transit

Chair Hahn led move at Metro after renaming effort championed by Lynwood leaders

Chair Janice Hahn at today’s Metro Board meeting

Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Metro Board of Directors unanimously approved a motion authored by Chair Janice Hahn along with Directors Hilda L. Solis, Fernando Dutra, and Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker to officially rename the Long Beach Blvd. Station on the C (Green) Line to “Lynwood Station.” The “Long Beach Blvd.” name has led to confusion among riders, some of whom assume the station is located in the City of Long Beach. Metro will soon work to update station signs, platform displays, and digital information systems to reflect the new name.

“Lynwood is finally claiming its place on our Metro map. This station has served and brought visitors to Lynwood for three decades. It’s finally time to recognize the community that it’s such a critical part of,” said Hahn, who represents Lynwood on the LA County Board of Supervisors.

The push to rename the station has been championed by Lynwood Councilmember Juan Muñoz-Guevara, who serves as chair of Metro’s Gateway Cities Service Council. The renaming comes as Metro is working to create new signage, maps, and timetables to accommodate the opening of the LAX/Metro Transit Center Station expected to open this year.

“The station cuts right through the center of our community. Many of our residents rely on this station to get to their jobs at LAX, Inglewood, and other job centers,” said Muñoz-Guevara. “Part of creating more ridership, is creating an identity for our station. The current station name no longer accurately represents Lynwood.”

Full-size photo available here.

Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Los Metro Board of Directors unanimously approved a motion authored by Chair Janice Hahn and coauthored by Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger, Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, Mayor Karen Bass, Supervisor Hilda Solis, and Whittier Councilmember Fernando Dutra aimed at using Metro resources to support displaced wildfire victims as well as recovery efforts. Among other initiatives, residents displaced by wildfires can now qualify for Metro’s reduced fare program known as LIFE.

“This is an all hands on deck moment for Los Angeles County and we are putting Metro resources to work as we respond to these wildfires, support survivors, and plan for recovery,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “As residents who lost their homes try to rebuild their lives over the next few months, the last thing they should have to worry about is whether they can afford to take the train or bus. Every displaced resident now qualifies for free fares and we will have Metro staff at wildfire resource centers to help people register.”

The proposal authorizes Metro’s CEO Stephanie Wiggins to modify the eligibility of the LIFE reduced fare program for at least six months to include individuals displaced by wildfires as well as mobilize outreach teams to evacuation centers and resource centers to assist wildfire survivors in registering for these programs. Residents enrolled in LIFE can enjoy unlimited rides for 90 days, followed by 20 free rides every month on Metro or a discounted pass on another participating transit agency.

Residents can register at https://www.metro.net/fireresponse/.

“As we work to bring every resource to our residents impacted by the wildfires—including Metro employees—it’s important that our Metro Board is also at the table,” said Metro Board Member and LA County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger. “Thousands of residents are now without a reliable means of transportation and our Metro system may play a crucial role as an option for residents to get to work and to our Disaster Recovery Centers to access support. It’s our duty to uplift our residents and employees when they need it most.”

“The devastation caused by the Eaton and Palisades fires has left lives lost, homes destroyed, and thousands displaced,” said Third District Supervisor and Metro Board Member Lindsey P. Horvath. “This motion ensures we are leveraging every resource available to provide impacted residents and Metro employees access to reduced fare programs, disaster assistance, and direct outreach and support. These recovery efforts are vital to helping our communities rebuild with the urgency and care they deserve.”

The motion also authorizes the CEO to identify and provide financial or other forms of assistance that are eligible for cost recovery from disaster assistance programs to Metro employees who have lost their homes in the wildfires or have been displaced as a result of the wildfires. As of today, at least 19 Metro employees have reported losing their homes in the wildfires and at least 46 have been displaced.

Lastly, the motion authorizes Metro to work with impacted jurisdictions to identify ways that Metro may aid in recovery efforts– including, but not limited to its fleet, services, expertise, and properties.

