The Metro Regional Connector Project extends from the Metro Gold Line Little Tokyo/Arts District Station to the 7th Street/Metro Center Station in downtown Los Angeles, allowing passengers to transfer to Blue, Expo, Red and Purple Lines, bypassing Union Station. The 1.9-mile alignment will serve Little Tokyo, the Arts District, Civic Center, The Historic Core, Broadway, Grand Av, Bunker Hill, Flower St and the Financial District.
This new Metro Rail extension will also provide a one-seat ride for travel across Los Angeles County. From the Metro Gold Line, passengers will be able to travel from Azusa to Long Beach and from East Los Angeles to Santa Monica without transferring lines.
The Regional Connector will improve access to both local and regional destinations by providing continuous thru service between these lines and providing connectors to other rail lines via the 7th St/Metro Center Station.
The new Metro Rail extension will offer an alternative transportation option to congested roadways and provide significant environmental benefits, economic development, and employment opportunities throughout Los Angeles County.
Project at a Glance
- A 1.9-mile underground light-rail system connecting the Metro Gold Line to the 7th Street/Metro Center Station
- Direct connection between Azusa and Long Beach and between East Los Angeles and Santa Monica
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Three new stations:
- Little Tokyo/Arts District Station – 1st St/Central Av
- Historic Broadway Station – 2nd St/Broadway
- Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill Station – 2nd Pl/Hope St
- All stations include public art components and provide convenient and safe access
- Project Budget: $1.756 Billion
- Forecasted opening: 2022
The Regional Connector Project receives partial funding from Measure R, which is a half-cent sales tax increase approved by voters in 2008.
The Regional Connector Transit Project will greatly improve connectivity across the region’s transportation network and welcome residents and tourists alike to three distinct districts within Downtown Los Angeles. Read more about each destination below.
Little Tokyo/Arts District Station

The Little Tokyo/Arts District Station, currently an at-grade Gold Line station located at the intersection of 1st and Alameda streets, will be moved underground and across the street to the southeast corner of 1st St and Central Av as part of the Regional Connector Transit Project. The station, bordering the two neighborhoods of Little Tokyo and the Arts District, will make these historically rich and vibrant neighborhoods easily accessible.
As one of the three remaining Japantowns in the United States, Little Tokyo offers a unique cultural experience for the whole family. This Gold Line destination introduces the public to traditional and contemporary Japanese culture through vibrant festivals, historical tours, exhibitions, performances and more. This neighborhood lies within a nationally recognized historic district and has been an important piece of LA’s history since it’s beginning. Walk down the brick-lined streets and explore small family owned businesses offering authentic cuisines and one of a kind retail. The neighborhood's local museums and cultural centers are the heart of this community and present unique artistic and cultural programming to the visitors every day.
Attractions:
- Aratani Theater
- Art Share L.A.
- Go For Broke Monument
- Historic Churches and Buddhist Temples
- Honda Plaza
- Japanese American Cultural and Community Center
- Japanese American National Museum
- Japanese Village Plaza
- Little Tokyo Public Library
- MOCA at Geffen Contemporary
- Southern California Institute of Architecture
- Weller Court
Since the 1970’s, this once gritty industrial district has evolved to an urban destination with arts at its roots. Galleries, small boutiques, socially conscious retailers, breweries and restaurants, lie amidst a stretch of early 20th-century warehouse lined blocks that introduce passersby to murals by local and international artists. Visitors can walk south just a few blocks from Metro’s Gold Line’s Little Tokyo/Arts District station and decide upon a guided historical tour, view street art, visit a contemporary gallery, take a hike to a local breweries, shop at an arts’ inspired boutique, or bring the family to the Saturday Farmer’s Market.
With the Regional Connector’s direct connection across Los Angeles County, residents from Azusa, Santa Monica, East Los Angeles and Long Beach will easily access downtown Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo and Arts District communities contributing to the thousands of visitors flowing each day into these two neighborhoods.
Attractions:
- Arts District Farmers Market
- Hauser Wirth and Schimmel
- Angel City Brewery

The rich history of the birth of downtown Los Angeles surrounds the location of the new Historic Broadway Station. The streets of historic downtown Los Angeles include two nationally registered districts: The Broadway Theater District, which includes the remnants of 12 theaters within seven blocks, and Old Spring Street, which is known as the original Financial District of Downtown Los Angeles. Broadway is one of the oldest streets in the city and it was laid out as part of the 1849 street plan. Broadway was also the home to streetcars, which were heavily utilized by shoppers and workers between 1901 and 1963.
