Home > Projects & Programs > Regional Connector Transit Corridor


Regional Connector Transit Corridor


Overview

Metro is conducting an environmental review of the Regional Connector Transit Corridor, a project that would create an almost 2-mile transit link between the Metro Gold Line, Metro Blue Line and Expo light rail transit (LRT) systems through Downtown Los Angeles. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIS/EIR) will be released for public review in late summer 2010.

The Regional Connector will connect the Metro Gold Line, Blue Line and Expo Line enabling passengers to travel from Azusa to Long Beach and from the Eastside to Culver City. By providing continuous through service between these lines, the Regional Connector will improve access to both local and regional destinations – and help create a true transportation network for the region.

The Regional Connector will receive partial funding from Measure R, the half-cent sales tax increase approved by voters in November 2008.



Benefits

By linking several LRT systems through Downtown Los Angeles, the Regional Connector increases regional mobility by providing access to new destinations for transit riders.

The Regional Connector will:

  • Enhance Metro Rail service by providing one continuous trip between Azusa and Long Beach, and between the Eastside and Culver City. Specifically, this project creates two regional LRT lines for LA County:
    • a 50-mile north/south LRT line from Pasadena (and in future Azusa) to Long Beach, and
    • a 25 mile east/west LRT line from East Los Angeles (and in future the I-605 freeway) to Culver City and eventually Santa Monica
  • Provides access to 90,000 passengers daily, including 17,000 new transit riders.
  • Minimizes the need for transfers, reducing one-way light rail trips across the County by 10 - 20 minutes or more.
  • Improves 11 intersections, including at 1st/Alameda Streets, which will see improved performance and less congestion.
  • Reduces station crowding, especially at peak hours.
  • Provides new access to downtown attractions as well as regional destinations.

The Regional Connector will enable all LA County rail and bus transit, as well as all intercity transit service to operate more efficiently and attract higher ridership, thus reducing congestion, improving air quality and lessening our carbon footprint.



The Process

Where We Are in the Process

In 2007, Metro initiated an Alternatives Analysis (AA) Study which identified and analyzed 33 routes for the Regional Connector. After technical analysis and extensive community input, the study yielded two "build" alternatives which utilize Light Rail Transit (LRT) technology as well as two required alternatives, the No-Build and Transportation System Management alternatives.

In early 2009, these four alternatives were authorized by the Metro Board of Directors for further study in the next phase, the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Report (Draft EIS/EIR). During this environmental phase, the Metro Board added a fifth alternative in response to community input. The alternatives currently under analysis in the Draft EIS/EIR include the following alternatives:

  • Fully Underground LRT
  • At-Grade Emphasis LRT
  • Underground Emphasis LRT
  • No-Build
  • Transportation System Management (TSM)

During the Draft EIS/EIR process, Metro will further refine the project alternatives (including alignments and station locations), assess the potential impacts of the alternatives and address possible mitigation measures. We will also consider the cost effectiveness of the alternatives as well as funding options for constructing the project.

At the conclusion of the Draft EIS/EIR process in late 2010, the Metro Board will recommend a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) which will identify the project to move forward into the Final EIS/EIR process. Metro and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will be preparing a joint document that meets the requirements of both the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Summary of Environmental Process
Date Milestone
2007  October: Alternatives Analysis Study initiated & Early Scoping Meetings completed
2008 February: Community Update Meetings held
October: Public Hearings for Alternatives Analysis phase completed
2009 January: Alternatives Analysis approved by Metro Board of Directors & Draft EIS/EIR initiated
March/April: Scoping Meetings held
June: Urban Design Working Group meetings initiated
September: Little Tokyo Working Group meetings began
November: Community Update Meetings held
Winter: Additional Build Alternative added
2010 Draft EIS/EIR continues
Little Tokyo Working Group meetings ongoing
April: Community Update Meetings held
Anticipated:
August: Release of Draft EIS/EIR
September: Public Hearings scheduled to receive formal comment
November: Metro Board of Director Meeting
  • Identify Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA)
  • Identify Candidate Mitigation Measures
Winter: Begin Preliminary Engineering
2011 Anticipated:
Completion of Final EIS/EIR
Public Hearings
Metro Board of Director Meeting
–LPA Recommended for Adoption
–Mitigation Monitoring Program Adopted
2012 - 2013 Anticipated:
Stakeholder Meetings
Final Design
2014 – 2019 Anticipated:
Construction
2019 Anticipated:
Regional Connector Opens



