E Line (Los Angeles Metro)

Route map:
E Line
An LA Metro Kinki Sharyo P3010 train in service on the E Line
Overview
Other name(s)Expo Line (2012–2019)
Gold Line/L Line (east of Little Tokyo/Arts District)
OwnerLos Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Line number804 (formerly 806)
Termini
Stations29
Websitemetro.net/riding/guide/e-line
Service
TypeLight rail
SystemLos Angeles Metro Rail
Depot(s)Division 14 (Santa Monica)
Division 21 (Elysian Park)
Rolling stockKinki Sharyo P3010 running in 2 or 3 car consists
Daily ridership41,902 (weekday, October 2023) Increase
Ridership11,586,541 (2023) Increase 23.5%
Technical
Line length22 mi (35 km)
Number of tracks2
CharacterMostly at-grade in private right-of-way, with some underground, street-running, elevated, and trench sections
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead line750 V DC
Operating speed55 mph (89 km/h) (max.)
19 mph (31 km/h) (avg.)
Route map

The E Line (formerly the Expo Line from 2012–2019) is a 22-mile (35 km) light rail line in Los Angeles County, California, running between Santa Monica and East Los Angeles. It is one of the six lines in the Los Angeles Metro Rail system and is operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro).

The western portion of the E line was originally named the Expo Line after Exposition Boulevard, along which it runs for most of its route; the line was renamed the E Line in late 2019, while retaining the aqua-colored line and icons used to designate it on maps. After the Regional Connector opened on June 16, 2023, the original E Line was joined with the Eastside portion of the L Line to create the current extended E Line, which is colored gold on maps.

Service description

Hours and frequency

E Line service hours are from approximately 4:30 a.m. and 11:45 p.m daily. Trains operate every 8 minutes during peak hours, Monday through Friday. During weekday midday and weekends from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., trains run every 10 minutes. Night and early morning service is approximately every 20 minutes every day.

Time 4A 5A 6-7A 8A 9A-1P 2-6P 7P 8P-12A
Weekdays 20 8-20 8 8-10 10 8 10 20
Weekends/Holidays 20 12-20 10 10-15 20

Speed

Short segments of the E Line are certified for speeds of up to 55 miles per hour (89 km/h), but service speeds are much slower. All trips on the 22-mile (35 km) mile line are scheduled at 69 minutes end-to-end, an average speed of 19 miles per hour (31 km/h).

The E Line has drawn criticism for its slow speed, especially on its western segment. To improve reliability, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) continues to work with Metro to adjust traffic signals on Exposition Boulevard in favor of trains, and proposals have been made to reconstruct the junction of the A Line and E Line to speed up trains.

Station listing

The following is the complete list of stations, from west to east:

Station Date Opened City/Neighborhood Major Connections and Notes
Downtown Santa Monica May 20, 2016 Santa Monica
17th Street/SMC Park and ride: 65 spaces
26th Street/Bergamot
Expo/Bundy West Los Angeles Park and ride: 217 spaces
Expo/Sepulveda Park and ride: 260 spaces
Westwood/Rancho Park Los Angeles (Rancho Park)
Palms Los Angeles (Palms)
Culver City June 20, 2012 Culver City Park and ride: 300 spaces
La Cienega/Jefferson April 28, 2012 Los Angeles (West Adams) Park and ride: 494 spaces
Expo/La Brea
Farmdale June 20, 2012
Expo/Crenshaw April 28, 2012 Los Angeles (Jefferson Park) K Line 
Park and ride: 450 spaces (closed Sunday)
Expo/Western Los Angeles (Exposition Park)
Expo/Vermont
Expo Park/USC Los Angeles (University Park)
Jefferson/USC
LATTC/Ortho Institute Los Angeles (North University Park) J Line 
Pico July 14, 1990 Los Angeles (Downtown) A Line J Line 
7th Street/Metro Center February 15, 1991 A Line B Line D Line J Line 
Grand Avenue Arts/Bunker Hill June 16, 2023 A Line J Line 
Historic Broadway A Line J Line 
Little Tokyo/Arts District November 15, 2009 Los Angeles (Little Tokyo/Arts District) A Line 
Pico/Aliso Los Angeles (Boyle Heights)
Mariachi Plaza
Soto
Indiana East Los Angeles Park and ride: 42 spaces
Maravilla
East LA Civic Center
Atlantic Park and ride: 289 spaces

Ridership

Annual ridership
Year Ridership
2012 4,141,440
2013 8,659,229 +109.1%
2014 9,818,027 +13.4%
2015 9,834,541 +0.2%
2016 13,376,428 +36.0%
2017 19,030,229 +42.3%
2018 19,413,884 +2.0%
2019 18,269,068 −5.9%
2020 8,308,144 −54.5%
2021 7,939,241 −4.4%
2022 9,381,013 +18.2%
2023 11,586,541

+23.5%

Source: Metro

History

Gold Line Eastside Extension

Tunnel boring machine used to dig two subway stations on the LA Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension, now part of the E Line.

The oldest portion of today's E Line is the Gold Line Eastside Extension, the southern branch of the former Gold Line, and the first phase of the Eastside Transit Corridor. The Eastside Extension runs from Union Station east to Atlantic station in East Los Angeles, in a new right-of-way following 1st Street and 3rd Street.

