5 Green Line Stations To Close For Crenshaw/LAX Line Construction

NORWALK (CBSLA) — Some Los Angeles Metro train riders traveling between LAX and the South Bay will soon have to hop on a bus.

Five Metro stations along the Green Line will be temporarily closed beginning Friday night for construction to connect the tracks to the Crenshaw/LAX Rail Line Project.

KCAL9/CBS2's Jo Kwon hopped on a train to see how passengers feel about it.

Passenger Debra Hollis said she rides the Green Line five or six days a week from her home in Inglewood to get to work. Her usual stop is one of the five stations that will be out of service for about two-and-a-half months.

"That makes me sick," Hollis said with a chuckle.

Metro is offering a free shuttle service to fill in the gap.

"I may try it once. If it's not working, I'll just drive in," said Metro rider Chris McDonald.

McDonald's ride to work on the Green Line from Norwalk to the Aviation/LAX station is usually under a half-hour. He said driving in would take an hour-and-a-half -- way longer, but worth it to him.

"I'm not really a big bus guy because it's crowded," said McDonald.

Plus train rider Markayla Hardeman says riding a bus puts you right into L.A. traffic.

"It's faster taking the train to me," said Hardeman.

Metro says about 6,000 people a day ride the Green Line through the part that will be temporarily shut down. The stations are expected to reopen about early-to-mid-April.

And if the contractors finish early, Metro CEO Phillip Jackson said he would buy them lunch.

McDonald is skeptical, but willing to sweeten the deal.

"Things never go on time. Things never go on budget. But if he buys you lunch, I'll buy you lunch as well," McDonald said with a laugh.

The following stations will be closed: Aviation/LAX, Mariposa, El Segundo, Douglas and Redondo Beach. Work will begin at 9 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 26, and will continue 24/7 until 3 a.m. on Saturday, April 7. Regular Green Line service will continue between Norwalk and Hawthorne/Lennox stations. A free shuttle bus will run between Hawthorne/Lennox Station and the five closed Green Line Stations.

For more information on the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project go to metro.net/Crenshaw or like the project's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CrenshawRail or follow the project on Twitter at https://twitter.com/crenshawrail or call the project hotline (213) 922-3864