[dropcap size=big]M[/dropcap]etro Blue Line riders will have to find alternate ways of getting to work next year or face massive delays. The southern half – from Compton to Long Beach – of the Blue Line will shut down for about four months beginning at the end of January, and the northern half – from Compton to downtown L.A. – will be closed for repairs July to September.
Metro on Monday officially confirmed that it will halt rail service between downtown Long Beach and the Willowbrook/Rosa Parks station starting January 26 until an unspecified date in May. Buses will replace train cars as the agency overhauls its oldest rail line.
This means the 62,000 daily riders on the Blue Line — also L.A.’s longest — will now have to disembark from trains halfway to downtown, tap a card to get on a shuttle, and then re-board at 103rd St/Watts Towers Station.
RELATED: The Glory Days of L.A. Public Transit in 1926, Mapped
Metro plans to invest $350 million to modernize its second-most used rail. Metro says the improvements will make the Blue Line more reliable with fewer delays caused by breakdowns.
During the southern closure, riders will have different shuttle options, including the 826 Local, which will run — for free — daily. The local buses will stop at every closed Blue Line station, running every 6 minutes during rush-hour – 5:30 am to 9 am and 3 pm to 7 pm – and every 12 minutes during non-peak hours. And the Express Shuttle Service will run Monday through Friday for $1.75, and take you from downtown Long Beach to downtown Los Angeles during morning and afternoon rush hours with limited stops.
If you rely on the Blue Line for work or school, Metro has a dedicated page for questions about the changes and construction.
RELATED: These TSA-Level Scanners Will Be Checking You For Weapons In L.A. Metro Rail Stations
