El Monte Busway
Encyclopedia
Interstate 10 in California
Interstate 10 , the major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States, runs in the U.S. state of California east from Santa Monica, on the Pacific Ocean, through Los Angeles and San Bernardino to the border with Arizona...
from the Interstate 605 and El Monte Bus Station via transitway stations at California State University Metro Station, USC Medical Center Metro Station into Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area...
and its terminus at Union Station
Union Station (Los Angeles)
Los Angeles Union Station is the main railway station in Los Angeles, California. The station has rail services by Amtrak and Amtrak California and Metrolink; light rail/subways are the Metro Rail Red Line, Purple Line, Gold Line. Bus rapid transport runs on the Silver Line...
. The busway, which opened in 1974 for buses, was extended to three-person carpools in 1976 and is the oldest high occupancy road in the country; a brief experiment with two-person carpools during 2000 was soon cancelled after speeds on the busway plunged from 65 mi/h to 20 mi/h and journey times increased by 20-30 minutes.
This busway, together with the Harbor Transitway
Harbor Transitway
The Harbor Transitway is an 11-mile shared-use bus corridor and high-occupancy vehicle roadway that runs in the median of Interstate 110 in Southern California...
, forms a key part Los Angeles County Metro Liner
Metro Liner (Los Angeles County)
Metro Liner refers to bus rapid transit services operated by Los Angeles County Metro which operate on dedicated or shared-use busways.Metro Liner is designed to mimic the Metro Rail light rail services both in the vehicle's design and their operation...
system. The Silver Line uses both corridors with 49 buses using the busway each hour at peak times carrying 16,000 bus passengers per day. It was described in 2002 by the United States Department of Transportation
United States Department of Transportation
The United States Department of Transportation is a federal Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transportation. It was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, and began operation on April 1, 1967...
as being one of the most successful HOV facilities in the country.
The Metro ExpressLanes project
Metro ExpressLanes project
The Metro ExpressLanes project is a transport project taking place in Los Angeles between 2011 and 2012 to 'improve traffic flow and provide enhanced travel options on I-10 and I-110 in Los Angeles County'. It includes a range of infrastructure developments on the Harbor Transitway and the El Monte...
includes conversion of high occupancy lanes into high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes
High occupancy/toll and express toll lanes
High occupancy/toll lanes is a road pricing scheme that gives motorists in single-occupant vehicles access to high-occupancy vehicle lanes . Sometimes, entire roads are designated for the use of HOVs. Tolls are collected either by manned toll booths, automatic number plate recognition, or...
, the construction of a new transway station at Patsaouras Transit Plaza
Patsaouras Transit Plaza
The Patsaouras Transit Plaza is a bus station located on the east side of Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles beside the El Monte Busway. It hosts several connecting bus lines, including Metro Rapid and Metro Local lines, as well as downtown DASH shuttles, many municipal bus lines, FlyAway...
close to Union Station and a major expansion of the El Monte bus station from 22,000 to 40,000 passengers per day.
History
When the busway opened in 1973 it was exclusively for the use of buses. It was made available to private cars with three or more occupants for three months during the 1974 Southern California Rapid Transit District strike which lasted 68 days. Carpools with three or more occupants were then permitted to use the busway during peak hours start in 1976 and then also at weekends from 1977 and 24 hours a day from 1981. A one mile extension into central Los Angeles opened in 1989.Construction of the Harbor Transitway
Harbor Transitway
The Harbor Transitway is an 11-mile shared-use bus corridor and high-occupancy vehicle roadway that runs in the median of Interstate 110 in Southern California...
shared-use bus corridor in the median of Interstate 110 was approved in 1987 and was completed in 1995. In 1993 plans for a high frequency 'dual-hub' service were proposed which would operate along both busways between El Monte Bus Station in the east via downtown to the Artesia Transit Center
Artesia Transit Center
Artesia Transit Center is a Metro Silver Line station and large bus station at southern end of the Harbor Transitway located in the southwest corner of Interstate 110 and State Route 91 in Los Angeles...
in the south with buses very 2-3 minutes and a total journey time of about 60 minutes. A lack of funding meant that a service of this type was not introduced until 2009.
State bill
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
63 lowered the carpool occupancy requirement from three occupants to two on 1 January 2000. This was intended to be a 24-month experiment but it was cancelled after only 6 months in which period there had been a large increase in the number of vehicles using the lane, greatly increased journey-times and reduced average vehicle occupancy. Over this time speeds on the busway dropped from 65 mi/h to 20 mi/h and journey times increased by 20-30 minutes making it slower than the regular lanes where speeds dropped from 25 mi/h to 23 mi/h. Accident rates on the busway increased significantly from zero in the six months before the experiment to five during the experiment. Foothill Transit needed to hire more drivers and stage more buses to provide busway service and the change generated over 1,000 complaints to government agencies.
