E Line (Los Angeles Metro)

The E Line (formerly the Expo Line from 2012–2019) is a 15.2-mile (24.5 km) light rail line that runs between Downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica. It is one of the seven lines in the Los Angeles Metro Rail system and is operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). The line opened in 2012.

This article is about the light rail line in Los Angeles formerly known as the Expo Line. For other uses of the name, see Expo Line (disambiguation).

E Line
E Line train in Santa Monica, July 2017
Overview
Other name(s)Expo Line (2012–2019)
OwnerLos Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Line number806
Termini
Stations19
Websitemetro.net/riding/e-line
Service
TypeLight rail
SystemLos Angeles Metro Rail
Depot(s)Division 14 (Santa Monica)
Division 21 (Elysian Park)
Rolling stockSiemens P2000 or Kinki Sharyo P3010 running in 2 or 3 car consists
Ridership7,939,241 (2021) Decrease -4.4%
History
OpenedApril 28, 2012 (2012-04-28)
CompletedMay 20, 2016 (2016-05-20)
Technical
Line length15.2 mi (24.5 km)[1]
Number of tracks2
CharacterMostly at-grade in private right-of-way, with some underground, street-running, elevated, and trench sections
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead line, 750 V DC
Operating speed55 mph (89 km/h) (max.)
19.6 mph (31.5 km/h) (avg.)
Route map
Regional Connector (2023)
 
Atlantic ↓(Current L Line L Line)
 East L.A. Civic Center
 Maravilla
I-710 (1961).svg I-710 / Long Beach Freeway
California 60.svg SR 60 / Pomona Freeway
 Indiana
 Soto
I-5 (1961).svgI-10 (1961).svg I-5 / I-10 / Golden State Freeway
 Mariachi Plaza
US 101 (1961 cutout).svg US 101 / Santa Ana Freeway
 Pico/Aliso ↑(Current L Line L Line)
Metrolink
Los Angeles River
Metrolink and Amtrak
A Line 
A Line
to APU/Citrus College
 Little Tokyo/Arts District
A Line 
 Historic Broadway
A Line 
Grand Av Arts/Bunker Hill
A Line 
 7th St/Metro Center
A Line B Line D Line J Line 
Pico
A Line J Line 
I-10 (1961).svg I-10 / Santa Monica Freeway
A Line 
A Line
to Downtown Long Beach
 LATTC/Ortho Institute
J Line 
I-110 (1961).svg I-110 / Harbor Freeway
 Jefferson/USC
Figueroa Tunnel
 Expo Park/USC
 Expo/Vermont
 Expo/Western
 Expo/Crenshaw
K Line 
 Farmdale
 Expo/La Brea
 La Cienega/Jefferson
Ballona Creek
 Culver City
 Palms
I-10 (1961).svg I-10 / Santa Monica Freeway
 Westwood/Rancho Park
 Expo/Sepulveda
I-405 (1961).svg I-405 / San Diego Freeway
 Expo/Bundy
 26th Street/Bergamot
 17th Street/SMC
 Downtown Santa Monica
Handicapped/disabled access All stations are accessible.
Detailed diagram
showing all crossings
Regional Connector (2023)
7th Street/
Metro Center
A Line B Line D Line J Line 
Flower Street
12th Street
A Line J Line 
 Pico
Pico Boulevard
Venice Boulevard
I-10 (1961).svg I-10 / Santa Monica Freeway
18th Street
A Line
A Line
to Downtown Long Beach
23rd Street
J Line 
 LATTC/Ortho Institute
I-110 (1961).svg I-110 / Harbor Freeway
West Adams Boulevard
28th Street
30th Street
Jefferson/USC
Flower Street
Flower Street trench
Figueroa Tunnel
Exposition Boulevard trench
Expo Park/USC
Exposition Boulevard
Watt Way
Bill Robertson Lane
Expo/Vermont
Vermont Avenue
Raymond Avenue
Normandie Avenue
Halldale Avenue
Denker Avenue
Expo/Western
Exposition Boulevard/
Obama Boulevard
Arlington Avenue
7th Avenue
11th Avenue/
Degnaue Boulevard
K Line 
 Expo/Crenshaw
Crenshaw Boulevard
Buckingham Road
Farmdale
Farmdale Avenue
Expo/La Brea
Hauser Boulevard
La Cienega/Jefferson
Jefferson Boulevard
Los Angeles
Culver City
Ballona Creek
National Boulevard
Washington Boulevard
Culver City
California 187.svg SR 187 / Venice Boulevard
Culver City
Los Angeles
Bagley Avenue
National Boulevard
Palms
Motor Avenue
I-10 (1961).svg I-10 / Santa Monica Freeway
Northvale trench
Overland Avenue
Westwood/Rancho Park
Westwood Boulevard
Military Avenue
Expo/Sepulveda
I-405 (1961).svg I-405 / San Diego Freeway
Sawtelle Boulevard
Pico Boulevard/
Gateway Boulevard
Barrington Avenue
Expo/Bundy
Los Angeles
Santa Monica
Centinela Avenue
Division 14 yard
Stewart Street
26th Street/Bergamot
26th Street
Cloverfield Boulevard
Olympic Boulevard
20th Street
19th Street
17th Street
17th Street/
Santa Monica College
Colorado Avenue
14th Street
11th Street
Lincoln Boulevard
7th Street
6th Street
5th Street
Downtown Santa Monica
Colorado Avenue
Handicapped/disabled access All stations are accessible.

