The Eastsider LA
The Metropolitan Transit Authority today established a firm date – Sunday, Nov. 15 – for opening the six-mile Eastside Extension that will run from Union Station to East Los Angeles. Passenger will be able to ride the entire length of the Gold Line – from East LA to Pasadena – for free on opening day, according to an MTA press release. The opening comes after about five years of construction and a lengthy testing period that has seen the MTA backtrack on an opening date for several months.
Daily weekday ridership on the Eastside extension is expected to reach an average of 13,000 about a year after operation. The approximately $900 million line will connect to numerous bus lines:
“The Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension will be supported by a confluence of buses to further extend its reach into the neighborhoods. More than 20 bus lines — including those serving L.A.’s downtown Union Station — will connect the Eastside Extension with greater Los Angeles County. Atlantic Station, for example, is the location of a mini-bus hub for East Los Angeles and is served by six lines. Other stations, such as Indiana Station, are served by local buses as well as municipal carriers including Montebello Transit.”
Photo from MTA