“Letter of No Prejudice” could mean $985 million toward new rail line

Los Angeles, CA – Chair of the Metro Board and Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn is celebrating news that last week the Federal Transit Authority approved a Letter of No Prejudice for the Southeast Gateway Line. This means that Los Angeles Metro could be eligible for up to $985 million in federal reimbursement for funds spent on construction of early critical activities.

“This is a huge vote of confidence in the Southeast Gateway Line and could mean nearly $1 Billion toward its construction,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “I could not be more grateful for the support we received for this project from the Biden Administration and our Congressional champions like Congressman Robert Garcia and Senator Alex Padilla. The Southeast Gateway Line is going to be transformative for the communities up and down this line, from Artesia to Union Station – many of whom don’t own cars and rely on transit.”

The Letter of No Prejudice was approved in a letter to Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins from FTA Regional Administrator Ray Tellis dated January 17, 2025. Early critical construction activities eligible for possible federal reimbursement with this approval includes hazardous materials abatement, railroad relocation, and grade crossings for the Southeast Gateway Line project among other early construction work.

In October 2024, Hahn, Metro officials, and local, state, and federal supporters broke ground on utility relocation for the Southeast Gateway Line. The Southeast Gateway Line will connect southeast LA County to Downtown Los Angeles from Artesia through Cerritos, Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, South Gate, Cudahy, Bell, Huntington Park, and Vernon to Union Station. Nearly half the residents in the neighborhoods that will be served by this line live below the poverty level, including one-in-five residents who are transit dependent and don’t have access to their own car. The Southeast Gateway Line was included in both voter-approved sales tax measures Measure R and Measure M with nearly $2 billion in local sales tax going toward its construction.

Executive Management Committee approves renaming; full Board of Directors will vote next week

The Long Beach Blvd. Station serves the City of Lynwood.

Los Angeles, CA – Today, the Executive Management Committee of the Metro Board of Directors voted to move forward with a proposed renaming of the Long Beach Blvd. Station on the C (Green) Line to “Lynwood Station,” a motion authored by Chair of the Board Janice Hahn along with Directors Hilda L. Solis, Fernando Dutra, and Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker. The motion now moves on to a vote by the full Metro Board of Directors during its meeting next Thursday, January 23.

“This change is long overdue. Our Metro stations are critical infrastructure for the communities they serve, and actually help shape the neighborhoods around them,” said Hahn, who represents Lynwood on the LA County Board of Supervisors. “As we prepare to welcome the world for the World Cup and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, we want to put Lynwood on the map.”

The push to rename the station has been championed by Lynwood Councilmember Juan Muñoz-Guevara, who serves as chair of Metro’s Gateway Cities Service Council. The move comes as Metro is working to create new signage, maps, and timetables to accommodate the opening of the LAX/Metro Transit Center Station expected to open this year.

“The station cuts right through the center of our community. Many of our residents rely on this station to get to their jobs at LAX, Inglewood, and other job centers,” said Muñoz-Guevara in his public comment during today’s committee meeting. “Part of creating more ridership, is creating an identity for our station. The current station name no longer accurately represents Lynwood.”

The “Long Beach Blvd.” name has led to confusion among riders, some of whom assume the station is located in the City of Long Beach. If the motion is approved by the Board next week, Metro personnel will update station signs, platform displays, and digital information systems to reflect the new name.

Los Angeles, CA – Today, Metro Board Chair Janice Hahn in partnership with Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger and Supervisor Lindsey Horvath introduced a proposal aimed at using Metro resources to support displaced wildfire victims as well as recovery efforts. If approved next week, residents displaced by the wildfires would qualify for Metro’s reduced fare program.

“Metro has resources we should put to work as we respond to these wildfires, get help to victims, and plan for recovery,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “That will mean not only supporting our employees who have been displaced, but also expanding the LIFE program so fire victims can ride Metro for free. When recovery efforts get underway, Metro has resources that can help – whether that is our fleet, our personnel’s expertise, or Metro’s dozens of properties and vacant lots.”

