El Monte Station

Last updated
El Monte Station
LACMTA Square J Line.svg  
El Monte Station cycle park.jpg
El Monte Station entrance plaza
General information
Location3501 Santa Anita Avenue
El Monte, California
Coordinates 34°04′18″N118°02′36″W / 34.07167°N 118.04333°W / 34.07167; -118.04333
Operated by Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Platforms2 island platforms
Bus stands29
ConnectionsSee Services section
Construction
Parking1,287 spaces [1]
Bicycle facilities Metro Bike Hub and racks
AccessibleYes
History
OpenedJuly 14, 1973;50 years ago (1973-07-14)
RebuiltOctober 14, 2012 (2012-10-14)
Services
Preceding station LAMetroLogo.svg Metro Busway Following station
Cal State LA
toward San Pedro
J Line Terminus
Location
El Monte Station

El Monte Station is a large regional bus station in the city of El Monte, California, United States, adjacent to Interstate 10, serving the Metro J Line, Foothill Transit, Greyhound Lines, and El Monte Transit. It is the Metro J Line's eastern terminus.

Contents

History

The El Monte Busway was conceived in 1969 as a way to allow travelers to avoid traffic on Interstate 10 (San Bernardino Freeway), promising an 18-minute trip between El Monte and Downtown Los Angeles, compared to 35–45 minutes in the general-purpose lanes. [2] At the El Monte end of the line, a $945,000 terminal would be built, then described as the world’s first bus rapid transit station. The station was described as having a "Space Age" design, stemming from its unique circular shape billed as providing easy access for buses from both directions. [2] The station opened on July 14, 1973.

The service was popular and by 1975, the El Monte station was serving 12,000 passengers per day. For commuters, they could park their cars in one of the parking lots, then hop on a bus for the traffic-free ride to downtown Los Angeles. The parking lots had to be expanded several times in order to meet demand. For those not in cars, the station was an important transit transfer point, in express services to downtown, local and express buses fanned out to the north, east and south of the station.

Ridership would continue to grow over the next few decades, and the station would continue to age. By 2006, the El Monte Busway was being used by 40,000 passengers on 1,100 bus trips per day, and the El Monte Station had become the busiest bus station west of Chicago and was operating well beyond its originally intended capacity. In an effort to relieve overcrowding, Metro opened six new bus bays in the parking lot just west of the main station in 2006.

On December 13, 2009, Metro launched its second Metro Busway bus rapid transit service, the Silver Line (now J Line) utilizing both the El Monte Busway and the Harbor Transitway. The new higher frequency service would be funded by converting both corridors into high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes, to be branded as the Metro ExpressLanes. The tolls would be used to fund improvements to the aging stations along both corridors.

One of the first locations to be improved was the El Monte Station. In 2010, the old station was demolished and replaced a two-level terminal nearly twice the size. The new $60 million station would feature more bus bays, a large public plaza, a bicycle parking station, and customer service offices. The new station opened to the public on Sunday, October 14, 2012. [3]

In 2014, Vincent Ramos debuted his "El Monte Legion Stadium Nocturne at El Monte Station. The work commemorates local music and sports figures associated with Legion Stadium, an indoor arena that was demolished in 1974. [4]

Layout

The entrance to the station is located at the corner of Santa Anita Ave and Ramona Boulevard. The new layout of El Monte Station features 17 new bus berths on the lower level and 12 additional berths on the upper level. The design of the station is such that there are no at grade crossings of passengers and buses. Although the upper level is at existing grade, passengers are required to descend into the lower level and return to the ground level.

Just west of this station the transitway moves off the separate right of way and moves into the middle of Interstate 10. The station has a 1,760 space park and ride lot. There are additional spaces in Downtown El Monte which can be used by commuters. The station also has a connection to the Rio Hondo bicycle trail, [5] which is north of the station. Previously the station had a connection through the parking lot, but that was fenced off when construction of the new terminal began.

The Division 9 bus yard is located next to the bus station, and buses coming into, or going out of service, enter and leave from that yard.

Services

With 22,000 passengers and 1,200 bus departures daily the station was doubled in size in a renovation which was completed in October 2012. Of all the 9 Metro J Line stations, the El Monte Station is the busiest and most served. With the "Silver 2 Silver" program, Cal State LA students who have Metro passes can use the Foothill Transit's Silver Streak bus between Downtown Los Angeles and El Monte Station at no additional charge. Similarly, Foothill Transit Silver Streak riders may use their passes on the Metro J Line between El Monte Station and Downtown Los Angeles.

