Walk past the fences at Westlake/MacArthur Park (WLMP) Station, and we understand what it might look like. To some, it feels like it’s on lockdown, but we haven’t given up on this station.
Not in this neighborhood. And not on the more than 12,500 riders who rely on Metro Rail and the six bus lines that serve the Westlake/MacArthur Park area every day. We’re here because this community deserves better.
Back in 2022, Westlake/MacArthur Park Station was in crisis. Riders told us they didn’t feel safe. They saw drug use, loitering, vandalism, and people misusing the space. We knew we had to act fast.
“This is one of the busiest stations in our system,” said Stephen Tu, Metro’s Deputy Executive Officer of Station Experience. “It’s surrounded by schools, businesses, and families. We needed to restore proper activity, and make the station feel like a safe and welcoming place.”
That’s why, in early 2023, Metro launched a recovery effort to bring safety, cleanliness, and a better experience for riders back to Westlake/MacArthur Park Station. And while we know there’s still more to do, we’ve already made meaningful progress.
A station that feels safer and brighter
We started by improving the basics—lighting, air, and navigation. Here is what you can see:
- Brighter lights have been installed throughout the station, especially at the ends of the platform where it used to be darker. The outdated fluorescent bulbs were replaced with long-lasting, energy-efficient LED lighting, significantly improving visibility from the concourse down the platform.
- Fresh air circulating underground thanks to new ventilators that help reduce odors and make it more comfortable for everyone waiting for their trains.
- Classical music playing softly throughout the station, creating a calmer, more welcoming space. “I feel more relaxed when I hear it,” one rider told us.
- Upgraded CCTV cameras in 4K that allow us to monitor our stations more effectively so that we can respond faster when help is needed.
- The installation of a much-needed restroom. A year and a half ago, we placed a portable unit called Throne at WLMP plaza, and it has been heavily used –with more than 32,000 visits to date.
- New signage, modeled after those used in large venues, that helps riders navigate the station more clearly and confidently.
- Tactical partitions on emergency exits are helping reduce misuse and ensure proper use of the gates. In the past, some individuals would press the emergency bar to enter without tapping a fare. The new partitions are designed to prevent this, making sure emergency exits are used only as intended.
- Sealing off underused areas, like the old tunnel in the mezzanine area and the former pay phone spots near the escalators. This has curbed a lot of inappropriate activity. The tunnel is now being used for construction staging as we prepare for the next round of station upgrades.
- New benches that are easier to clean and more comfortable for parents, seniors, and anyone who needs to sit and rest.
- Painted fences and new ivy banners outside the station to make the environment feel more welcoming.
“We know this is a resilient community—one that has faced tough societal challenges. That’s why we acted quickly, putting people first,” says Tu.
These actions have made a difference. Between January and April of this year, violent crime at WLMP dropped by 48% compared to the same period in 2022. Property crime saw an even bigger decline, dropping by more than 71%.
A cleaner station, all day, every day
These upgrades wouldn’t matter without the people making them shine.
Chris Limon, Metro’s Executive Officer of Operations, knows what it takes to keep a busy station like WLMP clean. That’s why we have increased the number of custodians working at WLMP from one to three per shift. You’ll find them cleaning the station all three shifts, seven days a week.
The team deep-cleans interior floors daily and power-washes the plaza, sidewalks, and parking area three nights a week.
“Our team also is out here wiping handrails, mopping elevators, scrubbing the ticket machines, power-washing the sidewalks,” Limon said. “Every shift, we’re doing something to keep it clean and safe.”
Limon’s team is also testing new solutions, such as barrier-resistant trash cans that make it harder for people to dig through garbage and cause dangerous spills on the platform and tracks. “It helps keep our floors and tracks cleaner and safer,” Limon added. “When the station looks good, people treat it better.”
Metro is also testing new cleaning products tailored for elevators that kill 99% of germs and help neutralize odors. This has made the space feel cleaner and more comfortable for everyone.
“When the station looks good, people treat it better,” said Limon. “We’ve seen real changes in how people use the space.”
What’s next for WLMP?
