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Little Tokyo/Arts District station

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Little Tokyo/Arts District station is an underground light rail station on the Los Angeles Metro Rail system. It replaced an at-grade station with the same name that was located on the east side of Alameda Street between 1st Street and Temple Street, on the edge of Little Tokyo and the Arts District in Downtown Los Angeles. The at-grade station opened in 2009 as part of the Gold Line Eastside Extension and was served by the L Line. The at-grade station closed in October 2020, and the new underground station on the south side of 1st Street between Central Avenue and Alameda Street opened on June 16, 2023.[3]

Little Tokyo/Arts District
A Line  E Line 
Little Tokyo/Arts District station platform
General information
Location402 East 1st Street
Los Angeles, California
Coordinates34°02′55″N 118°14′19″W / 34.0487°N 118.2387°W / 34.0487; -118.2387
Owned byLos Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Platforms1 island platform
Tracks2
ConnectionsLos Angeles Metro Bus
LADOT DASH
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
ParkingPaid parking nearby
Bicycle facilitiesMetro Bike Share station,[1] racks, lockers
AccessibleYes
History
OpenedNovember 15, 2009 (2009-11-15) (at-grade station) June 16, 2023 (2023-06-16) (underground station)
ClosedOctober 24, 2020 (2020-10-24) (at-grade station)
Rebuilt2020–2023
Passengers
FY 20243,089 (avg. wkdy boardings)[2]
Services
Preceding station Metro Rail Following station
Historic Broadway
toward Long Beach
 A Line Union Station
toward Azusa
Historic Broadway
toward Santa Monica
 E Line Pico/Aliso
toward East Los Angeles
Former services at at-grade station
Preceding station Metro Rail Following station
Pico/Aliso
toward Atlantic
 L Line Union Station
toward APU/Citrus College
Location
Map

History

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Former services

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The Little Tokyo/Arts District station was once a key area for trains in Downtown Los Angeles. James M. Davies, for whom the large tract was named, subdivided the area in 1891. Several railroad lines from different companies connected through this site. Davies great-nephew, Robert Davies Volk, was the owner of the lots at 1st and Alameda streets with brick buildings shaped to fit the long-gone rail lines.[4] The structures had played an important role in the cultural life of the Little Tokyo neighborhood for decades before the site was cleared for the future station.[5] Los Angeles Railway P Line yellow streetcars operated on the surface of 1st Street[6] until 1963, including a call at Alameda.

At-grade station

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Little Tokyo/Arts District station's former at-grade platform, 2009

On July 17, 2004, Metro began construction on a 6 miles (9.7 km) extension of the Gold Line light rail line called the Gold Line Eastside Extension, which replaced a once-planned Red Line (now the B Line) subway extension.[7] The light rail extension runs from Union Station through Little Tokyo, ending at the corner of Pomona and Atlantic Boulevards in East Los Angeles. One of the stations on the extension was the at-grade Little Tokyo/Arts District station, located east of Alameda Street between 1st and Temple Streets. The station began operations with the opening of the Eastside Extension on November 15, 2009.[8] However, the at-grade station only operated for eleven years.

In 2012, the Regional Connector Transit Project and its Environmental Impact Report were officially approved after eight years of formal studies.[9] The Regional Connector is a light rail tunnel through Downtown Los Angeles that connects the former Metro Rail A, E, and L (Gold) Lines. The Little Tokyo/Arts District station was planned to be served by both the restructured A Line, connecting Long Beach and the San Gabriel Valley, and the restructured E Line, connecting Santa Monica and East Los Angeles. Due to this, Metro needed to rebuild the original Gold Line (renamed the L Line in 2020) station, underground, south of 1st Street to serve both lines. The decision to rebuild the station underground was partly driven by traffic concerns on Alameda and 1st Streets caused by at-grade trains.[10]

The Regional Connector project started relocating utility pipes in December 2012 and heavy construction began two years later on September 30, 2014.[11] Due to the relocation of tracks for the project, the at-grade station was briefly closed in early 2016.[12] The station was again closed for a final time on October 24, 2020, before the new underground station opened 32 months later. Until the replacement station was completed, a bus bridge operated between Union Station and Pico/Aliso station for those riders traveling along the former L Line.[13]

Current underground station

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Little Tokyo/Arts District station plaza under construction in February 2023

When construction on the Regional Connector project started in September 2014, crews began building a replacement for the at-grade station. The rebuilt Little Tokyo/Arts District station is underground, located on the west side of Alameda Street with entrances 500 feet (150 m) south of the original station. The tunnel boring machines for the Regional Connector tunnel were also launched from that location.[14] The station was originally referred to as 1st St/Central in planning documents but was ultimately assigned the same name as the previous at-grade station in early 2017.[15]