Staffed counters are available for Foothill Transit, Metro ExpressLanes, and Greyhound.

Due to demand, the Metro J Line runs a 24-hour night time service between El Monte Station and Harbor Gateway Transit Center, as of June 25, 2017.

As of spring 2024, the following services are available: [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority</span> Public transport agency in Los Angeles County, California, United States

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), branded as Metro, is the county agency that plans, operates, and coordinates funding for most of the public transportation system in Los Angeles County, California, the most populated county in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harbor Transitway</span> Roadway in Interstate Highway 110 in Los Angeles County, California

The Harbor Transitway is a 10.3-mile (16.6 km) shared-use express bus corridor and high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes running in the median of Interstate 110 between Downtown Los Angeles and the Harbor Gateway Transit Center in Gardena, California. Buses also make intermediate stops at 37th Street/USC, Slauson, Manchester, Harbor Freeway, and Rosecrans stations. The facility opened for two-person carpools on June 26, 1996, for buses on August 1, 1996 and was converted to HOT lanes as part of the Metro ExpressLanes project on November 10, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Monte Busway</span> Los Angeles Metro Busway

The El Monte Busway is a 12-mile (19 km) shared-use express bus corridor (busway) and high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes running along Interstate 10 between Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles and Interstate 605 or El Monte Station in El Monte, California. Buses also make intermediate stops at Cal State LA station and Los Angeles General Medical Center station. The busway opened in January 1973 to buses only, three-person carpools were allowed to enter in 1976, and the facility was converted to HOT lanes as part of the Metro ExpressLanes project on February 22, 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harbor Freeway station</span> Light rail and bus rapid transit station in Los Angeles, California

Harbor Freeway station is a transport hub located on the Harbor Transitway, within the Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange of Interstate 105 and Interstate 110 near Figueroa Street in the neighborhood of South Los Angeles. The station is served by the light rail C Line, the bus rapid transit J Line and other bus services. The station is owned by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">37th Street/USC station</span> Bus rapid transit station in Los Angeles, California

37th Street/USC station is a busway station located in Los Angeles, California. It is situated between the LATTC/Ortho Institute and Slauson stations on the J Line, a bus rapid transit route which runs between El Monte, Downtown Los Angeles and San Pedro as part of the Metro Busway system. The station consists of two side platforms in the center of Interstate 110 above 37th Street, adjacent to the University of Southern California campus. The station serves the University Park, Exposition Park and Historic South Central neighborhoods of Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slauson station (J Line)</span> Bus rapid transit station in Los Angeles, California

Slauson station is a busway station located in Los Angeles, California. It is situated between the 37th Street/USC and Manchester stations on the J Line, a bus rapid transit route which runs between El Monte, Downtown Los Angeles and San Pedro as part of the Metro Busway system. The station consists of two side platforms in the center of Interstate 110 above Slauson Avenue. The station serves the Vermont-Slauson, South Park and Florence neighborhoods of Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manchester station (Los Angeles Metro)</span> Bus rapid transit station in Los Angeles, California

Manchester station is a busway station located in Los Angeles, California. It is situated between the Slauson and Harbor Freeway stations on the J Line, a bus rapid transit route which runs between El Monte, Downtown Los Angeles and San Pedro as part of the Los Angeles Metro Busway system. The station consists of two side platforms in the center of Interstate 110 above Manchester Avenue. The station serves the Vermont Knolls, Vermont Vista, Florence, and Broadway-Manchester neighborhoods of Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosecrans station</span> Bus rapid transit station in Los Angeles, California

Rosecrans station is a busway station located in Los Angeles, California. It is situated between the Harbor Freeway station and the Harbor Gateway Transit Center on the J Line, a bus rapid transit route which runs between El Monte, Downtown Los Angeles and San Pedro as part of the Metro Busway system. The station consists of two side platforms in the center of Interstate 110 under Rosecrans Avenue. The station serves the Harbor Gateway neighborhoods of Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harbor Gateway Transit Center</span> Public transit hub in Los Angeles, California

Harbor Gateway Transit Center, formerly Artesia Transit Center, is a large bus station at the southern end of the Harbor Transitway that serves as a transport hub for the South Bay region of Los Angeles County including the Harbor Gateway neighborhood of Los Angeles and cities of Carson, Gardena, and Torrance. The station consists of one large island platform with 12 bus bays and a 980 space park and ride parking lot located in the southwest corner of Interstate 110 and California State Route 91.