With safety and cleanliness improving, we’re turning our attention to other long-term upgrades:
- A simpler, safer station entrance. WLMP Station opened in 1993 with four separated turnstile areas. We sealed off two of them, and later this year, we will make things even easier by moving to one clear, accessible entrance. It’s all part of making your ride smoother and the station easier to navigate. Stay tuned!
- Taller, next-generation fare gates to help reduce fare evasion and improve the experience for paying riders.
What riders are telling Us
But don’t take it from us. Take it from our riders who are using the station every day. Here is some of their feedback:
“I like to see that the station and the plaza area are cleaner… I also see more officers, and I feel safer and more comfortable,” – Mirian Rivera, a rider who’s been using Metro for the past three years.
“The [WLMP] station is more organized in the way people come in and out, and the Metro employees are very helpful too. I appreciate that security deescalates situations with unhoused individuals,” — Jonathan Rivas, who recently moved back to the WLMP area and has been riding Metro for the past year.
“I’ve noticed people not hanging around as much anymore.” – Rolando Becker, who uses Metro to go to work and visit friends.
“Now, I feel a nice breeze coming through. I’ve also seen more lighting, less garbage, and fewer problems around the train area. I’m pretty satisfied [with the changes],” — David Rusell, who has lived in the WLMP area for 30 years.
We’re making this station cleaner, brighter, better for everyone—because the work is much more than the trains and platforms. It’s about people. This station belongs to the mom getting her kids to school, the worker coming home from the night shift, and the senior heading to a doctor’s appointment. This station doesn’t belong to Metro. This station belongs to you.
That’s why you can now see posters throughout WLMP station that tell you what’s behind this effort. We’re doing this for YOU. While we still have more work to do, we’re proud of the strides we’ve taken, and we aren’t giving up.
Let’s keep building a better WLMP station—together.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Every station needs to be like this, otherwise, whats the point of having a system?
It was the last stop for MOS1 yet after all these years there still isn’t a Mixed Use Development that is sorely needed at this location. The only other stations that comes to mind that don’t have a Mixed Used Development is Vermont and Beverly and the terminus at the North Hollywood Station. Not only would the quality of life improve for the neighborhood but it would provide much needed low cost housing.
Let’s not gaslight riders by telling them the classical music is there to be calming. It was one of the first elements rolled out with the fences to make the station experience uncomfortable to people spending extended time in the station. And now people have left the stations and the riders are left to suffer with the noise pollution, trying to find the spot furthest from the speakers while waiting out long headways.
What sort of clod uses classical music as a weapon?
If they really want to drive people away from hanging around the station, why don’t they go with the obvious, considering the station name, MacArthur Park? Certainly Richard Harris’ rendition will clear the station of everybody.
🤦♂️🚙 Jeez Louise, if only the effort that was put into ensuring everyone pays for metro was put into restoring what all was replaced for all the reduced bus route services with shorter and less frequent times as well, I wouldn’t need this 🔑🤦♂️
& ironic that you also need a phone to use the restroom at least that’ll help, tired of seeing homeless run around when we pay for metro Micro and other buses, still need more routes and services bro, I don’t mean to be that guy but it don’t matter to me, I already got a car.
It’s nice to see that Metro knows what went wrong and is willing to take appropriate action to help address the problem.
Every station should be clean and patrolled. It’s crazy how we have spent billions of dollars building the system and yet maintaining it and running adequate service schedules are such a problem.
Run more trains more often. 20 minutes is not acceptable. Invest in cleaning and maintenance.
Metro has made major progress in fixing things up. In-sourcing security has really helped.
Let’s do a check in a few weeks later. The ivy banners have fallen/been spray painted and are filthy. The new seating is ugly metal wire that looks like they folded a fence. (Why doesn’t Metro ever consider esthetics?) That are just as many homeless as ever and as soon as you step out of the station, the plaza is filthy and smells. It is filled with vagrants and unsavory types trying to buy stolen goods from said vagrants and Metro police LAPD and the City of LA seem to not care. Thanks for the love Metro!
Thanks for your dedicated efforts. Good to have officers and monitors at the station, but they are also needed in the train cars because I’ve noticed that’s where bad behavior and rule-breaking happens and “if you see something, say something” is meaningless as nobody wants to stick their neck out.