Los Angeles Metro Busway
Overview | |||
---|---|---|---|
Locale | Los Angeles County, California | ||
Transit type | Bus rapid transit | ||
Number of lines | 2 | ||
Number of stations | 29 | ||
Daily ridership | 42,334 (average weekday, May 2016)[1] | ||
Operation | |||
Began operation | 2005 | ||
Operator(s) | Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) | ||
Technical | |||
System length | 60 mi (96.6 km) | ||
|
Metro Busway (previously known as Metro Liner), is a system of limited-stop bus services with bus rapid transit (BRT) features that operate primarily along exclusive or semi-exclusive roadways known locally as "busways." There are currently two lines, the Orange Line in the San Fernando Valley, and the Silver Line between El Monte, Downtown Los Angeles and San Pedro. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) operates the system.
The first branded line to open was the Orange Line, a bus rapid transit (BRT) service which began operating on October 29, 2005, and runs along the exclusive Orange Line Busway. The Silver Line, a freeway express route linking the pre-existing Harbor Transitway & El Monte Busway began operating on December 13, 2009.
Metro Busway routes are designed to mimic the Metro Rail services, in both the vehicle's design and their operation. Vehicles on both lines are painted in Metro Rail's silver livery, passengers can board at any door, and vehicles receive priority at intersections. Like Metro Rail, passengers who use the TAP card can board from any door after loading a fare product at ticket vending machines (TVM) located at most stations.
Current System
Lines
In Los Angeles Metro terminology, common with most other metro systems, a line is a named service, defined by a route and set of stations served by trains on that route. (The word does not refer to a physical rail corridor, as it does in New York City Subway nomenclature.) Metro Busway lines are named after colors and designated with colored squares. These colors and square icons are used to distinguish the lines on Metro's maps. Metro also uses colors for its Metro Rail services, but designates rail lines with colored circle icons.f>
Two Metro Busway lines operate in Los Angeles County:[2]
Line name | Opening[2] | Length[2] | Stations[2] | Termini | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Orange Line | 2005 | 22 mi (35 km) | 18 | North Hollywood (east) Warner Center (west) Chatsworth (north) |
Bus rapid transit |
Silver Line | 2009[lower-alpha 1] | 38 mi (61 km) | 11 | El Monte Station (east) Harbor Gateway Transit Center (south, select trips) San Pedro (south, select trips) |
Freeway express bus |
- ↑ The segments on which the Silver Line operates opened as the El Monte Busway in 1973 and as the Harbor Transiway in 1996. The Silver Line was not established as a through route until 2009.
Facilities
These services operate on three corridors (in addition to city streets, where necessary):
History
The Metro Orange Line became Southern California's first bus rapid transit line. Four years later, the Metro Silver Line began operation. The concept is currently under study to open up new bus rapid transit routes. The following table shows the timeline of BRT expansions:
Segment description | Date opened | Line(s) | Endpoints | # of new stations |
Length (miles) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Metro Orange Line initial segment | October 29, 2005 | Orange | North Hollywood station to Warner Center Transit Hub | 13 | 14 |
Canoga station | December 27, 2006 | Orange | Canoga station | 1 [Note 1] |
− |
Metro Silver Line initial segment | December 13, 2009 | Silver | El Monte Station to Harbor Gateway Transit Center | 8 | 26 |
37th Street/USC station | December 12, 2010 | Silver | 37th Street/USC station | 1 [Note 2] |
− |
Metro Orange Line Chatsworth Extension | June 30, 2012 | Orange [Note 3] | Canoga station to Chatsworth station | 4 | 4 |
Metro Silver Line San Pedro Extension | December 13, 2015 | Silver | Harbor Gateway Transit Center to San Pedro (Pacific/21th Street) | 2 | 8 |
27 | 44 |
Notes:
- ↑ Canoga was a new station on the Metro Orange Line, which opened one year later in 2006. The station was built to provide a parking lot near the Warner Center western terminus. When the Chatsworth 2012 Metro Orange Line Extension opened, Canoga's parking lot was reduced in size, and the entire station was reconfigured. There are now 4 platforms at Canoga station.
- ↑ When the Metro Silver Line station opened in 2009, buses did not serve the existing 37th Street/USC station due to detours from the construction of the Metro Expo Line. Service to the station was added one year later in 2010.
- ↑ When the Chatsworth Metro Orange Line Extension opened, the Orange Line was split into operating two different branches during the day: North Hollywood−Warner Center Transit Hub & North Hollywood−Chatsworth. After 7:30 p.m. the Metro Orange Line combines both branches and operates between Chatsworth, Warner Center Transit Hub & North Hollywood. During weekday AM & PM peaks, an Orange Line shuttle runs between Warner Center Transit Hub−Chatsworth.
Gallery
- Metro Orange Line route map inside a NABI 60 Orange Line bus.
- Metro Silver Line San Pedro Layover
- Metro Silver Line arriving at LAC/USC Medical Center station, eastbound platform.
- Interior of Metro Orange Line.
- Northbound Metro Silver Line bus to Downtown LA & El Monte arrives at Harbor Freeway Green & Silver Lines Station.
- Metro Orange Line at North Hollywood Red & Orange Lines station.
- Slauson Silver Line Station southbound platform.
- North Hollywood Orange Line Station platform.
- Metro Silver Line 910 bus at Harbor Freeway Green & Silver Lines Station.
- Metro Silver Line departing Slauson/I-110 Station.
- Metro Silver Line operates two services: Lines 910 & 950X
- Metro Silver Line 950X Express layover in San Pedro, Pacific and 21 Street
Wikimedia Commons has media related to LACMTA Bus Rapid Transit. |
See also
References
- ↑ "Ridership Statistics". Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 "Facts At A Glance". Metro. Retrieved June 11, 2016.