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October
28,
2005 |
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Metro
joins elected officials in dedication of new 14-mile Metro Orange Line
Metro
joined a host of local, state and federal officials today in the San
Fernando Valley to officially dedicate the opening of the North
Hollywood to Woodland Hills Metro Orange Line. The 14-mile exclusive
transitway opens to the public Saturday, Oct. 29 and links the
communities of North Hollywood, Valley Village, Valley Glen, Van Nuys,
Tarzana, Winnetka and Woodland Hills. "The
opening of the Metro Orange Line represents a transit milestone for
residents of the San Fernando Valley who have waited decades for an
alternative to the perpetually congested 101 Freeway," said Los
Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chairman Antonio Villaraigosa. "This
innovative service is the right tool at the right time, one that brings
to bear a wealth of innovation and technology to ease Valley traffic.
The Metro Orange Line is both cost-effective and a superior transit
solution that is sure to reshape the mobility of L.A. County for the
better." The
transitway is essentially an extension of the Metro Red Line, which
expands access in the Valley to Metro's 73-mile Metro Rail system that
crisscrosses portions of Los Angeles County from Long Beach to Los
Angeles, Redondo Beach, Norwalk, Hollywood, Universal City, and
Pasadena. More than 20 Metro Local Bus Lines as well as other municipal
bus operators will connect with the Metro Orange Line. "The
Metro Orange Line is the Valley's new shortcut," said Zev
Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles County Supervisor, who is credited with
spearheading development of the line. "The Metro Orange Line may
well be the way Los Angeles addresses its public transit challenges in
the years ahead. It is inexpensive, comfortable, fast, dependable and
quiet. I am convinced that it's the alternative to freeway congestion
that Angelenos have been looking for." Free
rides will be offered on the Metro Orange Line this Saturday and Sunday,
Oct. 29-30, and there will be free community festivities between 9 a.m.
and 4 p.m on Saturday at several stations along the Metro Orange Line
alignment. Those stations include North Hollywood, Van Nuys, Balboa,
DeSoto and Warner Center stations. No community events are scheduled on
Sunday. Ridership
on the Metro Orange Line is expected to grow steadily, reaching 22,000
average weekday boarding passengers by 2020. The line was constructed by
Shimmick/Obayashi in two and a half years. Metro is now planning to
build another station and 800-space park & ride lot in Canoga Park
within a year to accommodate commuters at the western end of the
transitway. Total project costs, including transitway, buses,
bicycle/pedestrian paths, landscaping and future construction of the
Canoga Park station and park & ride lot is $349.6 million. The
new transitway represents many firsts for Los Angeles County: it is the
region's first right-of-way built exclusively for buses. It is the
Valley's first major transit service since the extension of the Metro
Red Line into North Hollywood in 2000. It is also the first time that
new custom-designed, high-tech "Metro Liner" buses will be placed
into service within Los Angeles County. The 60-foot, 57-passenger Metro
Liners were built from the ground up with rail-like amenities such as
multiple entry doors for easier boarding and alighting, a roomy
interior, full accessability and automated station announcement system.
Artistically designed stations also have rail-like amenities such as
shade-producing canopies, ticket vending machines, 24-hour video
surveillance with passenger assistance telephones, lighting, seating,
public address system and public telephones. "The
rest of the nation is watching how a city as congested as Los Angeles
can implement innovative Bus Rapid Transit technology," said Roger
Snoble, Metro CEO. "The Metro Orange Line is truly a historic
opportunity for us to prove the feasibility of operating high-capacity
transit buses along their own exclusive right-of-way. Metro is proud to
be among the first transit agencies in the country to introduce this
exciting new service." The
transitway incorporates a host of other innovative construction and
design features, from advanced traffic light signal priority system to
five park & ride lots with more than 3,200 free parking spaces,
bicycle and pedestrian paths. Metro has also planted extensive
landscaping along the transitway, including more than 800,000 plants,
5,000 trees and six lanscape art areas. The
14-mile Metro Orange Line has 13 stations and will operate buses every
five to six minutes on weekdays during peak morning and afternoon rush
hours. Buses will then operate every 10-15 minutes during the day and
every 20 minutes during the late night
and early morning hours. On weekends, buses will operate about every
10-20 minutes. The hours of operation will be from 4 a.m. to 1 a.m.
seven days a week. Schedules are closely coordinated with Metro Red Line
operating hours. Fares
for the Metro Orange Line will be the same as all Metro-operated Metro
Bus and Rail Lines, costing only $1.25 one-way, $3 for an all-day pass,
and $52 for a monthly pass. Reduced fares are available for students and
seniors, who can call (213) 680-0054 for additional information. The
Metro Orange Line will provide commuters, students, tourists and others
easy, convenient access to a major job center, shopping, schools,
entertainment, government center, hospitals, recreation areas and more.
The eastern end of the Metro Orange Line begins in the NoHo Arts
District, a thriving Valley arts hub home to theatres, restaurants, art
venues and more. Major destinations available along the line include
Valley College, Van Nuys Civic Center, Woodley Lake Golf Course, the
Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area, Lake Balboa Park, and Pierce College.
The western end of the line serves Warner Center, the third-largest
employment center in Los Angeles County. Dining and shopping
destinations at Warner Center Station include Westfield Promenade and
Westfield Topanga. For
more information on the Metro Orange Line, visit www.metro.net/presskit.
For additional information about Metro Bus and Rail services, visit www.metro.net
or call 1-800-commute. Metro-159 |