Preliminary work for the underground station required the demolition of two modest single-story brick store buildings with one of the structures dating back to at least 1898.[5] However, new developments are being built on the blocks surrounding the station.[16]

Starting on April 9, 2023, the A, E, and L Line trains ran through the newly built station for final testing of the Regional Connector tunnel.[17] The new Little Tokyo/Arts District station officially opened with the new tunnel on June 16, 2023.[18] Beyond the Regional Connector opening, the Southeast Gateway Line plans to terminate downtown via a new light rail tunnel to Union Station. The line will feature a new transfer at Little Tokyo/Arts District station, which requires connecting the two subways with new infrastructure.[19]

Service

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Hours and frequency

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A Line service hours are from approximately 4:30 a.m. and 11:45 p.m daily. Trains operate every 8 minutes during peak hours, Monday to Friday. Trains run every 10 minutes, during midday on weekdays and weekends, from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Night and early morning service is approximately every 20 minutes every day.[20]

E Line service hours are from approximately 4:30 a.m. and 11:45 p.m daily. Trains operate every 8 minutes during peak hours, Monday to Friday. Trains run every 10 minutes, during midday on weekdays and weekends, from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Night and early morning service is approximately every 20 minutes every day.[21]

Connections

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As of June 23, 2024, the following connections are available:[22]

Notable places nearby

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The station is within walking distance of the following notable places:[24]

References

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  1. ^ "Station Map". Metro Bike Share. January 27, 2015. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  2. ^ "FY2024 Ridership by Station". misken67 via Los Angeles Metro Public Records. August 2024.
  3. ^ Von Quednow, Cindy (June 16, 2023). "Metro Regional Connector opens in Los Angeles, bringing more direct access to downtown". KTLA. Nexstar Media Group. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  4. ^ Fischer, Greg (August 26, 2014). "Tracking Some Early Train History: Upcoming Regional Connector Station Site Played a Key Role in L.A.'s Early Transportation Scene". Los Angeles Downtown News. Civic Center News, Inc. Archived from the original on August 29, 2014. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
  5. ^ a b Zahniser, David (March 15, 2014). "Buildings slated for tear-down were rich part of Little Tokyo history". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved April 5, 2014.
  6. ^ H.P. Noordwal (1938). "Route Map Los Angeles Railway Electric Car and Bus Routes" (Map). Barry Lawrence Ruderman Antique Maps Inc. Los Angeles Railway. Archived from the original on January 31, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021. "Alternate link" (Map). via Google. Archived from the original on January 31, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  7. ^ "Projects and Plans - Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension". Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on August 28, 2004. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  8. ^ "After decades of waiting, their trains have arrived : Residents share a sense of kinship and progress aboard East L.A.'s new Gold Line route". Los Angeles Times. November 16, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  9. ^ Sotero, Dave (April 26, 2012). "Metro Board certifies final environmental study for Regional Connector". The Source. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  10. ^ "Regional Connector Update". The Source. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on April 30, 2010. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  11. ^ Hymon, Steve (October 1, 2014). "Ground is broken for Regional Connector project to link Blue, Expo and Gold Lines". The Source. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  12. ^ "Little Tokyo/Arts District Station Closure". Archived from the original on February 22, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  13. ^ Hymon, Steve (September 15, 2020). "Bus shuttles to replace L Line (Gold) service between Union Station and Pico/Aliso Station during 22-month closure to complete Regional Connector". Metro. The Source. Archived from the original on September 24, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  14. ^ "Metro Lowers 'Angeli' the Regional Connector Tunnel Boring Machine - Streetsblog Los Angeles". la.streetsblog.org. October 19, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
  15. ^ "Actions taken today by the Metro Board of Directors". February 23, 2017. Archived from the original on May 13, 2017. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  16. ^ Sharp, Steven (February 16, 2021). "Mixed-use development quietly breaks ground on the Arts District/Little Tokyo border". Urbanize LA. Archived from the original on February 16, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  17. ^ Metro, L. A. (March 29, 2023). "Heads up: Regional Connector train testing is underway — and you may see and hear some changes to trains on the A, E, and L Lines". The Source. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  18. ^ "Regional Connector Transit Project". Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  19. ^ "We're bringing new rail to southeast LA County". ArcGIS StoryMaps. April 26, 2024. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  20. ^ "Metro A Line schedule". Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
  21. ^ "Metro E Line schedule". Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
  22. ^ "E Line Timetable – Connections section" (PDF). Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. June 23, 2024. p. 1. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  23. ^ "DASH Downtown – Map and Schedule" (PDF). Los Angeles Department of Transportation. October 1, 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  24. ^ "Little Tokyo/Arts District Destination Guide" (PDF). Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
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