Metro Expo line to extend to Santa Monica


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The Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced Thursday that the extension of the Metro Expo line to Santa Monica will open on May 20. The Expo line includes stops at USC on Exposition Boulevard and Jefferson Boulevard.

The extension will cost $1.5 billion and run for 6.6 miles. The extension will be the first passenger train service to connect downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica since the Pacific Electric streetcar was discontinued more than 50 years ago.

The extension will include seven new stations: Palms, Westwood/Rancho Park, Expo/Sepulveda, Expo/Bundy, 26th Street/Bergamot, 17th Street/Santa Monica College and downtown Santa Monica.

The trip from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica is expected to take less than an hour, even during rush hours. The extension is expected to alleviate car traffic in Santa Monica.

The downtown Santa Monica station will be a block away from the popular Third Street Promenade. The line will run alongside the 10 Freeway.

Currently, the Metro Expo line stops at Culver City. In addition to the extension, the line will run for more than 15 miles.

Though it currently carries 30,000 passengers per day, the full Metro Expo line is expected to carry 64,000 passengers per day by 2030, according to Metro officials.