The above bill had been proposed by senator Hilda Solis
Hilda Solis
Hilda Lucia Solis is the 25th United States Secretary of Labor, serving in the Obama administration. She is a member of the Democratic Party and served in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2009, representing the 31st and 32nd congressional districts of California that include...
and authorized by Governor Gray Davis
Gray Davis
Joseph Graham "Gray" Davis, Jr. is an American Democratic politician who served as California's 37th Governor from 1999 until being recalled in 2003...
on July 1999 and was supported many cities hoping that carpool rates would increase but had been opposed by Caltrans, Foothill Transit
Foothill Transit
Foothill Transit is a joint powers authority of 21 member cities in the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys. It operates a fixed-route bus public transit service in the San Gabriel Valley of Greater Los Angeles, California.-Overview:...
and the Southern California Transit Advocates (a transit users' organization). As a result of the increased congestion an emergency measure (Bill 769) was passed in July 2000 to terminate the experiment during peak hours raising the occupancy required to three occupants or more between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, in both directions. On weekends and at other times, the two occupant rule remains. This bill was supported by Hilda Solis who had proposed the original bill. Motorcycles, clean fueled vehicles, hybrid vehicle
Hybrid vehicle
A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle. The term most commonly refers to hybrid electric vehicles , which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors.-Power:...
s (with the appropriate sticker), and buses (with or without passengers) are allowed on the busway at all times. The busway was however still congested during peak hours and heavily congested just before and after peak hours.
The Metro Silver Line between the El Monte Bus Station and the Artesia Transit Center via downtown Los Angeles using the El Monte Busway and the Harbor Transitway started operation in December 2009.
El Monte bus station
The El Monte Station is being rebuilt to double is capacity to 40,000 passengers as part of the Metro ExpressLanes projectMetro ExpressLanes project
The Metro ExpressLanes project is a transport project taking place in Los Angeles between 2011 and 2012 to 'improve traffic flow and provide enhanced travel options on I-10 and I-110 in Los Angeles County'. It includes a range of infrastructure developments on the Harbor Transitway and the El Monte...
. Work began in September 2010 and with a completion date on July 2012.
Conversion to High occupancy toll lanes
The bus/HOV lanes will be converted to high occupancy toll (HOT) lanesHigh occupancy/toll and express toll lanes
High occupancy/toll lanes is a road pricing scheme that gives motorists in single-occupant vehicles access to high-occupancy vehicle lanes . Sometimes, entire roads are designated for the use of HOVs. Tolls are collected either by manned toll booths, automatic number plate recognition, or...
as part of the Metro ExpressLanes project. Sole drivers will be able to use the toll lanes on payment of a fee which will vary dynamically with traffic levels. Vehicles with 2 occupants will charged a dynamic fee during peak hours but not at other times. Vehicles with 3 or more people will be able to use the lanes without charge at all times.
New Transit Station at Patsaouras Plaza
A new transit Station is to be built at Patsaouras Transit PlazaPatsaouras Transit Plaza
The Patsaouras Transit Plaza is a bus station located on the east side of Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles beside the El Monte Busway. It hosts several connecting bus lines, including Metro Rapid and Metro Local lines, as well as downtown DASH shuttles, many municipal bus lines, FlyAway...
to serve Union Station as part of the Metro ExpressLanes project. To avoid impacting the ExpressLane demonstration the station will be delayed undergoing construction and is not due to be open until mid 2015 at the earliest.
Other Metro ExpressLanes elements
The elements of the Metro ExpressLanes project relevant to the busway include:- 100 New Metro VanpoolVanpoolVanpools are an element of the transit system that allow groups of people to share the ride similar to a carpool, but on a larger scale with concurrent savings in fuel and vehicle operating costs...
s - The introduction of 59 Compressed natural gasCompressed natural gasCompressed natural gas is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline , diesel, or propane/LPG. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill...
powered 45-foot buses for the Silver Line with operating subsidy for the trial period.
Bus services
Bus service operates from Downtown Los AngelesDowntown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area...
to various points in the San Gabriel Valley
San Gabriel Valley
The San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, United States. It lies to the east of Los Angeles, to the north of the Puente Hills, to the south of the San Gabriel Mountains, and west of the Inland Empire. It derives its name from the San Gabriel River that flows...
and Pomona Valley
Pomona Valley
The Pomona Valley, located between the San Gabriel Valley and Cucamonga Valley in Southern California, straddles the border between Los Angeles County and San Bernardino County. Back on March 1, 1893 the California Assembly voted 54-14 for a new county to form in the region, San Antonio County,...
