Greater Los Angeles has a complex multimodal transportation infrastructure, which serves as a regional, national and international hub for passenger and freight traffic. The transportation system of Greater Los Angeles includes the United States' largest port complex, seven commuter rail lines, Amtrak service, a subway system within the city of Los Angeles, and numerous highways. Los Angeles is integrated into the Interstate Highway System by Interstate 5, Interstate 10, and Interstate 15, along with numerous auxiliary highways and state routes. Bus service is also included locally within the area by numerous local government agencies. Subways and light commuter rail lines are present within Los Angeles proper, allowing mass transportation within the city. Commuter railroads are run by Metrolink. Amtrak has numerous railroad lines that connect Los Angeles to the rest of the country.
People in Los Angeles rely on cars as the dominant mode of transportation, [1] but starting in 1990 Los Angeles Metro Rail has built over one hundred miles (160km) of light and heavy rail serving more and more parts of Los Angeles.
Greater Los Angeles has five airports served by commercial airlines. In addition to these airports, there are many general aviation airports in the region.
The Los Angeles Metro Rail is a light rail and rapid transit system that serves primarily Los Angeles and its surrounding cities. There are several routes associated to this system, which follows:
The D Line (named the Purple Line in 2006; first leg to Westlake/MacArthur Park opened in 1993; to Koreatown in 1996) is a subway line running between Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles and Wilshire/Western station in the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles Mid-Wilshire district. It was considered a branch of the Red Line prior to 2006.
The E Line (opened in 2012 as the Expo Line) is a light rail line running between the 7th Street/Metro Center station in Downtown Los Angeles and Downtown Santa Monica station in Santa Monica. The first phase of the line to Culver City opened in 2012, and the second phase to Santa Monica opened in 2016.
A 2,265-mile (3,645km) passenger train route operated by Amtrak through the Midwestern and Southwestern United States. It runs from Union Station in Los Angeles east through Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois to Chicago Union Station in Chicago, Illinois.
A passenger train that for most of its history has run between Los Angeles and New Orleans, and that from early 1993 through late August 2005 also ran east of New Orleans to Florida, making it during that time the only true transcontinental passenger train in American history (ignoring, of course, the comparatively small gaps between its endpoint stations and the respective seacoasts).
A passenger train route operated by Amtrak that normally connects Chicago Union Station with San Antonio station in San Antonio, Texas. Three times per week, the Texas Eagle joins the Sunset Limited in San Antonio and continues west to Los Angeles.
The Greater Los Angeles area operates on a very extensive network of public roadways that allows vehicle drivers convenient direct access to all practical destinations in the area.
Major Freeways leading into and out of Greater Los Angeles Area
Helicopter service is also available from Long Beach or San Pedro.[3] Small planes can also land at the Catalina Airport, known as the "Airport in the Sky", located 7 miles (11km) northwest of Avalon.[4]
However, there is no regular vehicle ferry service for visitors to take their car. The use of motor vehicles on the island, and within the City of Avalon in particular, is restricted. Instead, the primary method of transportation within the city is by small gasoline or electric powered motorcars referred to locally as "autoettes". These include numerous golf carts and similarly sized vehicles. Vehicles under 55 inches (140cm) wide, 120 inches (300cm) long, and less than 1,800 pounds (820kg) may qualify as an autoette. Any resident may acquire an autoette permit with the restriction of one permit per household. It is very difficult for a private citizen to get a permit to have a full-size vehicle in Avalon. The permit is issued to the individual as opposed to a specific vehicle, is surrendered when residency on the island ends, and is not transferable except through petition before the city council. Only one new vehicle permit is issued for every two permits that become ineligible to be renewed or are voluntarily surrendered.[5] This typically translates into a 25-year-long wait list to bring a full-size private car to the island.[6]
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