The Historic Core Downtown and the Civic Center areas combined contain the second largest concentration of government employees in the United States outside Washington, D.C. The new station will be the hub for both government employees and tourists alike. With the connectivity to downtown, a visitor can hop on the train and go to the Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill Station to visit the cultural hub of downtown Los Angeles or to the Little Tokyo/Arts District Station to visit historic Little Tokyo.
With the Regional Connector’s direct connection across Los Angeles County, residents from Azusa, Santa Monica, East Los Angeles and Long Beach can easily access downtown Los Angeles’ government services or nearby destinations.
Attractions:
- City of Los Angeles City Hall
- Angelus Plaza
- Caltrans District 7 and Los Angeles Department of Transportation
- Downtown Independent Cinema
- Federal Courthouse
- Grand Park
- Historic Broadway Corridor
- LA Law Library
- Los Angeles Police Department Headquarters
- Times Building
Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill Station

The new Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill Station will sit a block west of Grand Ave surrounded by nationally recognized performing arts centers and museums. Besides these cultural assets, the area remains a job and residential center for thousands of Angelenos. The area traditionally known as Bunker Hill draws thousands of local visitors, as well as tourists from all over the world.
Bunker Hill has a rich history from its inception in 1867 and its revitalization, beginning in 1955, which populated Bunker Hill with modern plazas and buildings. The resurgence of Bunker Hill in recent years grew from the construction of public venues, such as the Walt Disney Concert Hall , the Museum of Contemporary Art and more recently, The Broad Museum.
With the completion of the Regional Connector’s Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill two-story station, visitors can hop on the train and exit at the footsteps of these popular venues.
With Regional Connector’s direct connection across Los Angeles County, residents from Azusa, Santa Monica, East Los Angeles and Long Beach can easily access Downtown Los Angeles’ cultural hub and surrounding destinations.
Attractions:
- Ahmanson Theater
- California Plaza
- Colburn School of Performing Arts
- Department of Water and Power Headquarters
- Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
- Ketchum YMCA
- Mark Taper Forum
- Museum of Contemporary Art
- Redcat Theater
- Stanley Mosk Los Angeles County Court House
- The Broad Museum
- Walt Disney Concert Hall
- World Trade Center
Existing 7th/Metro Center Station (Flower St/Financial District)
The 7th St/Metro Center, one of the most utilized Metro Rail stations, serves thousands of workers in the Financial District. With the completion of the Regional Connector, the 7th St/Metro Center will no longer be a terminus for the Long Beach Blue Line and the Culver City Expo Line but will offer an opportunity to save 20 minutes for those commuting by rail across Los Angeles County. The Regional Connector will also relieve station crowding with its direct access to centralized stations such as Little Tokyo/Arts District, Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill and Historic Broadway.
With Regional Connector’s connection across Los Angeles County, residents from Azusa, Santa Monica, East Los Angeles and Long Beach can easily access downtown Los Angeles’ Financial District and surrounding destinations.
Attractions:
- FIGat7th
- California Club
- Citigroup Center
- City National Plaza
- The Bloc Downtown
- Maguire Gardens
- Richard J. Riordan Central Library
- Sheraton Hotel
- The Standard Hotel
- The Westin Bonaventure Hotel
- Wilshire Grand Hotel (under construction)
Regional Connector Project Hotline
T: 213-922.7277
regionalconnector@metro.net
Regional Connector Community Office Little Tokyo
360 E. 1st St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Hours: Mondays: 10am to 5pm
Tuesdays & Thursdays: 1pm to 5pm
Wednesdays & Fridays: By appointment
To make an appointment call 213.922.7277 or email
regionalconnector@metro.net
Construction Relations Team
Olga N. Arroyo
Construction Relations Manager
Tel: 213.893.7115
ArroyoO@metro.net
Juan Carlos Montenegro
Sr. Construction Relations Officer
Tel: 213.893.7196
MontenegroJC@metro.net
Abraham Jurado
Community Relations Officer
Tel: 213.893.7141
juradoa@metro.net
Community Relations/Community Leadership Council Team
Jeanmarie Hance
Community Relations Manager
Tel: 213.613.1632
HanceJ@metro.net
Wendy Cardona
Community Relations Officer
Tel: 213.893.7122
CardonaW@metro.net
Media Relations
Rick Jager
Communications Manager
Tel: 213.922.2707
JagerR@metro.net
Construction Notices
Get construction updates on Twitter
Start Date | Notice Brief | More Info |
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04/02/2021 |
Historic Broadway Station Concrete Placement Area: 2nd/Broadway Station Concrete placement for the Historic Broadway Station |
