[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww_vIhffhds]
Good news, everyone! Station refurbishment work along the Metro Blue Line wrapped this past weekend, marking a milestone completion of the Blue Line Upgrades project. The work, which began August of last year, saw new canopies, improved lighting, new tiling and additional security cameras installed at every Blue Line station.
Best of all, this portion of the Blue Line Upgrades project was completed on-budget and approximately three months ahead of the original schedule. A big thank you goes out to all of our customers for their patience and understanding these past months.
Check out the slideshow below to see how far we’ve come. And stay tuned as we’ll be updating you about future track maintenance work that will be taking place over the next few months.
-
- Work continued even through the rare summer storm that swept through L.A.
-
- Installing the new canopy at Pico Station.
-
- … and Grand/LATTC Station. Photos by Jame Wei/Metro.
-
- Canopy installation at San Pedro St Station in 2015.
-
- New columns will support a new station canopy, to be installed over the next two weeks. (Photos by James Wei/Metro)
-
- Work at Washington Station during last weekend’s foggy weather.
-
- Workers install a new canopy at Florence Station last weekend…
-
- … and brighter lights for late-night riders. (images by James Wei/Metro)
-
- This series by a Metro employee shows installation of new canopies on the Blue Line platform at Willowbrook/Rosa Park Station the weekend of April 10-12.
-
- Photos by James Wei/Metro.
-
- Upgrade work performed the weekend of April 17-19 at 103rd St/Watts Towers Station.
-
- New canopy being installed at Willow Street Station last weekend.
-
- New canopy being installed at Willow Street Station last weekend.
-
- New canopy being installed at Willow Street Station last weekend. Photos: Metro
-
- Fresh paint, tile and lighting installed over the past few weeks at Artesia Station. Photos: Metro
-
- New tactile, directional tiles should improve the experience of our customers in wheel chairs.
-
- Willow Street Station received new LED lights and canopies this past month, among other improvements.
-
- New aluminum cladding panels and LED lighting (in the background) at Wardlow Station.
-
- A new canopy is lifted into place at Compton Station. Photo by James Wei/Metro.
-
- A flatbed delivers a new canopy for installation at Compton Station. Photo by Jame Wei/Metro.
-
- Metro workers give newly-installed tiles a final wash before wrapping up work at Artesia Station last weekend.
-
- Compare the older amber lights on the ramp with the new, brighter platform lights and the difference is clear. Vince Gutierrez/Metro
-
- New lights recently installed at Artesia Station. Vince Gutierrez/Metro
-
- Some work at Artesia Station has already been completed, but one more weekend will be required to wrap it all up. Carlos Valdez/Metro
-
- Carlos Valdez/Metro
-
- Anaheim Street Station. Photo: Anna Chen/Metro
-
- Before: Sidewalk at Firestone Station
-
- After: Sidewalk at Firestone Station
-
- New lighting and tiles now installed at Artesia Station. Photo: Vince Gutierrez
-
- Welding of the new canopies that were installed at the upgraded stations. Photo: Don Steeley
-
- 1st Street Station with new second canopy. Photo: Anna Chen/Metro
-
- New lighting at 1st Street Station makes everything more visible at night. Photo: James Wei
-
- Before and after CCTV stills of 1st Street Station.
-
- Installation of new canopy at 5th Street Station.
-
- New canopy installation nearly done at 5th Street Station.
-
- Workers installing new tracks as part of the Better Blue Line project in downtown Long Beach in October. Photo by Anna Chen/Metro.
-
- Photos by Metro
-
- Getting ready to install new canopy.
-
- Photo: Metro
-
- Debris from track removal. Photos: Anna Chen/Metro
-
- Cutting up old tracks for removal. Photos: Anna Chen/Metro
-
- Blue Line Anaheim Street Station. Transfer from train to free Blue Line Shuttle to complete your trip. Photos: Anna Chen/Metro
-
- Downtown Long Beach Station closed for maintenance. Photos: Anna Chen/Metro
-
- The track switch near Downtown Long Beach Station will be moved so trains can run more reliably. Photo: Anna Chen/Metro
The Blue Line Upgrades project is a $1.2-billion overhaul including station improvements, track replacement/refurbishment, and, eventually, new rail cars. The end goal is a safer and more reliable and modernized Metro Blue Line for years to come.
All photos by Metro
Categories: Projects
After working security on the Blue Line for almost four years, I’m Glad to see the improvements and I’m sure the patrons are happy to see them too. 🙂
When will the new rail cars come in?
Well, eleven months. Not bad, but still almost twice as long as it took for Henry Huntington to build the entire line in the early 1900’s.
So no more weekend shutdowns on the Blue Line?
There will still be some in the coming months due to other track work that needs to be completed, but it won’t be happening every weekend.
Anna Chen
Writer, The Source