, as well as the San Bernardino County cities of Chino
Chino, California
Chino is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is located in the western end of the Riverside-San Bernardino Area and it is easily accessible via the Chino Valley and Pomona freeways....
and Montclair
Montclair, California
Montclair is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 36,664 at the 2010 United States Census.The current mayor is Paul M. Eaton.-Description:...
. Foothill Transit Line 481 continues to Koreatown
Koreatown, Los Angeles, California
Koreatown is a neighborhood in the Mid-Wilshire district of the city of Los Angeles, California known for its concentration of Korean American people and institutions...
to the Wilshire/Western station
Wilshire/Western (LACMTA Station)
Wilshire/Western Station is a heavy-rail subway station in the Los Angeles County Metro Rail system. It is located at Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue, in Los Angeles' Mid-Wilshire/Koreatown District...
of the Metro Red Line.
Bus services are provided with a mix of Foothill Transit
Foothill Transit
Foothill Transit is a joint powers authority of 21 member cities in the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys. It operates a fixed-route bus public transit service in the San Gabriel Valley of Greater Los Angeles, California.-Overview:...
and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is the California state-chartered regional transportation planning agency and public transportation operating agency for the County of Los Angeles formed in 1993 out of a merger of the Southern California Rapid Transit District and the...
buses:
- Metro Silver Line
- Metro ExpressMetro ExpressMetro Express is a form of express bus service in Los Angeles County, California, operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Buses are usually express for a portion of the route, then run either local or limited stop in other areas...
- Silver StreakSilver Streak (bus)The Silver Streak is a bus rapid transit system operated by Foothill Transit between Los Angeles and Montclair. Service began on March 18, 2007 and also resulted in a restructuring of service. The idea of the Silver Streak came when Line 480, Foothill's most popular line, became a very busy bus...
(Foothill Transit) - Line 481 (Foothill Transit)
- Commuter Express (Foothill Transit) - restricted boarding at alighting at intermediate stops during morning/evening peak
Foothill Transit's Silver Streak operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week; all other Foothill Transit routes operate weekdays only in the peak direction. Metro Express Line 489 operates weekdays only in the peak direction; Line 485 operates Monday through Friday into Gateway Transit Center, line 487 and the Silver Line operate seven days a week. Hours vary for each line.
The fare structure differs between Metro Express, Foothill Transit's Silver Streak and Line 481, and Foothill Transit's Commuter Express. Fares vary based on the destination. Metro Express trips on the busway to and from El Monte Station are $2.45, however the base fare of $1.50 is applied for passengers not traveling east of Cal State L.A. Station except on the Silver Line which charges $2.45 regardless of trip length. The fare for the Silver Streak and Line 481 is $2.75, regardless of trip length. Commuter Express fares are $4.90.
The El Monte Bus Station is claimed to be the busiest bus terminal west of Chicago, with 22,000 boardings daily.
Entrances and exits
The carpool lanes of the El Monte Busway can only be entered and exited at a few points. The segment from El Monte to I-710 is demarcated not only with two 'double-yellow' lines which are typical of Southern California HOV lanes, but also an approximately 12' (3.7m) wide asphalt median. The segment west of I-710 into Downtown Los Angeles is on an alignment separate from the regular lanes of the I-10San Bernardino Freeway
The San Bernardino Freeway, formerly known as the Ramona Freeway is a freeway in Los Angeles and Orange Counties in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. It refers to the following two segments:...
Westbound entrances are at I-605, Baldwin Ave. in El Monte, El Monte Bus Station (for buses only), Del Mar Ave. (where motorists take a ramp from street level), and I-710 (for buses only). Westbound exits are at Baldwin Ave., Fremont Ave., I-710, I-5, Vignes St., and Alameda St. Eastbound entrances are at Alameda St., Patsaouras Transit Plaza at Union Station, I-710, and Baldwin Ave. Eastbound exits are at Patsaouras Transit Plaza, I-710 (for buses only), Del Mar Ave. (where motorists take a ramp to street level), Baldwin Ave., and I-605.