  • <p>Regional Connector Community Update Meeting held at the Japanese  American National  Museum located in Little Tokyo.</p>
    Community Update Meeting- April 2010 (8)


View More Galleries
Regional Connector Transit Corridor 01
 

Regional Connector Transit Corridor 02
 

Regional Connector Transit Corridor 03
 

Regional Connector Transit Corridor 04
 

Regional Connector Transit Corridor 05
 

Regional Connector Transit Corridor 06
 

Regional Connector Transit Corridor 07
 

Regional Connector Transit Corridor 08
 


Showing the latest posts relating to: Regional Connector Transit Corridor

Officials celebrate Metro Rail’s 20th anniversary

Posted by Steve Hymon on July 23, 2010 12:09 pm
Supervisor Don Knabe, who is also the Chairman of the Metro Board of Driectors, talks about the future of Metro Rail on Friday morning.Metro officials gathered Friday morning near a Blue Line station ...

The future of Metro rail

Posted by Steve Hymon on July 15, 2010 8:50 am
We’ve spent plenty of time looking back, with this past Wednesday being the 20th anniversary of the Blue Line and the birth of Metro Rail. I wanted to look forward today and provide a quick ...

Foothill Extension event Saturday morning in Arcadia

Posted by Steve Hymon on June 25, 2010 10:12 am
The ceremonial groundbreaking for the Gold Line Foothill Extension is tomorrow at 10 a.m. at Newcastle Park (101 Colorado Blvd.) in Arcadia. The event is open to the public and several public ...

Dump the Pump!, so says public officials

Posted by Steve Hymon on June 17, 2010 1:05 pm
Metro planner James Rojas explains a transportation model of Los Angeles at the Dump the Pump event at Union Station. Photo by Juan Ocampo. If you haven’t Dumped the Pump yet there’s ...

Feds Endorse 30/10 Initiative

Posted by Dave Sotero on June 4, 2010 4:54 pm
Senator Barbara Boxer announces federal support for 30/10 Initiative, subway extension at ULI Conference in Hollywood.Setting the stage for major federal funding to flow into Los Angeles, Senator ...

Wilshire bus lane study to be released next week

Posted by Steve Hymon on June 2, 2010 4:09 pm
The map shows two of the alignments reviewed by the draft environmental study to be released next week. The alternative has three major differences.The long-sought project to add a bus lane to 9.5 ...

Federal Transit Administration chief: ‘Paint is cheap, rails systems are extremely expensive’

Posted by Steve Hymon on May 20, 2010 10:45 am
FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff. Photo credit: U.S. Department of Transportation.In Wednesday’s transpo headlines, we had an item about a speech that Federal Transit Administration chief Peter ...

Reader poll: what color should the Expo Line be?

Posted by Fred Camino on April 30, 2010 2:47 pm
View PollAs the project that is officially known as the Metro Rail Exposition Corridor (MREC) to Culver City, Phase 1 – informally referred to as the Expo Line – inches towards completion, an ...

Reminder: Regional Connector meeting live stream starts at noon today

Posted by Fred Camino on April 9, 2010 10:30 am
Point your browser to the Regional Connector’s Ustream channel (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/regional-connector-community-update-meeting) today at noon to watch today’s Community Update ...

ExpressLanes project to go design-build

Posted by Steve Hymon on April 8, 2010 3:40 pm
This is one of those things that probably won’t cause too much excitement although it’s seemingly good news in a wonky kind of way.Caltrans has received permission from the state to ...

Follow This Project:
  • Get e-mail updates
  • Get updates at facebook.com/search/?q=regional+connector&init=quick#/group.php?gid=39632681647&ref=search&sid=1484832621.2795845571..1


Do you have a question about the study, want more information, or want to be added to our database? You can also contact us about scheduling a presentation for your organization.

Here’s how you can send us your views, questions or requests:

Online: Complete our electronic Comment/Question Form, or email
Tel: 213.922.7277
Phone messages are retrieved at least once every business day.
Email: regionalconnector@metro.net