Los Angeles Metro, commonly known as LA Metro or just Metro, but officially called the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority, is LA County’s Public Transportation agency. They operate the bus systems that stretch far and wide across the LA metropolitan area, service communities like Downey, operate the Light and Heavy rail systems that cut across the area, and even operate the FasTrak in LA County and the HOV/Carpool lanes seen on many of our highways. Currently, LA Metro operates 6 Metro Rail lines, two heavy rail, the other 4 light rail. Heavy rail tends to allow for higher capacity, running mostly underground. Picture it as the NYC Metro style trains. Light Rail is more flexible, running underground, above ground, on roads, and more. You can see light rail on the 105 freeway in the median. Metro Rail operates 107 stations, with 109 miles of service. LA also hosts the longest light rail line in the world, the A line, running 48.5 miles from Downtown Long Beach to Azusa, with an extension planned.
An integral part of Metro is the Bus system, which serves a wide ranging land from as far north as San Fernando and as far south as San Pedro, as far west as Thousand Oaks, and as far east as Anehiem. With 12,016 bus stops, 2,067 buses, and a system of 1,447 square miles, Metro Bus is the second largest bus system in the United States, just behind NYC. The G Line J line is a part of Metro’s bus rapid transit system, which operates more like a rail line, and less like traditional bus systems that stop once every block. Metro also runs the GoPass program, which provides free rides on Metro and other transit providers like Long Beach Transit, for K-12 & community college students who’s districts participate in the program. Downey Unified is not a part of this program.
The Southeast Gateway is a project aimed at serving the Southeast communities with a new light rail line. This project will connect Artesia, Cerritos, Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, Huntington Park, Vernon, to Downtown Los Angeles. The project is split into two phases, the first phase would include 14.5 of track, 9 new stations and a connection with the C Line which runs in the median of the 105. Starting at where the A Line (which travels from DTLA to Long Beach) has a station, the Southeast Gateway Line will pass through Huntington Park and Vernon, turning south towards Bell and Cudahay, then crossing the LA River onto the east side where it will meet and pass the A line, continuing into Paramount, Bellflower, and ending in Artesia and Cerritos. Phase one is expected to cost $7.1 billion, with LA Metro’s environmental studies having been approved in April, 2024. Phase two planned to bring the Southeast Gateway directly to Union Station instead of having it begin at the A-Line, but as a result of the additional costs in time and funding, Metro has decided to push phase two to an unspecified date, which would have added 3 more stations and 4.8 miles to the Southeast Gateway Line.
LA Metro will reuse the old track formerly used by Pacific Electric. To facilitate new stations, mainly the C line connection, new pedestrian bridges connect the station. Additionally, Metro plans to address privacy and noise concerns with higher sound walls, landscaping, and other measures. Metro has already secured $3.5 billion in funding for the Southeast Gateway line mainly from Metro’s sales tax, but was recently awarded $261 million from a transit grant from the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA). Metro hopes to receive the remaining funding required for the project from the Federal Government, with U.S Representative Robert Garcia, who represents sections of Downey, Vernon, Bell Gardens, Huntington Park, Bellflower, Lakewood and Long Beach, vowing to “fight like hell to get every single dollar that this project deserves.” Still, LA Metro has remained concerned that the Trump Administration would cut funding to LA Metro’s transit projects, including the Southeast Gateway. Metro has looked for federal funding from the “New Starts” program, and the Capital Investment Grant (CIG) program, which provides funds for transit projects across the country. Fears stem from the fact that during Trump’s first term, his administration attempted to kill the CIG program.
Metro forecasts that the project would decrease greenhouse gas emissions, reducing 34 million vehicle miles traveled per year, which is the equivalent of 3.9 million gallons of gasoline. The project is expected to create 37,000-46,000 jobs and generate $5 billion in economic activity each year. The project will serve “Equity Focus Communities”, where access to public transit is limited. The U.S census reports that the line will serve largely minority communities. According to Metro, 65% of people in the study area, the area surrounding the project, are people of color, with hispanics alone accounting for 51% of the total study area. Additionally, 44% of the study area residents live under the poverty line. The Southeast Gateway line will increase mobility and connectivity for these underserved areas, where 1 in 5 residents lack cars, while also providing residents increased access to employment, healthcare and education. The project would also facilitate the redevelopment of land and the creation of new communities. The City of Paramount has looked at rezoning 71-acres to create a “superblock” across the street of a planned station for the project. It would provide homes for 4,600 new residents, land for shops and restaurants, and office and industrial space. Paramount would also relax height limits, allowing for taller and denser buildings. This would join as transit oriented development, which aims to create more walkable, people oriented communities and cities that do not rely on cars, with more options for public transportation. The Transit Oriented Development Institute lists potential benefits, including less traffic congestion, more affordable housing, higher quality of life, better health, and less environmental harm.
On October 30th, 2024, LA Metro broke ground on the pre-construction phase, involving utility relocation. This involves removing and moving pipes, electrical wires, pylons, and more. LA Metro hopes to complete the project by 2035.