More information about Historic Broadway Station Concrete Placement in HTML format |
04/02/2021 |
Bikes prohibited on westbound 1st St, between Vignes and Alameda St Area: 1st/Central Station Area Bikes prohibited on westbound 1st St, between Vignes and Alameda St, through 2022 |
More information about Bikes prohibited on westbound 1st St, between Vignes and Alameda St in HTML format |
04/01/2021 |
1st and Central Concrete Placement Area: 1st/Central Station Concrete placement for the Little Tokyo/Arts District station |
More information about 1st and Central Concrete Placement in HTML format |
04/01/2021 |
Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill Station Concrete Placement Area: 2nd/Hope Station Concrete placement scheduled for the following dates*, weather permitting, starting as early as 3 am. Sound mitigations will be in place. |
More information about Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill Station Concrete Placement in HTML format |
03/23/2021 |
Flower St Construction activities Area: Flower St/Financial District Construction activities on Flower St in downtown LA |
More information about Flower St Construction activities in HTML format |
03/20/2021 |
Hope St Deck Removal & Pedestrian Bridge Construction Area: Hope St between GTK Way and 2nd St Regional Connector Constructors (RCC) will continue with an extended closure of Hope St between 2nd St and 3rd St to allow for deck removal, utility relocation, and pedestrian bridge construction. The closure will be in place for approximately three months. |
More information about Hope St Deck Removal & Pedestrian Bridge Construction in HTML format |
03/20/2021 |
1st St Portal Excavation Area: (WB) 1st St between Vignes and Alameda Regional Connector Constructors (RCC) will implement a lane reduction on westbound (WB) 1st St between Vignes and Alameda to continue 1st portal excavation. |
More information about 1st St Portal Excavation in HTML format |
03/05/2021 |
Flower St Decking Removal Area: Flower St, between 4th St and 5th St Regional Connector Constructors (RCC) will begin removal of temporary concrete deck panels on Flower St, between 4th St and 5th St. Work is anticipated to begin as early as Friday, March 5, 2021 and continue for approximately sixteen weekends. Work hours, weather permitting, are Fridays, 7 pm, to Mondays, 5 am. |
More information about Flower St Decking Removal in HTML format |
01/29/2021 |
Trainway Communications Line Area: Financial District The Regional Connector Constructors (RCC) will continue construction on a train communications line on Flower St and 7th St, to tie the Regional Connector Transit Project to the existing station at 7th/Metro Center. |
More information about Trainway Communications Line in HTML format |
01/29/2021 |
Alameda Tunnel Box Construction Area: Temple St, east of Alameda St Closure Regional Connector Constructors (RCC) will implement an extended closure of Temple St between Alameda St and Garey St for the construction of the Alameda Tunnel Box. The 24/7 closure is anticipated to begin on Friday, January 29, 2021 at 7pm and continue for approximately six months. |
More information about Alameda Tunnel Box Construction in HTML format |
10/04/2020 |
Historic Broadway Station Street Restoration Area: 2nd St, Broadway and Spring St Regional Connector Constructors (RCC) will implement an extended closure of 2nd St between Spring St and Broadway for deck removal and street restoration, from Fall 2020 to Summer 2021. |
More information about Historic Broadway Station Street Restoration in HTML format |
08/01/2020 |
Fall 2020 Regional Connector Area: Little Tokyo/Arts District Station Construction The Little Tokyo/Arts District Metro Transit Station will be demolished, and replaced with a new station, located on the Regional Connector alignment. |
More information about Fall 2020 Regional Connector in HTML format |
04/01/2020 |
Backfill Material Delivery on Flower St Area: Flower St, between 4th and 5th St Work is now through March 2021, with backfill material delivery and other pre-restoration work planned for Flower St, between 4th St and 6th St. |
More information about Backfill Material Delivery on Flower St in HTML format |
05/01/2019 |
Street Closures and Detours Area: Regional Connector: Street Closures and Detours Regional Connector: Review the real-time map and longer term street impacts. |
More information about Street Closures and Detours in HTML format |
09/14/2018 |
Concrete placement on Flower St Area: Flower Street/Financial District Concrete placement for the connection into 7th/Metro Center |
More information about Concrete placement on Flower St in HTML format |
08/04/2017 |
2nd/Hope Station Yard Activities Area: 2nd/Hope Station Regional Connector Constructors (RCC) will continue to perform construction activities at the 2nd/Hope Station Yard. Work is anticipated to continue through Summer 2021. |
More information about 2nd/Hope Station Yard Activities in HTML format |