Detour ahead: 6th St. in downtown LA will be closed for 5 months

A five-month, full closure of Sixth Street in downtown Los Angeles between Flower and Hope streets starts Saturday and will remain in effect until Nov. 4 to allow crews to do work related to subway construction, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced.

The closure, which could significantly impact rush-hour traffic in the area, will also shut down the southbound Sixth Street off-ramp from the 110 Freeway and reduce the northbound Sixth Street off-ramp from two lanes to one between Figueroa and Flower streets, Metro said.

"Oh, there will be impact," said Metro spokesperson Kim Upton. "There's really no doubt about it. We hope it doesn't affect people too adversely but it's for a good cause and it's something that's going to eventually make life better for all of us."

The construction is required for the Regional Connector Transit Project. Anticipated work hours are from 7 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week, weather permitting. Work being done will also include drilling, excavation and the relocation and protection of three underground utility vaults. The street will be paved and restored at the end of the five-month closure.

Metro provided the following information about the closure:

Detours

Southbound freeway traffic will detour via the Fourth Street off-ramp to Grand Avenue and then back to Sixth Street.

Northbound 110 motorists should use the Ninth Street off-ramp as an alternative to avoid long delays.

Eastbound Sixth Street through-traffic will detour south on Bixel Street, east on Seventh Street, north on Olive Street and then back to Sixth Street.

If traveling on the 110 Freeway to or from downtown Los Angeles during the closure, make sure to plan ahead and allow for extra time. Commuters might consider carpool options or alternative routes.

Local access

Local access will be maintained on Sixth Street from Hope Street to the AON Center, Pegasus Garage and The Standard Hotel. Sidewalks at the intersection of Sixth Street and Flower will be modified with at least three crosswalks to remain open. Construction flaggers will be on site to facilitate access.

Bus lines

Several Metro bus lines will also be impacted with service delays and detours during the closure.

Eastbound Lines 16, 17, 18, 316 and 720: buses will detour via Wilshire Boulevard between Valencia and Hope Street and return to their regular route at Sixth Street. Stops will be established on Wilshire at Witmer Street, Lucas Avenue and St. Paul Avenue. Return service and stops will remain unchanged.

Westbound Line 460 and Northbound Lines 442, 910 and 950: buses will detour via Hope Street between Olympic Boulevard and Sixth Street. Stops will be established on eastbound Olympic at Figueroa Street and on northbound Hope Street at Wilshire and then return to their regular route at Sixth Street. Return service and stops remain unchanged.

In addition, bus lines operated by Foothill Transit, Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, Montebello, Torrance and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation will be detoured.

About the project

The $1.755-billion Regional Connector Transit Project is a 1.9-mile underground light-rail extension that will connect the Blue, Expo and Gold Lines in downtown Los Angeles and will include three new stations at First Street/Central Avenue, Second Street/Broadway and Second Place/Hope Street.

The rail line is expected to serve 88,000 riders daily — including 17,000 new riders — and save commuters up to 20 minutes by reducing the need to transfer. The connector will provide a one-seat, one fare ride for commuters from Azusa to Long Beach and from East Los Angeles to Santa Monica. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2021.