The E Line largely follows the right-of-way of the former Pacific Electric Santa Monica Air Line. Passenger service ended in 1953; freight-only service ended by March 1988. Several E Line stations are built in the same location as Air Line stations, although no original station structures have been reused.[2]

Originally named the Expo Line after Exposition Boulevard, along which it runs for most of its route,[3][4] the line was renamed the E Line in late 2019, while retaining the aqua-colored line and icons used to designate it on maps.[5] When the Regional Connector is complete in 2023, the current E Line will be joined with the Eastside portion of the L Line to create an extended E Line, which will be colored yellow on maps.[6]

Route and stations of the E Line, relative to other Metro lines. Under construction or planned segments are shown as dashed lines.

Service description

Hours and frequency

E Line trains run every day between approximately 4:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. Trains operate every ten minutes during peak hours Monday through Friday, and every twelve minutes during the daytime on weekdays and all day on the weekends after approximately 8 a.m. (with a 15 to 20-minute headway early Saturday and Sunday mornings). Night service is every 20 minutes.[7]

Speed

Though the E Line can reach a maximum speed of 55 mph (89 km/h), it only rarely does so.[8] It takes 46 minutes[9] to travel the line's 15.2 mi (24.5 km) length,[1] at an average speed of 19.8 mph (31.9 km/h), making it the slowest line in the system.

Station listing

The following is the complete list of stations, from west to east:

Station Date Opened City/Neighborhood Major Connections and Notes[10][11]
Downtown Santa Monica May 20, 2016 Santa Monica
17th Street/Santa Monica College Park and ride: 65 spaces
26th Street/Bergamot
Expo/Bundy West Los Angeles Park and ride: 217 spaces
Expo/Sepulveda Park and ride: 260 spaces
Westwood/Rancho Park Rancho Park
Palms Palms
Culver City June 20, 2012 Culver City Park and ride: 300 spaces
La Cienega/Jefferson April 28, 2012 West Adams Park and ride: 494 spaces
Expo/La Brea
Farmdale June 20, 2012
Expo/Crenshaw April 28, 2012 Jefferson Park K Line 
Park and ride: 450 spaces (closed Sunday)
Expo/Western Exposition Park
Expo/Vermont
Expo Park/USC University Park
Jefferson/USC
LATTC/Ortho Institute North University Park J Line 
Pico July 14, 1990 Downtown Los Angeles A Line J Line 
7th Street/Metro Center February 15, 1991 A Line B Line D Line J Line 

Ridership
Annual ridership
YearRidership%±
20124,141,440—
20138,659,229+109.1%
20149,818,027+13.4%
20159,834,541+0.2%
201613,376,428+36.0%
201719,030,229+42.3%
201819,413,884+2.0%
201918,269,068−5.9%
20208,308,144−54.5%
20217,939,241−4.4%
20229,381,013+18.2%
Source: Metro[12]

History
Main articles: History of Los Angeles Metro Rail and Busway, Los Angeles and Independence Railroad, and Santa Monica Air Line
Steam train and horsecar in Santa Monica, 1894