Service on the line began on November 15, 2009, with Gold Line trains running through Union Station northeast to Pasadena. This through service was in effect through 2020, extending to Azusa in 2016. The Gold Line was renamed the L Line in 2020, and split in two to prepare for construction of the Regional Connector. The Eastside Extension portion of the L Line then operated as an independent line until 2023, when it was merged into the E Line.

Air Line becomes the Expo Line

Steam train and horsecar in Santa Monica, 1894
April 2012 opening weekend celebration of the initial operating segment of the Expo Line (now E Line).

The E Line's western section largely follows the right-of-way used by the Los Angeles and Independence Railroad steam railroad, built in 1875. The Pacific Electric company converted it to electric traction, and operated the line as the Santa Monica Air Line by 1920, with both freight and passenger services. Passenger service ended in 1953, and freight service stopped in 1988.

Local advocacy groups, including Friends 4 Expo Transit supported the successful passage of Proposition C in 1990, which allowed the purchase of the entire right-of-way from Southern Pacific by Metro. In 2000, an urban art group called Heavy Trash placed signs advertising a fictional "Aqua Line." The signs, with the text "Coming Soon," showed a subway route extending along Wilshire Boulevard to the Pacific Ocean, with ten stations. Although the campaign was a hoax, it demonstrated newfound support and revealed the frustrations surrounding the lack of rail service connecting Santa Monica and the Westside with Downtown Los Angeles. Metro released a Major Investment Study in 2000 which compared bus rapid transit and light rail transit options along what was later known as the "Mid-City/Exposition Corridor."

Completed E line track passing through a residential area

A joint powers authority, the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority, was formed by the California State Legislature in 2003 to plan, design, and construct the line. The authority was governed by appointees from Metro, Los Angeles County, and the cities of Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and Culver City. After construction of the second phase was completed, the line was handed over on January 15, 2016, to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

The line was built in two phases; the first phase comprised the 8.6-mile (13.8 km) section between Downtown Los Angeles and Culver City. Construction began in early 2006, and most stations opened to the public on April 28, 2012. Culver City station opened on June 20, 2012, in conjunction with the infill Farmdale station between Expo/La Brea station and Expo/Crenshaw station.

Design and construction on the 6.6-mile (10.6 km) portion between Culver City and Santa Monica started in September 2011. Testing along the Phase 2 segment began on April 6, 2015, and the segment opened on May 20, 2016.

Regional Connector

The Regional Connector Transit Project constructed a 1.9-mile (3.1 km) light rail tunnel through Downtown Los Angeles that connected the preexisting A and E Lines to the former L Line to allow for a seamless one-seat ride between the A and E Lines' previous terminus at 7th Street/Metro Center station to Union Station and the Eastside.

Once the Regional Connector was completed, the alignment of the L (formerly Gold) Line was split into two parts at Little Tokyo/Arts District station, with the portion north of this station joined to the A Line, extending it to connect Long Beach with Azusa. The alignment east of Little Tokyo/Arts District station was assigned to the E Line, extending it to connect Santa Monica and East Los Angeles directly. At this time, the L Line ceased to exist as a separate line.

In 2019, Metro began using a renaming system where each rail and bus rapid transit line was rebranded with a letter name and an associated color to be used on maps and other wayfinding signs. As a result, the Expo Line became the E Line in 2019, and was recolored from aqua to gold upon completion of the Regional Connector Transit Project.

The groundbreaking for the project took place on September 30, 2014, and it opened on June 16, 2023.

Future developments

Eastside Transit Corridor

The Eastside Transit Corridor is a project to extend the line from its eastern terminus at Atlantic station to Lambert station in Whittier. Partially funded by Measure M, construction is programmed to start in 2029 with service beginning in 2035, though the project may be accelerated as part Metro's plans to prepare for the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Operations

Interior of a westbound train, first day of operation to Culver City

On Metro Rail's internal timetables, the E Line is called line 804. Prior to the opening of the Regional Connector, it was line 806.

Maintenance facilities

The E Line is operated out of two divisions, Metro’s term for train maintenance and storage facilities.

Division 14 is located east of Stewart Street and north of Exposition Boulevard in Santa Monica between 26th Street/Bergamot and Expo/Bundy stations. The facility opened in 2016 with the completion of Phase 2.

Division 21 is located at 1800 Baker Street between Elysian Park and the Los Angeles River in Chinatown between Lincoln/Cypress and Chinatown stations on the A Line. The facility opened in 2003 for the first phase of the Gold Line.

Rolling stock

The E Line operates trains with three cars on weekdays and two on weekends, except for weekend days with major events in Expo Park. The line currently uses one type of light rail vehicle; the Kinki Sharyo P3010.

Metro says that it takes 47 light rail vehicles to provide the maximum service on the E Line with 3-car trains running at 6-minute headways.

Bike pathways

Bikeway directional sign under elevated track

The Expo Bike Path parallels the route of the light rail line between 17th Street/SMC and Expo/Vermont stations. The bikeway includes a mixture of bike lanes on Exposition Boulevard and off-street paths alongside the rail tracks.

Incidents

  • On November 29, 2018, a pedestrian was struck and killed. The man had been attempting to cross the tracks.
  • On January 15, 2019, a passenger fell from the platform between the cars and was dragged to death. They "have not yet been able to identify the individual as pieces of the victim's body are spread out."
  • On May 2, 2019, a man climbed a nearby construction crane and jumped to his death at Expo/Sepulveda station, landing on the tracks and temporarily halting transportation. Graphic footage of the incident was spread on social media websites, most notably Reddit.

This page was last updated at 2024-03-11 01:18 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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