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We posted last month about new northern route options that will be studied for the West Santa Ana Branch project, which will be a light rail line between Artesia and downtown Los Angeles. Community meetings are now scheduled to discuss those route options and provide project updates.
Here’s the info:
The West Santa Ana Branch (WSAB) Transit Corridor Project is a new 20-mile light rail transit line that would connect downtown Los Angeles to southeast L.A. County, serving the cities and communities of Downtown Los Angeles, unincorporated Florence-Graham community of L.A. County, Vernon, Huntington Park, Bell, Cudahy, South Gate, Downey, Paramount, Bellflower, Cerritos and Artesia.
Metro formally initiated the environmental studies through the public scoping meetings held in summer 2017. Based on the feedback received through the public scoping period and ongoing technical analysis, Metro is studying new northern alignment options in addition to the original four northern alignment options.
Join us to learn the latest project updates and provide your feedback on the proposed alignment options. Those unable to attend the meetings can view the presentation via a live stream starting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 13, at www.tinyurl.com/MetroWSAB.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (LITTLE TOKYO)
Monday, March 12 from 3 p.m. to 5 pm. and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple
815 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Intérprete en español/通訳
BELL
Saturday, March 17, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Bell Community Center
6250 Pine Av, Bell, CA 90201
Intérprete en español
ARTESIA*
Tuesday, March 13, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Albert O. Little Community Center
18750 Clarkdale Av, Artesia, CA 90701
Intérprete en español
Live Webcast at 6:30pm
www.tinyurl.com/MetroWSAB
DOWNEY
Monday, March 19, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Barbara J. Riley Community & Senior Center
7810 Quill Dr, Downey, CA 90242
Intérprete en español
Categories: Projects
[…] Starting today, Monday 3/12 – Metro hosts a new round of meetings to get input on the West Santa Ana Branch light rail project, with a focus on possible new routing through downtown Los Angeles. Meetings will take place today from 3-5 p.m. and from 6-8 p.m. at Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple at 815 E. First Street in Little Tokyo. Meetings continue Saturday 3/17 in Bell, Tuesday 3/13 in Artesia, and Monday 3/19 in Downey. Details at Metro’s The Source. […]
Any of the downtown core options would be better than the Little Tokyo ones. The Gold Line has been good for Little Tokyo, and I believe that the Regional Connector will be good for the community. But, there is little need for another rail line there.
It would make more sense for the new line to serve either Pershing Square and/or Metro Center.
[…] Next week starting Monday 3/12 – Metro hosts a new round of meetings to get input on the West Santa Ana Branch light rail project, with a focus on possible new routing through downtown Los Angeles. Details at The Source. […]
The lower Historic Core needs a station, perhaps at 7th and Main.
The old subway is not usable. The station building is now occupied by residents. The old tunnel has been chopped up at at least three locations: Echo Park portal, Flower Street (Regional Connector) and Olive Street (the new apartments being built along Olive between 4th and 5th).
To echo others: The Subway Terminal building sits right on top of Pershing Square Station, why would we ignore such a unique resource sitting right on top of one of DTLA’s most central transit stops? Have the Artesia line go there and the three or four blocks to the 5th and Flower connection to the other light rail lines. Who knows, one day it could be extend into the Echo Park/Silverlake/Glendale direction, areas completely devoid of meaningful rail transit.
The Seventh and Metro station has already been proved to be unable to handle three rail line and in my opinion will not be relieved by the regional connector. The ADA compliant old P.E. Subway Terminal Station sits vacant and could be connected to the Red/Purple Lines Station between fourth and fifth. It would be not only a great use for this old station but could be utilized as the beginning of new lines to Glendale/ Burbank and to the Westside which are in my opinion far more important than any other extensions to the light rail network.
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The Regional Connector absolutely will have at least some effect, as it will end the delays caused by having to turn around trains.
That tunnel was perminately sealed many years back. I don’t recall exactly where it is sealed, but I think that it is somewhere near Flower Street. I remember reading that the Army Corps of Engineers had said that it was unsafe for METRO to use when they built the Red/Purple Line, and that’s why the old RTD ran the line under Hill Street instead.
The tunnel was also blocked by the construction of the basement and foundation of the Bonaventure. Deep basements for the library, Biltmore and City National Plaza would limit routes in the Financial District.
Why are people so Persistent on terminating this at a station that is both already at capacity and would require a multiple-month shut down to add more capacity into that same station when a new one can be built literally 2 blocks away and connect to the Blue/Expo Line, the proposed “Yellow/Glendale/Burbank” Line, and can easily connect with the Red/Purple line at Perishing Square??
The reason is that we can more easily add capasity to the existing 7th/Metro Station. People, who go downtown, want to end somewhere where there is great transportation. 7th/Metro and Pershing Square are where most of the action is downtown, with all the near-by office towers and lots of retail near-by, it just makes the most sense.