The E Line largely follows the right of way used by the Los Angeles and Independence Railroad steam railroad, built in 1875,[13] which was converted by Pacific Electric to electric traction and operated as the Santa Monica Air Line by 1920,[14] providing both freight and passenger service between Los Angeles and Santa Monica. Passenger service ended in 1953, and freight service stopped in 1988.[15]

Local advocacy groups including Friends 4 Expo Transit[16] supported the successful passage of Proposition C in 1990, which allowed the purchase of the entire right-of-way from Southern Pacific by Metro. In 2000, an urban art group called Heavy Trash placed signs advertising a fictional "Aqua Line." The signs, with the text "Coming Soon," showed a subway route extending along Wilshire to the ocean, with 10 station stops. Although the campaign was a hoax, it demonstrated newfound support and revealed the frustrations surrounding the lack of rail service connecting Santa Monica and the Westside with Downtown Los Angeles.[17] Metro released a Major Investment Study in 2000 which compared bus rapid transit and light rail transit options along what was now known as the "Mid-City/Exposition Corridor".[18]

Construction
Completed E line track passing through a residential area

An independent agency, the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority, was given the authority to plan, design, and construct the line by state law in 2003. After construction of the second phase was completed, the line was handed over on January 15, 2016, to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.[19]

The line was built in two phases; the first phase comprised the 8.6-mile (13.8 km)[1][20] section between Downtown Los Angeles and Culver City. Construction began in early 2006, and most stations opened to the public on April 28, 2012.[20][21] The Culver City and Farmdale stations opened on June 20, 2012.[20][22]

Design and construction on the 6.6-mile (10.6 km)[1] portion between Culver City and Santa Monica started in September 2011. Testing along the phase 2 segment began on April 6, 2015,[23] and the segment opened on May 20, 2016.[24]

Future developments

Regional Connector
Main article: Regional Connector

The Regional Connector is an under-construction light-rail subway corridor through Downtown Los Angeles that is to connect the current A and E Lines to the current L Line and to allow a seamless one-seat ride between the A and E Lines' current 7th Street/Metro Center terminus and Union Station.[25]

Once the Regional Connector is completed, the alignment of the L (formerly Gold) Line will be split into two parts at Little Tokyo/Arts District station, with the portion north of this station joined to the A Line, extending it to connect Long Beach with Azusa. The alignment east of Little Tokyo/Arts District station will be assigned to the E Line, extending it to connect Santa Monica and East Los Angeles directly. At this time, the L Line will cease to exist as a separate line.

In 2019, Metro began using a renaming system where each rail and bus rapid transit line was rebranded with a letter name and an associated color to be used on maps and other wayfinding signs. As a result, the Expo Line became the E Line in 2019, and will be recolored from aqua to yellow upon completion of the Regional Connector.[26][27][6]

The groundbreaking for the project took place on September 30, 2014, and the alignment is expected to be in public service by 2023.[28][29]

Eastside Transit Corridor
Main article: Eastside Transit Corridor

The Eastside Transit Corridor is a project to extend from the former L Line's terminus at Atlantic station eastward to Lambert station in Whittier. Partially funded by Measure M, construction is programmed to start in 2029 with service beginning in 2035,[30] though the project may be accelerated for the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Operations
Interior of a westbound train, first day of operation to Culver City

Maintenance facilities

Between the line's opening in 2012 and the opening of Phase 2 in 2016, the light rail vehicles used on the E Line were maintained at the Division 11 facility in Long Beach, the same maintenance facility that is used by the A Line. Division 14, located east of Stewart Street and north of Exposition Boulevard in the vicinity of the 26th Street/Bergamot station in Santa Monica, was opened with the completion of Phase 2.[31] With the completion of the Regional Connector in 2023, the trains used on the E Line are also maintained at Division 21 near Elysian Park, originally opened in 2003 for the first phase of the Gold Line.

Rolling stock

Metro estimates that it uses 47 light rail cars to provide service on the E Line under the peak-hour assumption of 3-car trains running at 6-minute headways.

