Car-crazy Los Angeles is rapidly reinventing itself into a city with a world-class public transportation system. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority operates the second-largest bus fleet in the United States behind only New York City and the second-busiest light rail system behind only Boston.
While the Westside was getting left behind in the rush to build new rail lines, mass transit is steadily pushing into L.A.'s wealthiest neighborhoods as the dream of riding the rails to the edge of the Pacific Ocean becomes a reality.
During my last visit to the City of Angels I took a ride on the newly opened Expo light rail line from Culver City to downtown. The Expo Line runs along Exposition Boulevard using an old railway right-of-way that first went into operation in 1875. Phase one is 8.6 miles long and includes 10 new stations and 5.9 miles of new bike lanes. Phase two will extend the line to Santa Monica, terminating at 4th and Colorado. Service to Santa Monica is planned to begin in 2015.
I boarded at the Expo/La Brea station and took the train two stops to the current terminus in Culver City. I walked around the Culver City stop snapping photos before boarding again for the ride all the way to 7th Street/Metro Center downtown. While Angelenos are crawling at a snail's pace along the 10 Freeway during rush hour, Expo Line riders can zip along from Culver City to downtown in less than 30 minutes.
With two stops at the University of Southern California, the Expo Line provides thousands of USC students easy access to public transit destinations throughout L.A. The Expo line also stops at the Expo Park museums and the L.A. Live entertainment complex.
Here are photos and video of the Expo Line from Culver City to downtown L.A.
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