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Public Invited for Update on Regional Connector Plans

By Eric Richardson
Published: Monday, June 20, 2011, at 12:57PM
Regional Connector Render: 2nd Street Looking West Metro

An early Regional Connector rendering shows the planned 2nd and Broadway station at its original location near Los Angeles Street.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — A new round of public meetings kicks off on Tuesday for the Regional Connector, the two miles of underground track intended to connect Metro's light rail lines through Downtown.

The agency's board approved the $1.3-billion project and its draft environmental documents back in October, but the plans weren't without their controversy. Particularly at issue was the agency's decision to drop a planned station at 5th and Flower for budget reasons.

The new updates will bring the public up to speed on Metro's plans for connecting users who would have been served by the defunct station. Efforts are likely to include widened sidewalks on Flower north of the 7th and Metro station, and potentially a new station portal at 6th Street.

Also new since the October decision is design sketches for the Broad art museum, which includes a plaza that would wrap around the structure and would need to be integrated with the proposed Regional Connector station at 2nd and Hope.

Little Tokyo, the community that had been most vocal during Regional Connector planning, got a preview of changes to its part of the rail line in January. The refined 1st and Alameda station takes up only half the space of the previous design, fitting into the northern half of the block bounded by 1st, Alameda, 2nd and Central. More importantly, it creates a gentle curve onto 2nd Street that could allow Metro to use open land at 1st and Alameda to insert the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) needed for construction of the underground line.

The Regional Connector would create an entirely underground link between the Blue Line's current terminus at 7th and Metro and the Gold Line's tracks at 1st and Alameda, adding stations at 2nd/Hope and 2nd/Broadway and replacing the existing Little Tokyo / Arts District Gold Line station with one that is underground.

Metro hopes to release final environmental documents for the line by the end of summer, allowing the agency's board to certify the documents this fall.

Tuesday's kickoff meeting will take place at 11:30am at the Colburn School (200 S. Grand). Future meetings will take place at the Japanese American National Museum (369 E. 1st) on June 29 at 6:30pm, and at the L.A. Times (145 S. Spring) on June 30 at 6:30pm. More information .

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User_32

Raymond3000 on June 20, 2011, at 04:29PM – #1

still wish there was a way to somehow include the 5th/Flower stop, if not now by at least putting a punch-out for later construction. It would totally boost business and create more desirability to work/live in the Financial district. But oh well lets get this thing moving already!


User_32

c j on June 22, 2011, at 01:40PM – #2

it is kind of odd that the whole configuration goes around the financial district instead of through it, but it's better than nothing. and i'm happy that downtown is getting this attention, when there are still several areas that are in need of metro access. what i am still waiting for is good public transit to the eastside of downtown, the growing arts district areas east of alameda between 3rd and 7th. the regional connector doesn't address it, nor does the proposed streetcar.


John Smith on June 23, 2011, at 06:09PM – #3

@ Raymond - 5th and Flower would have been a waste of money. Thank goodness it was dropped.

@ CJ - As for the streetcar, I too wish it were further east. Portland was brilliant in this area. The streetcar does not replicate their light rail transit route. It runs towards the edge of downtown and ties the loft district into the downtown community. I wish we were doing the same here.


User_32

David Klappholz on June 24, 2011, at 10:17AM – #4

Re "it is kind of odd that the whole configuration goes around the financial district:"

I agree that stops in the financial district would be great, but the proposed stops are so easily within walking distance of the financial district that...

Dave

PS LA IS a walking city, especially DTLA!!!


Chris Loos on June 24, 2011, at 05:47PM – #5

"@ CJ - As for the streetcar, I too wish it were further east. Portland was brilliant in this area. The streetcar does not replicate their light rail transit route. It runs towards the edge of downtown and ties the loft district into the downtown community. I wish we were doing the same here."

John - Aren't they still considering Los Angeles Street for the northbound streetcar tracks? That would be perfect, as Broadway + LA Street would perfectly hem in the Historic Core. From Spring or Main it would be a quick walk to a station, no matter whether you're northbound or southbound.


User_32

JDRCRASHER on June 24, 2011, at 08:06PM – #6

Why not a 2nd Regional Connector?

Basically, a line down Alameda that connects the Washington Blue Line station with the Little Tokyo Gold Line station. This allows the Blue Line to save precious time by bypassing the financial district.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=.000483ee5021cfb506ca0&msa=0&ll=,-&spn=,


Eric Richardson () on June 26, 2011, at 09:35AM – #7

JDR: Bypassing the Financial District only saves time, though, if your Blue Line riders are going to East LA or Pasadena. I would have to suspect that many are going to the Red Line or to Downtown-proper, neither of which would be quicker via Alameda.

Eventually some sort of transit up the east side of Downtown is going to make sense, but I'm not sure that it's there yet.


User_32

() on June 26, 2011, at 10:17AM – #8

Generally rail transit is constructed where demand already exists; if buses are running at capacity it makes sense to upgrade to rail. The Alameda option currently has no transit service at all; back when the 58 bus ran along Alameda is was usually empty. Just about all the 30/10 proposed rail corridors are designed to add capacity to existing transit corridors or provide relief to them.

The underground regional connector will be a fast solution and act as a downtown bypass for anyone who needs it while at the same time providing service to employment clusters.


User_32

downtown vibe on June 26, 2011, at 05:24PM – #9

Since you are talking about Alameda as a transportation corridor...

What about using Alameda for the north south buses passing THRU downtown. Connect to the historic core and Broadway with Dash running with expanded service.

Less noise and less traffic in the new mixed use residential neighborhoods.


User_32

() on June 26, 2011, at 06:25PM – #10

Alameda is a heavily used truck corridor in the daytime. It would not be faster at all, in fact, buses would get bogged down in all that traffic. Also, few buses bypass Downtown, they generally all serve it because that's where the people work.


User_32

Abbott on June 29, 2011, at 03:39AM – #11

According to Blogdowntown wishes for rail on Downtown's east side will be granted soon with a new Red Line stop at the train yard on Santa Fe Ave. as part of the proposed One Santa Fe building. Check it out! http://blogdowntown.com/2011/06/6275-one-santa-fe-to-get-reworked-lease-metro


User_32

crystal on June 30, 2011, at 09:47AM – #12

@Abbott had been wondering what happened with that project. My friend spoke at the hearing for it. its a great start to getting that neighborhood on board. Currently they have to catch the 60(or the like) over to central downtown to catch the train.



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