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LA Metro Improves Gold Line; Relieves Crowding for San Gabriel Valley Communities
Arcadia Weekly Jun 27, 2016
The increase in gang activity led Mayor Garcetti to allocate an additional $5.5 million to this year’s budget to fight the trend. – Courtesy photo
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New peak-hour service improvements will simplify the schedule, reduce customer confusion, eliminate inconvenient transfers, and even out train loads to help relieve crowding. – Photo by Terry Miller
By Terry Miller
Complaints and concerns from Gold Line Foothill Extension passengers prompted Metro to begin additional train services on the 31-mile Gold Line, which connects Azusa to East Los Angeles, officials announced at a press conference Friday, June 24, at Union Station.
LA County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich and Duarte City Council Member John Fasana announced new schedule improvements for the Metro Gold Line, effective Monday, June 27, that will substantially improve rail service for cities along the new extension to Azusa.
The Gold Line Extension opened March 5 and has been an unqualified success. New peak-hour service improvements will simplify the schedule, reduce customer confusion, eliminate inconvenient transfers, and even out train loads to help relieve crowding.
“The Metro Gold Line Extension has been a resounding success since it opened March 5, with trains consistently running at full occupancy,” said Mark Ridley-Thomas, LA County Supervisor and Metro Board Chair, in a statement. “The line has been so successful, that it has pushed us to up our game in order to meet our riders’ expectations. Today, we are proud to report that we have heard the public’s call for better service and we are delivering a schedule with even greater frequency.”
All Gold Line trains will now run from Azusa to East Los Angeles. – Photo by Terry Miller
The ridership has been in excess of 30 percent over original projections, according to Michael Antonovich.
Duarte Council Member Fasana said all Gold Line trains will now run from Azusa to East Los Angeles, and starting Monday, June 27, trains are now running seven minutes apart during peak hours.
With the change, all Gold Line trains will now run to the APU/Citrus College station every seven minutes in the morning and afternoon peak hours on weekdays. Trains previously ran every six minutes during peak hours between East Los Angeles and Pasadena and every 12 minutes between Pasadena and Azusa.
The change also means that riders bound for the new extension stations will no longer have to spend extra time waiting at Union Station for an Azusa-bound train, nor will they have to switch trains at Sierra Madre Villa Station in Pasadena.
The Gold Line Station platform in Downtown LA provides a key connection on the 31-mile Metro Gold Line that extends between East Los Angeles and Azusa.
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