Bike pathways
Bikeway directional sign under elevated track
Main article: Expo Line Bikeway

The E Line Bike Path parallels the route of the light rail line and includes a mixture of bike lanes on Exposition Boulevard and off-street paths alongside the rail tracks.[32]

Incidents
  • On November 29, 2018, a pedestrian was struck and killed. The man had been attempting to cross the tracks.[33]
  • On January 15, 2019, a passenger fell from the platform between the cars and was dragged to death. They "have not yet been able to identify the individual as pieces of the victim's body are spread out."[34]
  • On May 2, 2019, a man climbed a nearby construction crane and jumped to his death at the Expo/Sepulveda station, landing on the tracks and temporarily halting transportation. Graphic footage of the incident was spread on social media websites, most notably Reddit.[35]

References
  1. "Expo Line project fact sheet" (PDF). Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 8, 2013. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  2. Hawthorne, Christopher (May 20, 2016). "Why the Expo Line to Santa Monica marks a rare kind of progress in American cities". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 11, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  3. Epstein, Joel (April 12, 2016). "How the Expo Line Got to Santa Monica". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on May 15, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  4. "The Guide to the Metro Expo Line: Downtown L.A. to Santa Monica". Discover Los Angeles. Archived from the original on November 17, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
  5. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 2, 2019. Retrieved November 2, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. Fonseca, Ryan (September 25, 2019). "Ignore Those 'Line A' Signs. Metro's Blue Line Will Reopen As The 'A Line'". laist.com. Southern California Public Radio. Archived from the original on September 26, 2019. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  7. "Metro E Line schedule". Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. September 12, 2021. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  8. Hymon, Steve (November 22, 2011). "Our first ride on the Expo Line". The Source. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  9. "E Line (Expo) timetable" (PDF). Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. December 13, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  10. "Metro E Line (Expo)". www.metro.net. Archived from the original on March 19, 2022. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  11. "Metro Parking Lots by Line". www.metro.net. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  12. "Metro Ridership". Metro.net. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. February 2020. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  13. "First Train of the Los Angeles and Independence Railroad" Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Volume 5, Number 20. Los Angeles Herald. October 19, 1875.
  14. "Santa Monica Air Line". Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California. Archived from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved October 27, 2006.
  15. Morgenthaler, Anne (March 14, 1988). "End of the Line: The last train out of SM blows a final whistle". Santa Monica Outlook.
  16. "The Expo Line". friends4expo.org. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  17. "Heavy Trash: Aqua Line". Archived from the original on October 16, 2006. Retrieved October 11, 2010.
  18. "Mid City Westside Transit Draft EIS/EIR: 1.0 History, purpose and need" (PDF). Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 14, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
  19. "About Expo Overview". Archived from the original on August 7, 2017.
  20. "L.A. Metro – Facts at a Glance". Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. June 13, 2013. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
  21. Weikel, Dan; Bloomekatz, Ari (April 27, 2012). "Expo Line launches rail service push to Westside". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 21, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
  22. "Two more Expo Line stations to open June 20". Los Angeles Times. June 5, 2012. Archived from the original on June 25, 2013. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  23. Nunez, Jennifer (April 9, 2015). "Testing begins on LA Expo Line phase 2". International Railway Journal. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  24. Zeller, Heidi (March 30, 2015). "Art for the Expo Line: installation at Expo/Sepulveda Station". The Source. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  25. "Regional Connector Transit Corridor (project website)". Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. March 19, 2015. Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  26. "PowerPoint: Metro staff proposal to rename rail and BRT lines". TheSource. Steve Hymon. April 7, 2015. Archived from the original on April 11, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  27. "LA Metro Could Switch Rail Line Names From Colors To Letters". Curbed Los Angeles. Curbed Staff. April 3, 2015. Archived from the original on September 22, 2015. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  28. Nelson, Laura J. (May 12, 2019). "L.A. Metro's downtown subway project may not open until mid-2022". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  29. "Archived copy". Twitter. Archived from the original on September 27, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  30. Hymon, Steve (November 8, 2016). "Measure M project descriptions". Metro. The Source. Archived from the original on September 8, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  31. Hymon, Steve (March 21, 2012). "Expo Line Maintenance Facility". The Source. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  32. Kavanagh, Gary (December 2013). "State of Expo Phase II Bikeway Corridor, & the Biggest Remaining Concerns". Santa Monica Next. Archived from the original on May 25, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  33. "Expo Line Train Fatally Hits Pedestrian Near USC". Daily Trojan. November 29, 2018. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  34. Hall, Matthew (January 15, 2019). "Train Kills Pedestrian at 17th Street Station". Santa Monica Daily Press. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  35. "Man jumps from crane in West L.A., temporarily shutting down Metro station". Daily News. May 2, 2019. Archived from the original on September 14, 2022. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
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