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Southeast Gateway Line

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 Southeast Gateway Line
Overview
StatusPre-construction
LocaleLos Angeles
Downey
Paramount
Artesia
Termini
Stations12
WebsiteSoutheast Gateway Line
Service
TypeLight rail
SystemLos Angeles Metro Rail
History
Planned opening2028 (if accelerated)
2035 (Slauson–Pioneer)
2043 (full line)
Technical
Line length19.3 mi (31.1 km)
Number of tracks2
CharacterDedicated right of way with elevated, at-grade and underground sections
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification750 V DC overhead catenary
Route map

Legend
Metrolink and Amtrak
A Line  to APU/Citrus College
 Union Station Parking AmtrakMetrolink (California)FlyAway (bus)A Line B Line D Line J Line 
*new platforms at Union Station Forecourt
or behind the Metropolitan Water District Building
 B Line D Line 
A Line E Line 
Little Tokyo/Arts District A Line E Line 
Arts/Industrial District
I-10 (1961).svg I-10
Up arrow Phase 2 (2043)
Down arrow Phase 1 (2035)
 Slauson A Line 
A Line  to Long Beach
 Pacific/Randolph
Florence/Salt Lake
Firestone Parking
I-710 (1961).svg I-710
 Gardendale
I-105/C Line Parking C Line 
I-105 (1961).svg I-105 C Line 
 Paramount/Rosecrans Parking
Maintenance and
Storage Facility
 Bellflower Parking
California 91.svg SR 91
I-605 (1961).svg I-605
 Pioneer Parking
West Santa Ana Branch
Multiple
services
Handicapped/disabled access
All stations
are accessible
This diagram:

The Southeast Gateway Line (formerly the West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor) is a planned light rail line, mostly following the Pacific Electric's historic West Santa Ana Branch, connecting Downtown Los Angeles to the city of Artesia, along with other cities in southeastern Los Angeles County.

Overview

See also: West Santa Ana Branch

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has $4 billion[1][2] in funds available for construction planned to begin in 2022. The plan included in the Measure M transportation funding measure is to build improvements in two stages.

In June 2017, Metro issued a request for proposal (RFP) to study alternatives for this new line.[3] Metro has narrowed the options to two alternatives and are currently preparing to publish the Draft EIS/EIR for public comment.[2][1] The draft EIS/EIR is planned to be released in 2020.[4]

The project's timeline was expected to be accelerated under the Twenty-eight by '28 initiative.[5]

The environmental impact report released in 2021 set an estimated cost of $8.6 billion for the line.[6]

The City of Cerritos filed a lawsuit[when?] to force Metro to alter the planned route through that city. Under the plan, the new light rail will travel over 1.3 miles (2.09 km) within the city limits with three street crossings between I-605 and the proposed Pioneer station. Metro proposes in Cerritos, at 183rd and Gridley Street, a crossing shared with the City of Artesia, a $687 million dollar above ground bridge crossing. Cerritos prefers a $1.1 billion dollar underground rail options within its limits. Metro has stated a budget difference of $413 million in additional tax payer funds is not needed.[7][8]

By 2023, the Metro board sought to change the project's name to reflect that it would not reach Santa Ana or Orange County.[9] The $8.5 billion project has been in the planning stage for two decades. Metro estimates it will take 10 years to build, starting in 2025 and opening in 2035. On January 22, 2024, the line's new name was announced by Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn to be the Southeast Gateway Line.[10]

On March 29, 2024, Metro publicly published the final environmental impact report (EIR) for the project, pending certification by the Metro board of directors. The FTA is expected to issue a record of decision to happen sometime during the summer of 2024.[11] The board voted to certify the EIR at a meeting on April 25, 2024, paving the way for construction to begin by the end of 2024.[12] Metro released an RFP right after the certification, seeking a contractor for pre-construction "Advanced Works".[13]