List of stations, from west to east
| Station | El Monte Busway Services | Connections | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Monte Bus Station | Upper level: Foothill Transit: 481, Silver Streak Metro Liner: Silver Line |
Upper level: Metro Rapid Metro Rapid Metro Rapid is a bus rapid transit service in Los Angeles County, California that operates in mixed traffic environments and has fewer stops than the Metro Local service. The system is mainly operated by LACMTA. Two routes are operated by Santa Monica Transit and one by Culver City Transit... : 770 Metro Local: 70, 487 Metro Express: 577X Foothill Transit: 482, 486, 488, 492, 494 Lower level: Metro Local: 76, 176, 267, 268, 270, 287, 487 Foothill Transit: 178, 269 El Monte Trolley: Flair, Civic Center |
Eastern terminus of the El Monte Busway. |
| California State University, Los Angeles | Foothill Transit: 481, 493, 497, 498, 499, 699, Silver Streak Metro Express: 485, 487, 489 Metro Liner: Silver Line |
Metrolink Metrolink (Southern California) Metrolink is a commuter rail system serving Los Angeles and the surrounding area of Southern California; it currently consists of six lines and 55 stations using of track.... : San Bernardino Line Metrolink San Bernardino Line The San Bernardino Line is the busiest of Southern California's seven Metrolink lines, running from Downtown Los Angeles east through the San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire to San Bernardino. It is one of the three initial lines on the original Metrolink system... Metro Local: 71, 256, 665 El Sol El Sol (bus line) El Sol is a bus line that serves the unincorporated East Los Angeles area of Los Angeles County... : Orange Children's Court Shuttle ACT: Blue Monterey Park: 5 |
|
| Los Angeles County - USC Medical Center | Foothill Transit: 481, 493, 497, 498, 499, 699, Silver Streak Metro Express: 485, 487, 489 Metro Liner: Silver Line |
Metro Local: 71, 254 LADOT DASH: Boyle Heights |
|
| Union Station Union Station (Los Angeles) Los Angeles Union Station is the main railway station in Los Angeles, California. The station has rail services by Amtrak and Amtrak California and Metrolink; light rail/subways are the Metro Rail Red Line, Purple Line, Gold Line. Bus rapid transport runs on the Silver Line... |
Foothill Transit Foothill Transit Foothill Transit is a joint powers authority of 21 member cities in the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys. It operates a fixed-route bus public transit service in the San Gabriel Valley of Greater Los Angeles, California.-Overview:... : 481, 493, 497, 498, 499, 6991, Silver Streak Silver Streak (bus) The Silver Streak is a bus rapid transit system operated by Foothill Transit between Los Angeles and Montclair. Service began on March 18, 2007 and also resulted in a restructuring of service. The idea of the Silver Streak came when Line 480, Foothill's most popular line, became a very busy bus... Metro Express Metro Express Metro Express is a form of express bus service in Los Angeles County, California, operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Buses are usually express for a portion of the route, then run either local or limited stop in other areas... : 485, 487, 489 Metro Liner: Silver Line |
Red Line Purple Line Gold Line Metro Rapid Metro Rapid Metro Rapid is a bus rapid transit service in Los Angeles County, California that operates in mixed traffic environments and has fewer stops than the Metro Local service. The system is mainly operated by LACMTA. Two routes are operated by Santa Monica Transit and one by Culver City Transit... : 704, 728, 733, 740, 745, 770 Amtrak Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union... Metrolink Metrolink (Southern California) Metrolink is a commuter rail system serving Los Angeles and the surrounding area of Southern California; it currently consists of six lines and 55 stations using of track.... Metro Local Metro Local Metro Local is a bus system in Los Angeles County operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority . This retronym designation was placed to differentiate it from the Metro Rapid service... : 40, 42, 68, 70, 71, 78, 79, 378 Metro Express Metro Express Metro Express is a form of express bus service in Los Angeles County, California, operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Buses are usually express for a portion of the route, then run either local or limited stop in other areas... : 439, 445 Antelope Valley Transit Authority Antelope Valley Transit Authority Antelope Valley Transit Authority is the transit agency serving the cities of Palmdale, Lancaster and Northern Los Angeles County. Antelope Valley Transit Authority is operated under contract by Veolia Transportation, and is affiliated and offers connecting services with Metro and... : 785 City of Santa Clarita Transit: 794, 799 LADOT Commuter Express Los Angeles Department of Transportation The Los Angeles Department of Transportation, commonly referred to as LADOT, is an agency created by Los Angeles City Ordinance, and is governed by a citizen commission. The LADOT is best known for providing public transportation to the City of Los Angeles. It currently operates the second largest... : 430, 534 LADOT DASH: B, DD (weekends only), Lincoln Heights/Chinatown Santa Monica Big Blue Bus: 10 Orange County Transportation Authority Orange County Transportation Authority The Orange County Transportation Authority is the public sector transportation planning body and mass transit service provider for Orange County, California. Its ancestor agencies include not only the prior Orange County Transit District but also such diverse entities as the Pacific Electric... : 701 Torrance Transit Torrance Transit Torrance Transit is a transit agency serving mainly the South Bay region of Los Angeles County.-Routes:Torrance Transit is a transit agency serving mainly the South Bay region of Los Angeles County.-Routes:... : 1, 2 |
Western terminus of the El Monte Busway. |
1 Line 699 has a stop within Patsaouras Transit Plaza at Union Station. All other lines stop at Alameda Street & the El Monte Busway entrance.