Some of the most rider common complaints and transit-related social media rants are spurred by the long wait times for LA Metro subways and light-rail trains.
Officials say that will be changing starting Sunday, Sept. 10, when Metro increases frequencies on the B (Red) and D (Purple) subway lines that run in central LA, Hollywood and the western San Fernando Valley.
Instead of every 15 minutes, trains will run every 12 minutes on weekdays from 5 a.m. through 7 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., according to Joseph Forgiarini, Metro senior executive officer for service development.
Where the two subway lines are combined, between LA’s Union Station and the Wilshire/Vermont Station, riders will see a train every six minutes, an improvement from every eight minutes, he added.
Wait times for all four Metro light-rail lines, which connect out to Azusa, Pasadena, East Los Angeles, Compton, South LA, Inglewood, Long Beach, Norwalk and Redondo Beach, are tentatively planned to be reduced in December. Trains that run every 10 minutes at peak times will drop to every eight minutes, and from 15 minutes to 10 minutes during off-peak hours, said Forgiarini.
Train watchers say what is in actuality only a few minutes quicker per line will make a huge difference in rider satisfaction. Because when attempting a transfer and the rider sees on the digital sign the next train is 15 minutes or even 20 minutes away, trips get longer and doubts about taking public transit enter the psyche.
“I think it is a huge quality of life benefit. It will save lots of time for tens of thousands of Metro riders,” said Joe Linton, editor of StreetsblogLA, speaking about running more trains on the B and D subways. Linton, who lives in Koreatown, rides Metro rail two or three times a week.
Safety issues are a major concern, according to Metro rider surveys and town halls. Waiting less time on a station platform for the train to arrive can reduce anxiety, often caused by mentally…
Read the full article here