In October 2024, the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) awarded Metro $231 million for construction on the Southeast Gateway Line as part of the $1.3 billion Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program Cycle 7.[14] Groundbreaking on advance utility relocation began on October 31, 2024.[15]

Proposed routings and modes

The Southeast Gateway Line is proposed as a 19.3-mile (31.1 km) light rail transit line that would connect downtown Los Angeles to Artesia. Along the route, it would also serve the communities of Vernon, Huntington Park, Bell, Cudahy, South Gate, Downey, Paramount, Bellflower and Cerritos in the southeast area of the county.[1]

The southern portion route, east and south of Slauson, leaves the A Line corridor via the former Pacific Electric Whittier Line, continues south on a former Union Pacific Railroad line (Florence/Salt Lake to Paramount/Rosecrans), and then transitions to the old Santa Ana right of way (south of Paramount/Rosecrans). These corridors are owned by the Ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach and Metro, requiring minimal property acquisition.

The northern alignment through Downtown Los Angeles is being studied as a possible underground light rail transit route. Six options were proposed.[1] As of 2018, two options were being considered (both of which would connect to the southern alignment by paralleling the A Line between Washington and Slauson stations, as well as part of an existing freight rail line along Randolph Street):[4][2]

  • Alameda Street (Alternative E): A subway under Alameda, passing through the Arts District and connecting to the A and E lines at Little Tokyo/Arts District before continuing to Union Station.
  • Downtown Transit Core (Alternative G): Would deviate westward from the Alameda route in the Arts District and continue downtown via a subway, terminating at either 7th Street/​Metro Center or Pershing Square station.

By March 2018, Cerritos had opted out of the project, leaving the southern terminus at Pioneer.[16] In November 2018, Metro removed the A Line stations north of Slauson from the study area, citing redundant service and expedited travel times as the prime reasons.[17]

In 2019, Metro announced that as part of its design analysis, it would study opening the line in two stages, with the initial opening $1 billion segment running from Pioneer Station in Artesia north to Slauson Station on the A Line, with the remainder of the $3 billion route into downtown built as Phase 2. Metro staff were "optimistic" that it would be feasible to build the line to Slauson by 2028 with existing Measure M funds. Metro was also studying public–private partnerships that could accelerate the construction schedule of the entire line. The service is not planned to interline with the A Line to 7th Street/Metro Center due to operational constraints.[18] Under the proposed plans, design for the initial segment would be complete by 2021 and construction would begin in 2022.[19]

Route Selection: Alternative: E

By 2022, the Metro Board backed the Union Station option as the northern terminus.[20] Construction on the segment south of Slauson is expected to begin construction in 2025 with an estimated opening of 2035.[21][22] The second phase north of Slauson to Union Station is expected to be completed in 2043 at the earliest.[23]

Stations

Phase Expected
completion 		Station[1] Location Connecting
services[24]
2 2043 Union Station Downtown Los Angeles Amtrak Amtrak
California High-Speed Rail California High-Speed Rail (planned)
Metrolink (California) Metrolink
 A Line
 B Line
 D Line
 J Line
Little Tokyo/Arts District Little Tokyo  A Line
 E Line
Arts/Industrial District Arts District
1 2035 [9] Slauson Florence-Graham  A Line
Pacific/Randolph Huntington Park/Walnut Park
Florence/Salt Lake Bell/Cudahy
Firestone South Gate
Gardendale Downey
I-105/C Line Paramount  C Line
Paramount/Rosecrans
Bellflower Bellflower
Pioneer Artesia

Proposed extension into Orange County

Metro is evaluating an optional station in Cerritos at Bloomfield Avenue (just north of the Los Angeles-Orange county line) to facilitate a possible future extension into Orange County; it would eventually connect to the under-construction OC Streetcar, which also uses part of the Pacific Electric WSAB right-of-way.[4]