Carson station is a below grade busway station on the J Line of the Los Angeles Metro Busway system. The station is located on the shoulder of Interstate 110 at its intersection with Carson Street, after which the station is named, in Carson and West Carson, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles General Medical Center station</span> Busway station in Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles General Medical Center station is a busway station located in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It is situated between Union Station and Cal State LA station on the El Monte Busway. The station is served by two bus rapid transit routes: the J Line, operated by Metro and the Silver Streak, operated by Foothill Transit. It is also used by several Metro Express and Foothill Transit bus services, most of which only run during weekday peak periods. The station consists of an island platforms in the center of the El Monte Busway, near its namesake, the Los Angeles General Medical Center. The station was completed on November 4, 1974, and is accessed by a bridge from Pomeroy Avenue between Kingston Avenue and Brittania Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cal State LA station</span>

Cal State LA station is a commuter train and bus station located on the El Monte Busway. The station is located between Interstate 10 and its namesake, the campus of California State University, Los Angeles. It is located in the El Sereno neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles and Eastside region, in southern California. The busway portion of the station opened on February 18, 1975 and the Metrolink platform was added on October 26, 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silver Streak (bus)</span>

Silver Streak is a bus rapid transit route between Montclair and Los Angeles operated by Foothill Transit. Between the Montclair TransCenter and the El Monte Bus Station, buses travel on the San Bernardino Freeway. Between El Monte and Downtown Los Angeles, buses use the El Monte Busway. The service was introduced in 2007 in response to overcrowding on Foothill Transit route 480. It runs 24 hours a day, with hourly service in the late evening.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J Line (Los Angeles Metro)</span> Bus rapid transit line

The J Line is a 38-mile (61.2 km) bus rapid transit line that runs between El Monte, Downtown Los Angeles and the Harbor Gateway, with some trips continuing to San Pedro. It is one of the two lines in the Metro Busway system operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles Metro Busway</span> Bus rapid transit system in Los Angeles County, California

Metro Busway is a system of bus rapid transit (BRT) routes that operate primarily along exclusive or semi-exclusive roadways known locally as a busway or transitway. There are currently two lines serving 29 stations in the system, the G Line in the San Fernando Valley, and the J Line between El Monte, Downtown Los Angeles and Gardena, with some trips continuing to San Pedro. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) operates the system.

The Metro ExpressLanes project is a transport project in Los Angeles County, California that debuted in 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 Busway. The existing high-occupancy lanes on these transitways were converted to high-occupancy toll lanes. Associated works included a major upgrade to the El Monte bus station, expansion of Metrolink's Pomona–North station, the creation of a new transit station at Union Station, and increased park and ride capacity and bike lockers at many transit stations. In addition, new vanpool vehicles and buses will be purchased. The project was delivered by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the California Department of Transportation, and others. The budget was $290 million and construction, which began in 2011, was completed in February 2013. Some transit improvements for the Metro J Line are still being worked on.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patsaouras Transit Plaza</span> Bus station in Los Angeles Union Station

Patsaouras Transit Plaza is a bus station on the east side of Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles, near the El Monte Busway. It was originally named the Gateway Transit Plaza but was renamed after Nick Patsaouras, former Rapid Transit District board member who was an advocate for public transportation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harbor Beacon Park & Ride</span> Park and Ride Lot in San Pedro, California

Harbor Beacon Park & Ride is a park and ride lot located in San Pedro, California, served by the Metro J Line, a bus rapid transit route. The parking lot has 180 spaces and is located at the end of Interstate 110.

The history of the Los Angeles Metro Rail and Busway system begins in the early 1970s, when the traffic-choked region began planning a rapid transit system. The first dedicated busway opened along I-10 in 1973, and the region's first light rail line, the Blue Line opened in 1990. Today the system includes over 160 miles (260 km) of heavy rail, light rail, and bus rapid transit lines, with multiple new lines under construction as of 2019.

References

  1. ↑ "Metro Parking Lots by Line". Metro.net. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority . Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  2. 1 2 "40 Years Ago This Week: Groundbreaking For El Monte Busway — California's First Multi-Modal System & The World's First Bus Rapid Transit Station". Dorothy Peyton Gray Transportation Library and Archive. January 24, 2012. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
  3. ↑ Broverman, Neal (2012-03-01). "Buried Car Delays El Monte Bus Station and Ups the Pricetag". Curbed LA. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
  4. ↑ "El Monte Legion Stadium Nocturne". Metro.net . Archived from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ↑ "Trails - Department of Parks and Recreation".
  6. ↑ "J Line Timetable – Map notes section" (PDF). Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. June 26, 2022. p. 2. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  7. ↑ Fabian, Jose (May 22, 2023). "Megabus returns to California with stops in several major cities". KTLA. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
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