LACMTA approves subway connector plan

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board Thursday approved plans to place the proposed Regional Connector in downtown Los Angeles fully underground. The vote authorizes a final phase of study before engineering and construction can begin.

At 1.9 miles, the connector would link the current disconnected LRT lines in downtown LA to Long Beach, East LA., Pasadena, and the under-construction Culver City line.The connector also would enable many riders to travel through downtown between various points, expanding the system’s “one-seat ride” offerings.

The connector is scheduled to open in 2019, but could open earlier if LA’s much-touted 30/10 vision, which would accelerate 12 public transit projects planned for 30 years into 10 years with federal loans, is successful.

Three new stations would be built. The current Little Tokyo Gold Line street-level station would be replaced with an underground one. New stations locations would be at 2nd and Broadway at the LA Times building, and 2nd and Hope near the Walt Disney Concert Hall. A fourth station under consideration at 5th and Flower, a quarter-mile from the 7th/Metro station, was dropped from current planning to save $185 million. The project at present is estimated to cost $1.2 billion.