DON’T END ON THE OUTSKIRTS or ANOTHER STATION 2 BLOCKS AWAY! Make it simple for people, especially the seniors and the disabeled to change, if necessary. Why should someone have to go up to the surface, travel 2 blocks, and then go back down to complete their transfer? It just doesn’t make sense! [K.I.S.S.] Think about it before you speak!
People are advocating for a line that will have stops at Pershing Square (transfer station for Red/Purple Line) and 5th/Flower (transfer station for Expo/Gold/Blue Line). That does not require you to travel 2 blocks to make your transfer–you can make your transfer at either station. It provides another good station while also relieving the crowded 7th/Metro.
I think you may have missed almost entirely what I wrote as a potential 5th/Flower station solved almost every problem you pointed out except it’ll be further away from LA LIve.
Walking 2 blocks won’t be necessary, as completing the transfer to the Blue/Expo Line can be done on that same exact station on 5th/Flower, cause you know, that was originally a regional connector station, hence why a transfer can be done there, so I don’t understand how walking would be necessary, which is exactly what I wrote in my comment.
But it won’t connect to Red/Purple Line if the terminal is at 5th/Flower?? Then add a station in perishing square, where as you mentioned, most of the action is in Downtown.
5th/Flower also provides better and more direct connections to those same offices and retail, in addition the Central Library as well.
But I am curious, exactly how can capacity be easily added to 7th/Metro, without having to shut down the station for a period of time?? As this would require building more platforms either along the current Blue/Expo tracks, or on a completely different side of the station which may require someone to walk up to well, 2 blocks depending on what side a patron may come by, to where the new platforms would be, canceling the argument of having to walk 2 blocks. Or a I missing something there??
The primary benefit of using 7th/Metro: one convenient location for transfers. Plus, it would come with upgrades for the existing station (like an entrance at Wilshire or 6th Street).
The new line would be in its own box, with its own platforms. It would connect to Red/Purple/Blue/Expo via a short tunnel between the station concourses. None of this precludes the new line from continuing east or north.
By global stamdards, 7th/Metro is not terribly busy. Compare to transfer stations in NYC, Paris or London, such as Oxford Circus. The multiline transfers at the stations are super convenient.
The alternative (building transfers at 5th/Flower and 5th/Hill) means getting the same connectivity for double the price. Plus slowing down the Regional Connector with an unnecessary stop only two blocks away from 7th. It just doesnt make sense to me.
To put it another way: if we’re going to pay for two new station boxes in the Central Core, I’d rather spend it on a brand new station in the lower Historic Core (e.g., 7th/Spring), and use the other station for one-stop transfers. Rather than building stations only in already-well-served Flower and Hill Streets.
If not able to put it elevated on Alameda to Union Station(which would be cost effective and low risk).
Then take it to Pershing Square and possibly 4/5th and Flower. Building a station box under Pershing Square would be cheaper than at Civic Center or 7th/Metro center because of the parking garage under the ‘park.’
The issue with Alameda is that Little Tokyo is against more rail construction in any form really. They’ve dealt with a lot of construction impacts ever since the Eastside Gold Line extension.
I’m all for a connection with Pershing or 5th and Flower.
The Northern routing of this line must be ending at 7th st./Metro Center as this is in the core area of Downtown Los Angeles. By ending there it would be an easy transfer to The Red, Purple, Gold or Blue lines.
If you were to terminate this line anywhere else, except Union Station, many of these connections would be lost. For instance, if you were to terminate it in the “Arts District”, you would have ONLY the Red/Purple line and would loose all the other benifits of really going Downtown Los Angeles. Additionally, by ending at the 7th St./Metro Center, you have many connecting bus lines, you have several Dash Lines, as well as, a great number of business’ and office buildings. All of which the “Arts District” doesn’t have. It’s out in the middle of nowhere!
Agreed – the new 7th Street LRT subway needs to terminate at 7th/Metro. On its own set of platforms of course (not sharing with Blue/Expo), probably under Wilshire/Flower parallel to the Red Line. Second stop at 7th/Spring. Another stop at 7th/Alameda.
The main goal is to create connections with the other rail lines. Conceivably, WSAB would have a connection with Blue at Washington, Red/Purple at Pershing Square and the Regional Connector at an infill station at 5th/Flower.
7th and Metro is already the busiest station in the system. When the Regional Connector goes through, that station could be bursting at the seams. Even if there was capacity, they’d have build very deep to go under both the connector and subway. Not good for security or convenience.
Spreading the connections downtown makes sense and creates a better integrated system.
The Downtown Transit Core 1 is very similar to ending at 7th/Metro, because it could meet up with the station that was cancelled on the Regional Connector at 5th and Flower, which as far as I can tell has a station box built as part of the TBM extraction. This would also help alleviate some stress on 7th/Metro as passengers heading north/east would have a second station alternative. Steve Hymon do you know what would be required to complete the 5th/Flower station? I think that would be interesting information to have at these community meetings, even though it would not technically be a part of this project.
Agreed. It’s time to expand the 7th/Metro station with a box at 5th/Flower and a connecting structure to tie it all together. The FiDi would really become the supercenter it’s been trying so hard to be.