Expo Line Running From Downtown LA To Culver City To Debut In April
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A commuter light rail line running from downtown Los Angeles to Culver City will begin serving commuters next month, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Friday.
KNX 1070's John Brooks reports for many Angelenos, the opening of the first phase of the Exposition Line on April 28 has been a long time coming.
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The 7.6-mile section of the Expo Line will travel from just south of the University of Southern California campus to La Cienega and Jefferson boulevards near Culver City about every 30 minutes.
The $932 million project heralds the return of commuter rail service to Los Angeles after the Pacific Electric Railway — also known as the "Red Car" system — stopped running in 1961.
Villaraigosa hopped on the Expo Line for a test run at the La Cienega and Jefferson station to make the long-awaited announcement.
"The California Public Utilities Commission has authorized us to open for service the Exposition Line on April 28," he said, calling it "a critical step towards creating the multi-faceted transit network that Angelenos deserve."
The line will service popular destinations such as USC, Exposition Park and Culver City.
A station in Culver City, which will serve as the western end of the line until a second phase opens to Santa Monica in 2015, will not be
part of the initial opening. Officials hope to open the additional mile to the Culver City stop over the summer.
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