Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Union Station to get bike, pedestrian improvements with state grant
Listen
• 0:53
Union Station is well known for its stunning art deco interior. Now its exterior will get a revamp with help from a state grant for improving bike and pedestrian access.
(
Martin Wipel via Flickr
)
Spurred by a new state grant, historic Union Station in downtown Los Angeles will undergo a remake of its iconic front entrance into a pedestrian and bike-friendly space.
The California Transportation Commission awarded $61 million in active transportation grants to projects around L.A. County intended to make biking and walking easier and safer.
The Union Station project administered by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will get $12.3 million to create a wider sidewalk, streetscaping and better crossing facilities at the Alameda Street entrance. The improvements are part of a long-range upgrade known as the Union Station Master Plan.
Redesign of the station's main entrance includes converting its front parking lot into a pedestrian plaza.
Support for LAist comes from
"The vision is really about connecting with the surrounding environment," said Elizabeth Carvajal, a Metro planner. "Union Station can really feel like a moat that is very disconnected from the environment."
She said new facilities for bikes and pedestrians will make it easier to travel between the station and the surrounding historic neighborhood, including El Pueblo de Los Angeles and Olvera Street.
The first phase of the project is undergoing environmental review. Construction could start in 2018.
Metro is also planning to build new tracks at the southern end of the station so that trains can enter from either side, speeding up stops and improving the station's capacity to accommodate a future bullet train operating between San Francisco and L.A.
The Metro Board voted last week to approve spending $15 million to complete an environmental study and preliminary engineering of the project.
Correction: An earlier version of this story said construction would start in 2016. Designing could start in 2016 with construction in 2018.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Isolated showers can still hit the L.A. area until Friday as remnants from the tropical storm move out. -
First aspiring spectators must register online, then later in 2026 there will be a series of drawings. -
It's thanks to Tropical Storm Mario, so also be ready for heat and humidity, and possibly thunder and lightning. -
![A Black woman sits at a dais with a flag in the background. A name placard in front of her reads: Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kell[um].](https://scpr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5425437/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6298x3897+0+0/resize/640x396!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fscpr-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2F76%2F00%2Febed9a7a4fbd9e5ba12997e51d59%2Fgettyimages-1258669633.jpg)
L.A. County investigators have launched a probe into allegations about Va Lecia Adams Kellum and people she hired at the L.A. Homeless Services Authority. -
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass suspended a state law allowing duplexes, calling more housing unsafe. But in Altadena, L.A. County leaders say these projects could be key for rebuilding. -
This measure on the Nov. 4, 2025, California ballot is part of a larger battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives next year.
![A Black woman sits at a dais with a flag in the background. A name placard in front of her reads: Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kell[um].](https://scpr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/45c201e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6298x3894+0+0/resize/786x486!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fscpr-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2F76%2F00%2Febed9a7a4fbd9e5ba12997e51d59%2Fgettyimages-1258669633.jpg)
Best of LAist