Major Gold Line Track Relocation Work to Begin Jan. 8

As part of ongoing construction work for the Regional Connector Transit Project, workers will begin the process of relocating existing Metro Gold Line tracks at 1st Street and Alameda Street near downtown Los Angeles in the Little Tokyo area in preparation for the start of tunneling operations.

The work being performed is set to begin Friday, Jan. 8 at 9 p.m. to move existing Gold Line tracks approximately 40 feet to the north of 1st Street at Alameda and to reconfigure the southern station entrance of the existing Little Tokyo Gold Line Station. The work is expected to take up to three months to complete.

As a result, there will be no Gold Line train service operating between Union Station and the Pico/Aliso Gold Line Station. Metro will operate a series of bus shuttles between the two stations to provide Gold Line patrons service to the Little Tokyo area and Pico/Aliso station during the three month closure. Once completed in late March, Gold Line train service will be restored to normal operation.

Gold Line riders who usually travel either to the Little Tokyo Gold Line Station or through the impacted area, depending on direction of travel, will either need to get off the Gold Line at Union Station or the Gold Line Pico/Aliso station and board the Gold Line shuttle buses provided by Metro. Travel delays through this area are expected and Metro encourages the public to make adjustments to their schedules when using the Gold Line in this area.

Gold Line service will operate between the Pico/Alison Station and the Gold Line Atlantic Station in East Los Angeles every 10 minutes during the peak periods. In addition, Metro will continue to operate regular service on the Gold Line between Union Station and the Sierra Madre Villa Station in Pasadena.

In addition, to minimize construction impacts help support the Little Tokyo business community through the period of the station’s closure, Metro will provide a free Little Tokyo/Arts District Shuttle to circulate through the shopping district and a Little Tokyo Validation Parking Program at three area parking lots: Mangrove Parking Lot at 414 E. Temple Street; St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church Parking Lot, 222 South Hewitt Street, enter on 3rd Street and the Sho Tokyo Parking Lot/Joe’s Parking Lot, 350 E. 2nd Street. Ask the Little Tokyo business for a “Metro Validation” and present it to the parking attendant when ready to depart.

To further facilitate construction, Metro and the contractor are planning weekend closures of the 1st Street and Alameda intersection. The closures are scheduled for Jan. 8 at 9 p.m. through Jan. 11 at 4 a.m. Subsequent weekend closure are scheduled for Feb. 12 through Feb. 15, Feb. 19 through Feb. 22 and Feb. 26 through Feb. 29.

The Regional Connector Transit Project completes a 1.9-mile segment between the Metro Blue and Expo Lines and the Metro Gold Line by providing a direct connection with three new stations planned for 1st Street/Central Avenue, 2nd Street/Broadway and 2nd Place/Hope Street in downtown Los Angeles. The rail line, expected to be completed in 2020, will attract nearly 17,000 new daily riders and provide access to more than 88,000 passengers saving commuters up to 20 minutes off their daily commutes. It will provide a one-seat, one fare ride for commuters from Azusa to Long Beach and from East Los Angeles to Santa Monica without the need to transfer between rail lines for major east/west and north/south trips.