Proposed Rio Hondo confluence station

Metro is evaluating an optional station in South Gate at the confluence of the Los Angeles River and Rio Hondo to connect with future planned development in the surrounding area.[25]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor". Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Tinoco, Matt (May 24, 2018). "Metro directors pick two options for new rail line through Downtown LA". Curbed LA. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  3. ^ "Metro West Santa Ana Branch Rail Recommended Route(s) To Go To Metro Board This Month". Streetsblog Los Angeles. May 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c "Project Alternatives". Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved December 2, 2018.[non-primary source needed]
  5. ^ Sharp, Steven (November 27, 2018). "Here are the 28 Projects that Metro Could Complete Before the 2028 Olympics". Urbanize. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  6. ^ Fine, Howard (December 20, 2021). "Metro Planning Rail Routes into County's Southeast Quadrant". Los Angeles Business Journal. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  7. ^ "Cerritos Council Spending City Funds to Stop Light Rail from Artesia to Downtown L.A." July 2023.
  8. ^ "Let the new Metro line in Cerritos be built | Talon Marks". March 25, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Scauzillo, Steve (June 15, 2023). "Stations, new name coming for West Santa Ana Branch light-rail in southeast LA County". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  10. ^ @SupJaniceHahn (January 22, 2024). "Over the last few months, I asked for your help to come up with a new name, and you all came through. Metro has tabulated the results and now we are finally prepared to unveil the new name for this train. The name you all chose for this new line is… the Southeast Gateway Line!" (Tweet). Retrieved January 22, 2024 – via Twitter.
  11. ^ "EIS_EIR". Dropbox. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  12. ^ "Metro certifies environmental impact report for Southeast Gateway Rail Line". Los Angeles Daily News. MediaNews Group. April 25, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  13. ^ @numble (April 25, 2024). "LA Metro has released the RFP for a contractor for "Advanced Works" for Southeast Gateway Line, to prepare alignment for main project construction (utility relocations, soil abatement, freight relocation, etc.). Contract might also include building C Line infill transfer station" (Tweet). Retrieved April 26, 2024 – via Twitter.
  14. ^ Curry, Melanie (October 23, 2024). "CalSTA Announces Funding for Rail and Transit Projects". Streetsblog California. OpenPlans. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  15. ^ Linton, Joe (October 31, 2024). "Metro Breaks Ground on Early Phase of Southeast Gateway Light Rail Construction". Streetsblog Los Angeles. OpenPlans. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  16. ^ Hews, Brian (March 11, 2018). "METRO TO HOLD MEETINGS ON WEST SANTA ANA BRANCH TRANSIT PROJECT, THE 20-MILE LIGHT RAIL FROM ARTESIA TO DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES". Cerritos Community News. Hews Media Group. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  17. ^ "Board Report" (PDF). metro.net. Los Angeles County. November 14, 2018. pp. 1–33. Retrieved March 14, 2023.[non-primary source needed]
  18. ^ "Board Report" (PDF). metro.net. Los Angeles County. September 18, 2019. pp. 1–6. Retrieved March 14, 2023.[non-primary source needed]
  19. ^ "LA Metro to present latest West Santa Ana light-rail plan to the public". Progressive Railroading. January 2, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  20. ^ Hymon, Steve (January 18, 2022). "Metro Board to select route and terminus for light rail line to Southeast L.A. County". The Source. LACMTA. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  21. ^ Sharp, Steven (January 17, 2022). "Metro staff recommend Union Station route for West Santa Ana Branch". Urbanize. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  22. ^ 2021-0724 - WEST SANTA ANA BRANCH TRANSIT CORRIDOR PROJECT (Report). January 19, 2022. p. 2. Retrieved January 21, 2022. {{cite report}}: Unknown parameter |agency= ignored (help)
  23. ^ Scauzillo, Steve (January 27, 2022). "LA Metro board OKs new light-rail line from Artesia to Union Station". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  24. ^ "Bus and Rail System Map" (PDF). Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved December 3, 2018.[non-primary source needed]
  25. ^ "Rio Hondo Confluence Station Feasibility Study". Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
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