| Harbor Transitway | |||
|---|---|---|---|
The Harbor Transitway as seen from the Harbor Freeway. |
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| Overview | |||
| Type | Transitway | ||
| System | Combined Transitway Service | ||
| Locale | Los Angeles, California | ||
| Termini | 7th St/Metro Center Pacific Coast Highway |
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| Stations | 10 (8 Metro Silver Line Stations, and 2 freeway stations for Metro Express Line 450X). | ||
| Services | 903 | ||
| Operation | |||
| Opened | 1996 | ||
| Operator(s) | Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 11 mi (18 km) | ||
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The Harbor Transitway is an 11-mile (18 km) shared-use bus corridor (transitway) and high-occupancy vehicle roadway that runs in the median of Interstate 110 (Harbor Freeway) in Southern California. Buses originate from West Hollywood, Downtown Los Angeles and El Monte, with final destinations in Anaheim, Artesia, Fullerton, Gardena, Hawthorne, Huntington Beach, San Pedro and Torrance.
In central Los Angles there are three stations prior to vehicles reaching the Harbor freeway/transitway: Union Station, 7th Street/Metro station and Pico Station. These are followed by six transit stations on the main section of the Harbor transitway (the section with high occupancy lanes): 37th Street Station, Slauson Station, Manchester Station, Harbor Freeway/I-105 Station, Rosecrans Station and Artesia Transit Center (to one side). There are a further two stations on the freeway to the south of the transitway: Carson Station and Pacific Coast Highway station.
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After 20 years of planning and then construction the combined high-occupancy roadway and transitway was opened in 1998 at a cost of $500 million. Initial usage was disappointing with 3,000 boardings a day compared with the predicted 65,000 boardings and fares were halved in 2000 to encourage more usage.[1] When originally constructed provision was made of the transitway to continue further north from Adams Boulevard/ Flower Street to join the El Monte Busway[2] and construction of the busway included 'ski jumps' just past the on/off ramps at this point to support such development.[3]
The Metro Silver Line was introduced in 2009 using both the Harbor Transitway and the El Monte Busway.
The security of the Artesia Transit Center was improved in November 2010. Bike lockers were installed and the existing building was re-purposed as a Sheriff substation.
Improvements were made to the Harbor Transitway Park & Ride and transit station in May 2011 with improved lighting at Park & Ride lots. CCTV, signnage, and security is scheduled to be installed on the transitway stations in June 2012.
The high occupancy lanes between Artesia Transit Center and Adams Blvd will be converted to high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes for a trial period as part of the Metro ExpressLanes project.[4]
A new transit station serving Union Station will be created at Patsaouras Transit Plaza.[4]
Bus priority will be expanded in Downtown Los Angeles to improve performance of the Metro Silver Line by 2012 as part of the Metro ExpressLanes project.[4]
The introduction of 59 Compressed natural gas powered 45-foot buses for the Silver Line.[4] The new technologically-advanced buses are being built by North American Bus Industries at the company’s facility in Anniston, Alabama. 100 new Metro Vanpool vehicles will also be purchased.[4]
The Metro ExpressLanes elements to be completed by 2012 include:[4]
On August 7, 2011 Caltrans began working on constructing the Metro ExpressLanes project on the 1-110 Harbor Transitway. Caltrans will install the Fastrack transponders, modify the carpool lanes, & install CCTVs on the Silver Line stations. The nightly detour takes place between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.[5] The construction is expected to be complete by September 2012. [6] Given this, the Metro Silver Line stations at 37th Street, Slauson, Manchester and Rosecrans will be closed during the designated period (10:00 p.m.- 6:00 a.m.) daily. Passengers at the Harbor Freeway/I-105 will need to board the Metro Silver Line at the Figueroa street entrance of the station (street level). The Metro Silver Line stop on the freeway level of this station is closed during the detour. During the detour, between 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. there are shuttles which run on Figueroa Street between 7th St./Metro Center & Artesia Transit Center. The shuttles begins at Artesia Transit Center & makes stops at Figueroa/ 182nd street, Figueroa/ Rosecrans, Figueroa/ Harbor Freeway Station, Figueroa/Manchester, Figueroa/ Slauson, Figueroa/ Exposition, Figueroa/ Adams & then the regular Silver Line stops until 7th St./Metro Center where the shuttles terminate. These shuttles will not charge for the service. Passengers can use these shuttles to connect to the nearest Silver Line stop.[7] Moreover, Metro Express lines 450X, 460, & 550 will not serve the stations while the detour is in effect. Metro Express lines 450X & 550 will only stop at Figueroa/ Harbor Fwy Station while the detour occurs. Metro Express line 460 runs nonstop between Downtown Los Angeles & Norwalk during the detour. [8]
The transitway is a key component in the Los Angeles County Metro Liner system and also carries buses buses operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Orange County Transportation Authority, Gardena Transit and Torrance Transit.
