Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, commonly referred to as LACMTA, MTA, or Metro, is the agency charged to provide public transportation to the city of Los Angeles. it was established in February 1993 from the merger of the Southern California Rapid Transit District (RTD) and the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission (LACTC).
Services
MTA services include:
- Metro Bus - The MTA bus system services 1433 sq. miles with 18500 stops on 183 bus lines. Daily weekday boardings total over 1 million.
- Metro Rail - 73.1 miles of commuter rail with total ridership of nearly 200,000 passengers per day.
- Metro Rapid - MTA's new bus service providing faster regional transit.
- Metro Freeway Service Patrol - A joint effort between MTA, Caltrans, and CHP offering free quick-fix repairs and towing from freeways.
- HOV Lanes - 219 miles (423 both directions/each lane) of carpool, vanpool, and express bus lanes.
- Bike Paths - 475 miles of bikeways for commuter and recreational purposes.
- Metrolink - Partially funded by the MTA, it is Southern California's regional rail system servicing Ventura County, Antelope Valley, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, Orange County, and San Diego County
Metro Rail
Los Angeles once had the world's largest rail transit system with 1100 miles of track and 2800 scheduled trains each day. Rail lines and cable cars ran up and down every major street in Los Angeles and its suburbs.
Car culture began to reign supreme in the area as automobile prices dropped, freeways were built, and General Motors et al. bought up rail lines. After almost 90 years or transit history, Los Angeles' final remaining rapid rail transit line went out of service in 1961 and the last street car line followed suit two years later.
In 1990, rail transit returned to Los Angeles in the form of Metro Rail. Today, there exist four lines that cover 73.1 miles of track.
The Red Line runs from Union Station to Wilshire/Western and North Hollywood. The recently opened Gold Line extends from Union Station to Pasadena, while the Blue Line runs north-south from Downtown Los Angeles to Long Beach. The Green Line runs east-west from Norwalk to Redondo Beach, with a free shuttle to LAX.
Projects
MTA breaks ground this year on six miles of track that will extend the Gold Line from Union Station, through Little Tokyo to Pomona and Atlantic in East L.A..
Currently, MTA is in the preliminary stages of designing the Expo Line from 7th/Metro Center in Downtown to Venice/Washington in Culver City, and ultimately to the pier in Santa Monica. Groundbreaking is scheduled for 2007 and construction should be completed by 2012.
Metro Orange Line is a 14 mile rapid busway traversing the southern San Fernando Valley from the Red Line's North Hollywood station to Warner Center in Canoga Park. It is scheduled for completion in August 2004.
Funding
In November 2004, Los Angeles County voters should expect a half-cent sales tax increase for six and a half years on the ballot, aimed at relieving traffic congestion.
The funds gathered from this hike would be spent on:
- Full funding for the Expo Line.
- Extension of the Gold Line from Pasadena to San Bernardeno County by 2012.
- Metro Center Regional Connector connecting the Blue and Expo Lines directly to the Gold Line.
- Full funding for the Red Line extension to Wilshire/Fairfax by 2012.
- Widening and interchange improvements to the Santa Ana Freeway, Golden State Freeway, and Antelope Valley Freeway.
- More clean fuel natural gas buses, increased Metrolink commuter train service, sound wall construction, and surface street maintenance.
External Links
MTA
Friends for Expo Transit
Friends of the Green Line
Friends of the Red Line
Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension
Metro Silver Line