Support for LAist comes from
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Stay Connected
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen

Share This

News

Metro Is Killing Color Names On LA's Buses And Trains

The Expo Line will become the E Line under Metro Los Angeles' new naming system. (Courtesy Metro Los Angeles on Flickr)
()

With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today. 

Get ready to say goodbye to the Blue Line. When Los Angeles Metro's oldest rail line reopens in fall 2019 following an upgrade project, it'll be redubbed the A Line. And the rest of the agency's rail and bus lines are changing, too.

Last week, Metro's board of directors approved a plan to create a new naming convention for the transit system, using letters along with colors (guess they weren't fans of our newsrooms' suggestions).

The decision came after the agency's leadership said the current names for its rail and bus lines are "inconsistent" and make them difficult to navigate. Plus, Metro has run out of primary and secondary colors to use. So as it opens new lines, a color-only system would mean adding shades of colors, which could easily confuse riders.

(Courtesy Metro Los Angeles)
()
Support for LAist comes from

Metro released this concept map of how the system could look in 2022, reflecting the naming changes. But with several projects slated to break ground over the next decade, riders could be hopping aboard the Q or S lines in the next several years.

The transit agency conducted more than 2,700 surveys across L.A. County regarding the change and had also considered naming some lines numerically or based on geography. But in the end, public input and Metro staff decided ABCs were easier than 123s.

The new names will be phased in over time and are set to be chronologically based on when the lines first opened. So the Red Line will become the B Line, the Green Line will be renamed the C Line and so on.

Metro staff estimates it will cost about $8.9 million to roll out the changes, which will include updating signage, maps and customer information, marketing, and public outreach. A breakdown of the projected costs can be found here.

Every line will get a new name, except the Gold Line. That route, which currently runs from East Los Angeles, north through downtown L.A. and east to Azusa, will eventually be split and absorbed by the future A (Blue) and E (Expo) lines when the Regional Connector Projectis completed in 2021.

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated date for the full reopeing of the Blue Line. Improvements to the southern segment were completed in May, but the line is expected to fully reopen in fall 2019. LAist regrets the error.

At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.

But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.

We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.

Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist