Metro Gold Line extension gives new San Gabriel Valley cities access to 2017 Tournament of Roses® celebrations in Pasadena
With the opening of the Metro Gold Line Extension earlier this year, five new San Gabriel Valley communities will be able to take rail to the Tournament of Roses celebrations in Pasadena for the first time in modern memory.
The cities of Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte/City of Hope, Irwindale and Azusa can now make history by bypassing traffic congestion and parking hassles in Pasadena and riding Metro directly to and from these world-renowned festivities that include the Rose Parade, Rose Bowl Game and post-parade float-viewing.
The 128th Rose Parade® presented by Honda themed “Echoes of Success” will take place this year on Monday, Jan. 2 in accordance with the tournament’s “Never on a Sunday” tradition that it has upheld held since 1893. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) stands ready to deliver tens of thousands of revelers to and from Pasadena, with additional train service and more frequent schedules on the Metro Gold Line to accommodate event goers throughout Los Angeles County.
“This year we are tremendously excited to add new San Gabriel Valley cities to our service offerings as we celebrate the spectacle of the 2017 Tournament of Roses,” said John Fasana, Metro Board Chair and Duarte City Council Member. “I am especially pleased that my neighbors in the City of Duarte can now leave their cars at home and enjoy all the festivities compliments of Metro’s expanding rail system.”
The 12-mile Metro Gold Line Extension opened last March. It has now become the longest rail line on the Metro Rail system, extending 31 miles between East Los Angeles and Azusa with 27 stations. The extension has contributed to ridership gains. Just this November, the Gold Line posted a record of nearly 53,000 average weekday boardings.
What’s more, approximately 1,500 new parking spaces along the 12-mile extension will provide convenient opportunities for local residents to access parade events without having to drive to Pasadena. Each new station along the extension has local bus line connections, kiss n’ ride, pedestrian amenities and bicycle parking facilities.
On Jan. 2, Metro will operate on a Sunday/Holiday schedule with enhanced Metro Rail service for the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Games. The Gold Line will begin Pasadena-bound service at 3 a.m. from Downtown L.A. All other service begins at approximately 4 a.m. Those traveling to Pasadena for the games can utilize one of four nearby station stops near the parade route along Colorado Boulevard. Memorial Park and Del Mar stations are about two blocks from the Parade route. The Lake and Allen stations are approximately four blocks from the Parade route.
Parking is available at several Metro Gold Line Stations, including Sierra Madre Villa, Del Mar, Fillmore, Heritage Square, Lincoln Heights/Cypress Park, Union Station (Parking $8/day), Indiana and Atlantic. Additional parking is available at stations serving other countywide rail lines. Visit metro.net for a list of additional park & ride lots on the Metro System.
Football fans attending the 1 p.m. 2017 Rose Bowl Game® between Penn State and USC presented by Northwestern Mutual should take the Metro Gold Line to Memorial Park Station. Upon arrival at the station, they should then walk three blocks west on Holly Street to the Parsons Engineering Parking Lot B to catch the free Rose Bowl Game shuttle bus, with service starting at 10 a.m. and running continually until about two hours after the end of the game.
Metro is teaming up with the Tournament of Roses to provide ticketed access to view the Rose Parade floats after the parade. Separate admission for float viewing required. Take the Metro Gold Line to the Sierra Madre Villa Station in East Pasadena. There you can board a shuttle from the Bus Plaza on the first level of the parking structure that provides direct service to Victory Park, where the floats will be displayed Jan. 2 and 3. Shuttles will depart from Sierra Madre Villa until approximately 3:45 p.m. each day. Return service to Sierra Madre will continue to 5 p.m.
Shuttles will operate every 10 minutes on Jan. 2 from 12:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. and Jan. 3 from 6:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Viewing is reserved for senior and disabled visitors from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. on Jan. 3.
The shuttle is free with a valid Metro fare on TAP card. Otherwise, regular fares apply. General admission float viewing tickets are $13 per person and free for children 5 and under.
Residents of the San Fernando Valley are encouraged to consider Line 501, which travels between North Hollywood Station and Old Pasadena. Line 501 will run every 30 to 40 minutes on Jan. 2 and the fare is $2.50.
Metro does not allow eating, drinking or smoking on board Metro trains or buses. To ensure public safety, Metro prohibits flammable products, barbecues and over-sized items such as ladders, umbrellas, tents, chairs and coolers from being brought on board the Metro Bus or Rail system.
About Metro
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is unique among the nation’s transportation agencies. Created in 1993, Metro is a multi-modal transportation agency that transports about 1.3 million passengers daily on a fleet of 2,200 clean air buses and six rail lines. The agency also oversees bus, rail, highway and other mobility-related building projects and leads transportation planning and programming for Los Angeles County.
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Editor’s Note: The 2017 Rose Queen® and Royal Court will make a public appearance at the Monrovia Gold Line Station, 1651 S Primrose Avenue, Monrovia at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 30 to greet Metro customers promote Metro Rail to tournament festivities. Media interested in covering this event should contact Dave Sotero, Metro Media Relations at 213-922-3007.
