Regional Connector (Los Angeles Metro)

Regional Connector (Los Angeles Metro)
Name	Regional Connector Transit Project
Caption	Map of the Regional Connector routing through Downtown Los Angeles
Type	Light rail tunnel
System	Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Status	Open
Locale	Los Angeles County, California
Start	Azusa
End	Long Beach
Stations	3 (new underground)
Open	2023
Owner	Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Operator	Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Linelength	1.9 miles
Character	Underground

Contents

Regional Connector (Los Angeles Metro) is a 1.9-mile underground light rail tunnel in Downtown Los Angeles that links the A Line, E Line, and L Line corridors to create one-seat rides across Los Angeles County, Orange County, and San Bernardino County. The project, delivered by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority with contractors including Skanska, Sanchez-Crespo, and Tutor Perini, opened in 2023 and reconfigured service patterns to improve transfers at major hubs like Union Station (Los Angeles), 7th Street/Metro Center (Los Angeles), and Pershing Square station. It is intended to integrate with regional plans such as Measure R (Los Angeles County), Measure M (Los Angeles County), and the 2028 Summer Olympics transit needs.

Overview

The Regional Connector creates a continuous through-running service that consolidates separate light rail networks. It links the Blue Line legacy alignment rebranded as the A Line (Los Angeles Metro), the Expo Line alignment rebranded as the E Line (Los Angeles Metro), and the former Gold Line into new routings serving corridors toward Long Beach, Santa Monica, and Azusa. The tunnel contains three new underground stations—Little Tokyo/Arts District station, Historic Broadway station, and Pershing Square station—and is designed for compatibility with rolling stock like the Kinki Sharyo P3010 and Siemens P2000 LRVs. The project intersects with regional initiatives such as Metrolink (Southern California), Pacific Electric Railway heritage corridors, and the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition planning.

Early concepts emerged from studies by Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and planning documents including the 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan (Metro) and the 2008 Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) RTP. The tunnel idea built on past projects like the Gold Line (Los Angeles Metro) extension to East Los Angeles and the historic Red Car (Pacific Electric) networks. Funding combined local ballot measures Measure R (Los Angeles County), Measure M (Los Angeles County), federal grants from the Federal Transit Administration, and contributions from California High-Speed Rail Authority-era coordination. Environmental review used the National Environmental Policy Act process and the California Environmental Quality Act, with inputs from stakeholders including Los Angeles Conservancy, Little Tokyo Service Center, and the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council.

The tunnel's design incorporated modern tunneling and seismic resilience features informed by studies from US Geological Survey and California Division of Occupational Safety and Health. Construction employed two Herrenknecht and Sanchez-Crespo tunnel boring machines and the cut-and-cover method at station boxes, with major contractors such as Skanska USA Civil, Tutor Perini Corporation, and Herzog Contracting Corporation participating. Utility relocations coordinated with Southern California Edison, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and AT&T. Archaeological monitoring worked with the Native American Heritage Commission and local tribes including Gabrielino-Tongva. The project navigated regulatory reviews by the Federal Transit Administration and safety certifications from the California Public Utilities Commission.

Upon opening the Regional Connector restructured operations: the former Blue Line (Los Angeles Metro) became the A Line (Los Angeles Metro), which now runs through to Azusa via the old Gold Line alignment; the E Line (Los Angeles Metro) continues to Santa Monica and now extends through downtown toward East Los Angeles stations; and the new through-routing reduced the need for transfers at 7th Street/Metro Center (Los Angeles) and Union Station (Los Angeles). Service frequencies align with standards set in the Metro Service Policy and are coordinated with Metrolink (Southern California) commuter schedules and Amtrak connections at Union Station (Los Angeles). Operations use modern signaling integration with equipment similar to systems deployed on New York City Subway and San Francisco Muni Metro upgrades.

The three new underground stations—Little Tokyo/Arts District station, Historic Broadway station, and Pershing Square station—provide intermodal connections to Metro Bus, Metro Rail, and municipal services. Transfer integration includes direct links to 7th Street/Metro Center (Los Angeles), pedestrian pathways to Grand Central Market, and proximity to landmarks such as Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles City Hall, and the Bradbury Building. Bicycle facilities match standards from PeopleForBikes and the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, while accessibility follows Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 requirements. The stations also connect with regional bus operators like Orange County Transportation Authority, San Bernardino Valley Transit Authority, and shuttle services for institutions like University of Southern California.

Projected ridership models used tools from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and SCAG, forecasting increased one-seat rides and reduced transfers. Early post-opening data indicate ridership growth on combined corridors and travel-time reductions to major destinations including Los Angeles International Airport via connecting services and Downtown Los Angeles employment centers like Walt Disney Concert Hall and STAPLES Center (now Crypto.com Arena). The project aimed to support equity and transit-oriented development near stations, attracting developers such as Related Companies and local initiatives like Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) Guidelines (Los Angeles). Economic impacts were modeled with input from California Department of Transportation and regional planning agencies.

Planned upgrades include signaling enhancements similar to systems used by Transport for London and fleet procurement of additional Kinki Sharyo LRVs or similar vehicles to increase capacity. Expansion concepts in regional plans involve extensions interacting with Purple Line (Los Angeles Metro) projects, West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor, and potential connections to LAX Automated People Mover via the Airport Metro Connector. Long-term planning considers integration with California High-Speed Rail Authority stations, resilience improvements informed by USGS seismic research, and station-area development under Measure M (Los Angeles County) funding. Continuous collaboration with stakeholders such as Los Angeles Business Council, LA Chamber of Commerce, and community organizations remains central to future phases.