| Station | Harbor Transitway services | Connections | Notes including postmile[9] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union Station | Metro Express: 442, Metro Liner: Silver Line LADOT Commuter Express: 534 Orange County Transportation Authority: 701 |
Red Line Purple Line Gold Line El Monte Busway, Metro Rapid: 704, 728, 733, 740, 745, 770 Foothill Transit: Silver Streak Metro Local: 33 (owl), 40, 42, 68, 70, 71, 78, 79, 378 |
East on the El Monte Busway. South by street running on Arcadia Street, Spring Street, 1st Street, Grand/Olive, 5th/6th, Figueroa, Flower to 7th St/Metro Center. |
| 7th St/Metro Center | Metro Express: 450X, 460 Metro Liner: Silver Line LADOT Commuter Express: 438, 448 Orange County Transportation Authority: 701, 721 |
Red Line Purple Line Blue Line Metro Rapid: 720, 760, 770 Foothill Transit: Silver Streak Metro Local: 14, 16, 18, 20, 37, 51, 52, 60, 62, 66, 70, 71, 76, 78, 79, 81, 96, 316, 352, 378 |
Street running on Figueroa/Flower to Pico. |
| Pico-Chick Hearn | Metro Express: , 460 Metro Liner: Silver Line LADOT Commuter Express: 438, 448 Orange County Transportation Authority: 701, 721 |
Blue Line Metro Rapid: 730 Metro Local: 30, 81 Metro Express: 439 LADOT DASH: DD (weekends only), F LADOT Commuter Express: 419, 422, 423 |
Street running on Figueroa, Flower Street/Adams Boulevard to the Southbound entrance/ Northern exit of main Harbor Transitway to 37th Street Station. (LA 20.71) |
| 37th Street Station | Metro Express: 460 LADOT Commuter Express: 438, 448 Orange County Transportation Authority: 701, 721 |
Metro Local: 81, 102, 200 Metro Express: 550 USC Shuttle |
Transitway to Slauson station (LA 19.93). Northbound exit and southbound entrance at 39th for HOV lanes.(LA 19.68) |
| Slauson Station | Metro Express: 442, 460, 550 Metro Liner: Silver Line LADOT Commuter Express: 438, 448 Orange County Transportation Authority: 701, 721 Gardena Transit: 1 Torrance Transit: 1, 2 |
Metro Rapid: 745 Metro Local: 45, 81, 108, 358 LADOT DASH: Chesterfield Square |
Transitway to Manchester Station. (LA 17.98) |
| Manchester Station | Metro Express: 460, 550 Metro Liner: Silver Line LADOT Commuter Express: 438, 448 Orange County Transportation Authority: 701, 721 Gardena Transit: 1 Torrance Transit: 1, 2 |
Metro Rapid: 745 Metro Local: 45, 81, 115, 305 |
Transitway to Harbor Freeway/I-105 station. (LA 15.99). Southbound exit and northbound entrance for HOV lanes to Interstate 105 HOV lanes. (LA 13.8) |
| Harbor Freeway/I-105 Station | Metro Local: Metro Express: 450X, 550 Metro Liner: Silver Line LADOT Commuter Express: 448 Orange County Transportation Authority: 721 |
Green Line Metro Rapid: 745 Metro Local: 45, 81, 120 Torrance Transit: 1, 2 Gardena Transit: 1 |
Transitway to Rosecrans. (LA 13.8) |
| Rosecrans Station | Metro Express: 550 Metro Liner: Silver Line |
Metro Local: 125 | Transitway to Artesia. (LA 11.89) |
| Artesia Transit Center | Metro Express: 450X, 550 Metro Liner: Silver Line |
Metro Local: 52, 130, 205, 246, 344, 352 Torrance Transit: 1, 6 Carson Circuit: North / South Shuttle Gardena Transit: 1, 2, 4 |
Station to west of freeway on entrance/exit ramps. This is the Southern terminus of the main HOV lane Harbor Transitway. Street-running for buses on Figueroa to next junction with Harbor Transitway then on Transitway to Carson. (LA 9.66) |
| Carson Station | Metro Express: 450X | Metro Local: 205 Metro Express: 550 Torrance Transit: 1, 3 Carson Circuit: F, S |
Side platforms. Transitway to Pacific Coast Highway. (LA 7.02) |
| Pacific Coast Highway Station | Metro Express: 450X | Metro Local: 205, 232 Metro Express: 550 LADOT Commuter Express: 448 Torrance Transit: 7 |
Side platforms. End of transitway. (LA 4.08) |
Usage of the lanes and bus services is low, especially at the intermediate stations. A number of reasons have been identified: The main causes for the low ridership are the premium express fare charged to passengers compared to riders on the Blue Line and Metro Rapid (up to $1 more each way than a trip made on the Rapid or Blue Line), the isolated and noisy freeway environment of the stations, and the inconvenience of accessing the stations (and lack of surrounding buses) around the stations compared to surface level light rail or Rapid service. In addition unreliable service frequency with delays of up to 30 minutes during the middle of the day.
Its main competitors are the Metro Blue Line to Long Beach and the Metro Rapid Line 745, just a block away on Broadway. Ridership on the Transitway is not officially tabulated because service on the Transitway consists of several Metro Express lines, two routes operated by the Orange County Transportation Authority, and services operated by the cities of Gardena, Los Angeles, and Torrance.
Metro formerly included the Transitway in a bronze color in rail system maps, however, the line was not officially called the Metro Bronze Line.[10] Since the advent of the Metro Silver Line, the Harbor Transitway and El Monte Busway have both been designated by one continuous line in a silver color on Metro Rail system maps. All services Metro operates on the Harbor Transitway are sometimes referred to as Line 903, this allows the transitway running portions to be placed on one timetable since most buses serve all stations. This line designation is rarely used by residents, and also does not appear on signs. It was formerly known as Line 940 until Metro Rapid EXPRESS 940 came to existence.
With the introduction of the Silver Line in 2009 Metro Express Lines 444, 446-447, 484 and 490 were rerouted to provide connecting service to the Silver Line and were given new route numbers. The changes are as follows:
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