Today also happens to be the one-year anniversary of the passage of the Measure M sales tax measure by 71 percent of L.A. County voters. All of the projects above are funded by Measures M and R, which voters approved in 2008. With or without the Olympics, the decision by local residents to tax themselves to greatly expand transit is, I think, a pretty great thing and, as a result of both ballot measures, there’s no shortage of projects.
Many Olympic events (here’s a map) will be clustered in a few areas around our region, with three major “sports parks” adjacent to rail or bus rapid transit lines in downtown Los Angeles, the Sepulveda Basin in the San Fernando Valley and the Long Beach waterfront. Other venues are also near transit (Santa Monica Beach, the Rose Bowl, the new football stadium in Inglewood, StubHub Center, to name a few) or will be served by shuttle buses from transit and other destinations. Getting around the Games should actually be fairly easy.
We included projects in the video based on the timeline in the Measure M spending plan. As we say at the end of the video, there are efforts underway by Metro to accelerate other transit projects, most notably the Sepulveda Transit Corridor and the West Santa Ana Branch Corridor. Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chair Eric Garcetti has also spoken about an effort to build 28 local projects by 2028 and has said details on that plan will be forthcoming.
So there’s a lot to be excited about. But here’s the thing I cannot stress enough: in the next few years the projects in the video will be going through the environmental clearance phase. That is the public’s chance to weigh in about project alternatives, routes and station location. Lend your voice to these efforts. These aren’t Metro’s projects. These are your projects. You’re paying for them. Get involved.
As projects take shape we’ll do our best on this blog and Metro’s social media channels o keep you informed and let you know how to submit your views.
Please feel free as always to comment or ask questions about the projects and I’ll try to answer them the best that I can. Thanks!
This map shows the projects that will be built under Measure M, including several in the next decade.
Categories: Policy & Funding, Projects
These are great projects that are hard fought and won. However, I believe the one striking omission that is a linchpin for east LA County and Orange County is the Green Line Gap between Norwalk Metro and Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs Metrolink/Amtrak station. This 2.5 mile gap has been infuriating commuters, including myself, who have mostly given up using rail to commute from OC to El Segundo and LAX. Linking these two stations by rail will be a “force multiplier” reducing commute times from southeast LA and OC but also will make a hefty reduction in individual vehicle trips.
I am a fourth generation angelino from the crenshaw district
I was 14 when i worked at murray tix for the 84 Olympic. Games 23 olympiad
La finally has a downtown and true connectivity
Now i can park my low rider harley or seg way on crenshaw and expo and go to the beach or downtown
Unbelievable
With all this so called regenederfication
We must keep the pillars of our culture.
In the midst of the capitalism
Amazing. Not one POB: Plain Old Bus. Lots of BRT and other big $$$ projects. But I guess this shows where the rest of us stand.
Buses will still haul – what, 90 percent of the riders in 2028? Dear Metro: are you phasing out all of the buses, or does this just reflect the official Metro philosophy that you don’t give a crap about bus riders?
Hey this is great. I’m really glad to see so many smart projects coming together so fast. Makes me even a little proud of this town. I’m wondering what the connection situation will be around the VA when the Purple Line is completed.
Hi David;
That’s a good question. Metro has the 20 and 720 bus lines on Wilshire but getting people from neighborhoods west of the subway terminus is going to be important. That’s something, I think, will require efforts from Metro, the city of L.A. (LADOT) and Big Blue Bus.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
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?, I’m sorry… I’m finding it difficult to get excited about this because i’m Missing LAist as my usual blog rounds… I.. I just can’t **runs away weeping**
Still.. so… many… parking… lots..
It makes little sense to surround stations in parking. Why provide wasteful accommodations to a very limited segment of the population on M-F, 9-5, when a mixture of uses and higher density could provide all day, all week utilization of these stations AND transit lines.
So crazy.. these underutilized properties should be the highest priority for redeveloping in a region stricken with the horrendous side affects of car-oriented cities and environs.
I’m over the moon to see our rapidly expanding system, but unless we use it right, this is just buying the worlds most advanced and expensive computer so that you can play minesweeper.
I recently heard on the news about the LAX People Mover Project and the Gold Line’s extension to the SB county line. I believe both reports stated the date of the groundbreaking ceremonies. What are the dates of the groundbreaking ceremonies?
Los Angeles World Airports is building the people mover, Metro is building the Airport Connector station at Aviation/96th. I don’t believe either project has set groundbreaking date yet. The Gold Line extension to Claremont has groundbreaking ceremony on Dec. 2 to be followed by utility work.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
Remember, LACMTA-“Metro” can only fund stuff in Los Angeles County. Getting the Gold Line into Montclair is on the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA): http://gosbcta.com/
Wonderful video and post! We are all excited to show off our city in 2028, and our transportation infrastructure is no small part of that.
Is there any thought to one or two wraps for Metro vehicles about being “Olympic ready?” I can see how this might skew or dilute some of the current messaging around measures M and R, but I’m thinking something in between NBC’s touting of the Olympic rings and the “America’s Best” stickers on a micro scale.
Thanks for the updates and the video!
Hey Ryan —
Thank you for the kind words and the support! That’s a good idea about the wraps. We’ll send it along as part of our weekly report to other depts/execs.
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source