The proposal put forward today by Hahn, Horvath, and Barger authorizes Metro’s CEO Stephanie Wiggins to modify the eligibility of the LIFE reduced fare program for at least six months to include individuals displaced by wildfires as well as mobilize outreach teams to evacuation centers and resource centers to assist wildfire survivors in registering for these programs. Learn more about the Metro LIFE program here.

“As we work to bring every resource to our residents impacted by the wildfires—including Metro employees—it’s important that our Metro Board is also at the table,” said Metro Board Member and LA County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger. “Thousands of residents are now without a reliable means of transportation and our Metro system may play a crucial role as an option for residents to get to work and to our Disaster Recovery Centers to access support. It’s our duty to uplift our residents and employees when they need it most.”

“The devastation caused by the Eaton and Palisades fires has left lives lost, homes destroyed, and thousands displaced,” said Third District Supervisor and Metro Board Member Lindsey P. Horvath. “This motion ensures we are leveraging every resource available to provide impacted residents and Metro employees access to reduced fare programs, disaster assistance, and direct outreach and support. These recovery efforts are vital to helping our communities rebuild with the urgency and care they deserve.”

The motion also would authorize the CEO to identify and provide financial or other forms of assistance that are eligible for cost recovery from disaster assistance programs to Metro employees who have lost their homes in the wildfires or have been displaced as a result of the wildfires. As of today, at least 19 Metro employees have reported losing their homes in the wildfires and at least 46 have been displaced.

Lastly, the motion would authorize Metro to work with impacted jurisdictions to identify ways that Metro may aid in recovery efforts– including, but not limited to its fleet, services, expertise, and properties.

During today’s Executive Management Committee Meeting Supervisor Hilda Solis and Metro Board Member Whittier Councilmember Fernando Dutra joined the motion as co-authors and supporters.

This motion will be considered next Thursday at the full Metro Board meeting.

Los Angeles, CA — As wind and fires continue to call sporadic power outages, Chair of the Metro Board of Directors Janice Hahn has authorized the continued suspension of fare collection systemwide through today, January 9, 2025. She also provided information about Metro buses used for evacuations:

“As winds, fires, and sporadic power outages continue, I have authorized the suspension of fare collection systemwide to be extended through today. Metro continues to operate with some bus lines suspended or rerouted due to fires,” said Hahn. “Last night, Metro was able to provide buses to the LAPD to use for evacuations in the Sunset Fire. I am grateful to the first responders who are using every tool and resource at their disposal to protect residents and help them to safety.”

Supervisor Hahn leads delegation to Sacramento in May 2024 to advocate for the Southeast Gateway Line. Pictured from left to right: Metro Director Fernando Dutra, Huntington Park Mayor Karina Macias, Supervisor Janice Hahn, Gateway Cities COG Executive Director Hector De La Torre, Paramount Councilmember Isabel Aguayo, and Artesia Mayor Pro Tem Ali Taj.

Los Angeles, CA — Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn is celebrating an announcement by Governor Newsom awarding a $231 million grant to the Southeast Gateway Line project. The funding comes from the State Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program and the $231 million grant to the Southeast Gateway Line is the largest single award in this cycle. Hahn traveled to Sacramento in May with a delegation of leaders from Southeast LA and the Gateway Cities to advocate for this funding.

“This is exactly what we have been working toward and what this project needs,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “I appreciate Governor Newsom and his team for answering our call and recognizing the importance of the Southeast Gateway Line to the future of this region and I thank the entire Metro board for prioritizing this project.”

The Southeast Gateway Line is a new Metro light rail transit line that will stretch from Artesia through Cerritos, Bellflower, Paramount, Downey, South Gate, Cudahy, Bell, Huntington Park, Vernon, and unincorporated Florence-Firestone to Union Station which will provide fast, reliable transit service to communities that have long been underserved. Along the route, one-in-five residents are transit dependent and do not have their own car.

Supervisor Hahn and Metro leaders will break ground next week on “Advance Utility Relocation” for the Southeast Gateway Line ahead of major construction for the project.

Advance Utility Relocation Groundbreaking Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Location: 18644 Alburtis Ave, Artesia, CA 90701