Metro Installs Traffic Enforcement Cameras at 14 Eastside Intersections Along New Metro Gold Line Extension to East L.A.
Metro has begun installing traffic enforcement cameras at 14 intersections along the light rail alignment of the new extension of the Metro Gold Line to East Los Angeles to help promote safe driving habits and reduce accidents caused by motorists illegally crossing the tracks against signals.
The Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension, which will feature eight stations (two underground), runs six-miles from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles via the Arts District/Little Tokyo and Boyle Heights to Atlantic/Pomona Boulevards in East Los Angeles. Following successful testing and pre-revenue service to familiarize Metro operators with the new service, the line will open this year but an opening date has not yet been determined.
The cameras will be along First Street at Mission, Anderson, Utah, Clarence and Lorena streets and on Third Street with crossings at Gage, Downey, Eastern, Ford, McDonnell, Arizona, Mednik, Civic Center Drive and La Verne streets, in Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles.
These locations were selected by Metro and the Transit Services Bureau of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) based on risk and potential for accidents.
The public will have a 30-day warning period before LASD will begins issuing citations to drivers that do not comply with the traffic laws.
The plan is to complete the installation at the first intersections (Mission, Anderson, Utah streets) by the end of August barring any technical issues that may need to be resolved in the field. The system includes a camera with flashes and ground loop detectors. They will take two photographs of each violation (one of the vehicle prior to the violation point and a second after the vehicle has moved beyond the violation point). Five times a week a technician will service the system and ensure it is functioning as designed and per California Vehicle Code parameters.
The violations will be processed per Metro and the LASD polices to ensure citations are mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle on file with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The current fines for a photo enforcement violation are $445 for adults and $435 for legal motorists under age 18. Additional fees for attending traffic school apply.
Metro also has deployed 12 safety ambassadors at several Eastside intersections to help pedestrians, motorists and bicyclists become familiar with the new light rail trains and to educate pedestrians on how to be safe around trains during the testing period. The ambassadors will be deployed until the Eastside Extension opens and for three months after that.
The ambassadors are at Alameda/Temple, First/Alameda, First/Mission, First/Lorena, First/Indiana, Indiana/Third and Third/Mednik from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday to Friday and during the weekends from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Metro began construction of the Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension in July 2004. The light rail construction project is within budget, on time and the contractor has logged more than 4 million working hours without a day lost for any accident or injuries.
Metro has produced a map with the adjustments to new traffic patterns on or around Alameda, First, Indiana, and Third streets. The map indicates where crossing from south to north and vice versa can be done, and where left turns and parking are allowed. For a copy of the area map, visit the Metro website at www.metro.net/eastside or contact Metro Community Relations at (213) 922-2259.