|
 |
September
26, 2002 |
|
MTA
Expands Bicycle Access on Metro Rail Effective Oct. 29 The
MTA Board of Directors today approved a plan to expand bicycle access to
all Metro Rail trains to aid patrons who use their bicycles in their daily
commutes while also riding the Metro Rail system. “Linking
bicycle transportation to transit is beneficial to the region and adds
flexibility to longer trips taken,” said MTA Board Chairman Hal Bernson.
“MTA remains committed to providing transportation choices that replace
automobile trips and create a more bike-friendly system.” Under
the revised MTA Bike on Rail Policy adopted by the Board, patrons using
bicycles will no longer need to have a permit to board Metro Rail trains
with their bikes. In
addition, the hours of bike restrictions on Metro Rail trains will be
reduced by one hour in the morning peak periods and two hours in the
afternoon peak periods. The new hours of restrictions that call for no
bikes on Metro Rail trains will be from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 4:30
p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Current hours are from 6-9 a.m. and 3-7 p.m.) Also
under the new policy, MTA will allow bikes on Metro Rail trains in the
reverse peak hour commute when trains are moving in a direction opposite
the majority flow of commuter traffic on the Metro Blue and Green lines as
well as the Los Angeles to Pasadena Metro Gold line opening in “This is a big step in the right
direction for the MTA that will help make Los Angeles County an even
better place to bicycle,” said Ron Milam, executive director of the Los
Angeles County Bicycle Coalition. On
the Metro Red Line subway system, bikes will be allowed at all times
between Wilshire/Vermont and North Hollywood, or between Wilshire/Vermont
and Wilshire Western. The new Bike on Rail Policy goes into effect Oct.
29, 2002. Bikes
will remain restricted on the Metro Red Line during the new peak hours of
operation in both directions between Wilshire/Vermont and Union Station. “A
significant step has been make by MTA in fulfilling one of the agency’s
Long Range Plan goals to increase bicycle ridership by improving the
connections between bikes and transit,” said MTA Bikeway Project Manager
Lynn Goldsmith. “This is something we want to encourage more and more in
our future planning.” The
expansion of hours included in the new Bike on Rail Policy adopted has
been a cooperative effort between the MTA Board of Directors, staff and
biker’s to make the Metro Rail system more “bike friendly.” MTA
must restrict patrons with bikes on trains due to the heavy commuting
patterns in both morning and afternoon peak periods and the overcrowding
that has occurred over the past few years on Metro Rail trains,
especially, the highly successful Metro Blue Line that runs between Long
Beach and downtown Los Angeles. MTA
in the past has required patrons boarding Metro Rail trains to have a
permit. Some 8,500 bikers hold MTA Cycle Express permits. The agency
receives between 1,500 and 2,000 applications for bike permits a year. For
complete Metro route and schedule information, visit MTA’s web MTA-087 |
|