This Friday marks an important upgrade to Santa Monica’s transit system when the Big Blue Bus will begin service to the new LAX Transit Center.
At 5:00 p.m., the reroute will become official for BBB’s Route 3 and Rapid 3. The new transit center will provide seamless connection to Metro’s C and K Lines, and LAX’s free shuttle to all airport terminals.
“This is a huge moment for Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus and the regional transit network,” reads an article written for the “Take the Friendly Road” newsletter for good reason. The opening of the LAX/Metro Transit Center will improve travel time for transit riders, lessen congestion for motorists traveling through the LAX area, and reduce harmful emissions by reducing the numbers of cars on the road and investing in sustainable transit options.
At Streetsblog, Joe Linton agrees that the opening is big news, even if some are dismissing the center’s importance while we wait for the LAX People Mover to open sometime in 2026. Outside of the benefit for westside transit riders, Linton also notes that the transit center finally provides a connection between the Metro C and K Lines and makes the airport connection for the K Line much easier while people mover construction continues.
“In June, when the airport station opens, the K Line becomes a fully functional connection in a network,” Linton writes. “And I expect that will mean significant increases in K Line ridership.”
Of course, the transit center also provides connections for BBB riders that may be seeking to access Metro’s transit lines.
Whether you see Friday’s opening as a step towards the long awaited rail connection to LAX or a major opening on its own, Friday is a BIG DEAL for the Big Blue Bus and the region.
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