Below is a run-down of some of the more noteworthy items from Thursday’s Metro board meeting.
Metro Ridership Keeps Growing
Metro transit ridership is up! June 2024 was the nineteenth consecutive month of year-over-year ridership increases.
In June, Metro had 939,615 average weekday boardings, slightly seasonally down from April and May.
June marks the end of Metro’s fiscal year; FY23-24 continued ridership recovery, now at 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels.
Metro rail ridership recovery remains a bit below bus ridership. CEO Stephanie Wiggins highlighted rail ridership gains over the past two fiscal years. Light rail ridership benefitted from the opening of the Regional Connector, though the connector’s efficiency has contributed to a decrease in boardings on the B/D Line heavy rail subway.
For more ridership statistics, see monthly COO and CEO presentations.
K Line LAX Station to Open in November
Construction is more than 85 percent complete on the LAX Metro Transit Center which is now scheduled to open in November 2024. The Metro Airport Connector project includes a Metro K Line station, bus hub, bike hub, bike path, people mover connection, and more.
Last week, the board approved staffing for the new LAX station [staff report], which expands and reconfigures K and C Line operations.
Unfortunately the Metro station will open well in advance of the LAX people mover’s debut, which has been delayed to early 2026.
Metro Expanding Security Measures
The Metro board approved $65 million [staff report] for expanding several pilot programs related to “improving access control” on Metro transit. The pilots include:
- Expansion of the TAP-to-Exit pilot – Metro recently began piloting TTE at North Hollywood B Line Station. Though the program is causing bottlenecks for people exiting trains, Metro is claiming extensive positive results (see presentation). Metro plans to extend TAP-to-exit to all end-of-line stations, with the exception of stations without turnstiles: Atlantic, Azusa, and Long Beach. Azusa will cease to be an end-of-line stations next year, when the A Line will extend to Pomona (which will have TTE). Metro plans to begin TAP-to-Exit at Downtown Santa Monica E Line station in August.
- Expansion of the smart restroom pilot – Metro currently has a 10-station restroom pilot, which will expand to 64 restrooms. Though there is broad support – from board and advocates – for restrooms, some have criticized Metro’s vendor (Throne) for its use of contract workers.
- New pilot of taller fare gates – Metro plans to install beefed-up fare gates at three stations, starting with the new LAX K Line station.
Additional programs will also include weapon-detection surveillance systems (at LAX and Union Station), and elevator adjustments (doors open when resting).
Additional July Board Actions
The board approved two motions [one, two] intended to make its low-income transit program (LIFE – Low Income Fare is Easy) more effective.
The board approved possible eminent domain action [staff report] for four industrial parcels slated to become a railyard for Metro’s future East San Fernando Valley light rail line, currently in early stages of construction. The yard is planned to be located just west of Van Nuys Boulevard and south of the cross-Valley rail tracks used by the Metrolink Ventura County Line (the yard site is just west of the Van Nuys Metrolink Station).
The board approved re-programming canceled N. 710 Freeway funding [staff report] for the cities of Alhambra and Los Angeles. Alhambra is programming $14.4 million toward walk and bike improvements. Los Angeles shifted $2 million to street and transit improvements for the 6th Street PARC project, 12 acres of new park/recreation space under and along the new 6th Street Viaduct.
