New Blue Improvements Project update: info about the north closure bus shuttle service

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Construction and station improvements on the south segment of the Blue Line are in the final stages. Though the Blue Line will remain out of service between 103rd St/Watts Towers and Downtown Long Beach through end of May, test trains are now running through the area. Please be alert and keep safe!

Heading in to May, here are some key dates to know:

Bus shuttles will be provided during the north closure, and we’ll have more detailed maps and timetables of the new shuttle lines soon. The Blue Line 860 Express shuttle will continue during the north closure with the same bus stop locations, hours and frequencies.

The New Blue Improvements Project aims to bring the Blue Line — Metro’s oldest light rail line and busiest — up to the modern specifications of our new rail lines. The idea is to reduce the number of delays and make the Blue Line far more reliable than it has been in recent years.

Categories: Policy & Funding, Projects, Service Alerts

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11 replies ›

  1. Please keep the 860 shuttle at least during rush hour – there is too much riff raff on the train and its always disgusting by the time we go home – we should be able to have a business car section during rush hour where no carts are allowed and we don’t have to worry about sitting on seats that people used as their personal toilet – especially since we have to feel with our hands if the seats are wet – its disgusting – I’d be willing to pay more to keep that 860 shuttle or a business car

  2. 860 hours need to be expanded greatly during the northern closure or 863 needs to be a full time service with comparable hours to the 864 since the northern closure covers a MUCH longer distance than the southern closure (much of which was already train street running). Later weeknight/all day weekend commutes are going to be MUCH longer and more inconvenient for the riders that remain

  3. During the northern closure, will the Regional Connector also see some work at 7th/Metro?

  4. I am actually favoring the current shuttle buses that are in operation serving passengers from Long Beach to 103rd Street/Watts Towers. The extended 862 shuttle buses serving all stops along the Metro Blue Line including the 861 and 860, I feel as though I am getting to my job on time now with these shuttle buses running so frequent vs. the Metro Blue Line where one may have to wait up to 20 minutes for the next train to arrive. I really wish there were a way to keep these shuttle buses in service even after the Metro Blue Line resume service, southern segment.

  5. Please keep and expand the 860. Every weekend I have to get from Venice/Santa Monica to Belmont Shore in Long Beach. It’s an insanely long 3 hour tour since the 860 doesn’t start until 10A and I have to suffer the BL to the god awful 862 which takes for effing ever. 1) Any plans to keep the 860 in service once all the repairs are done? 2) Please find a way to get me from SM to LB in 90.

    • 90 min from LB to SM ain’t happening unless 1) build a rail line to Santa Monica via Torrance and LAX or #2: Implement Express Service on both the Blue and Expo Line (Hint – the infrastructure currently isn’t there for it).

  6. So 60 days of Expo Line closure instead of the 45 days as Originally advertised?? Got it, I’ll make sure to avoid the Expo Line altogether until then.

  7. Where will the 856, 863, and 864 buses pick up passengers in Downtown LA? The North side of 7th and Flower is obscenely overcrowded from the 860 alone, and the South side of 7th and Flower already has the Silver Line and multiple Commuter Express buses. I’m hoping Metro knows they will need to find 2 to 3 more blocks for the new buses to load up on, otherwise it’s going to be a nightmare.

    • Hi Bob —

      We’ll have more info on the bus stops as we get closer to the northern closures.

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Source

  8. Here is my best positive spin: this Blue Line outage makes a guy appreciate how things used to be, back when the entire line was actually up and running.

    Life was so much easier when I could just get on the train and ride, rather than spending over an hour getting to Watts and then transferring just to get to work.

    I really hope the big issues are getting fixed, so it will all be worth it.

  9. I didn’t expect the south segment to be almost done. It was like they started yesterday.