Los Angeles Aerial Rapid Transit Announces Project Update for the Urban Gondola From Union Station to Dodger Stadium
MAY 20, 2021
Preferred routed selected and Chinatown/State Park passenger access proposed adjacent to Chinatown “L” (GoldLine) Station
LOS ANGELES– Los Angeles Aerial Rapid Transit (LA ART) announced its preferred route and intermediate station location for the proposed zero-emission urban gondola connecting Union Station in downtown Los Angeles and Dodger Stadium. In response to stakeholder comments and requests for easy transfers from the Chinatown L Line (Gold) station, an intermediate station location for passengers is proposed as the Chinatown-Park station. LA ART will host additional community meetings in June to continue a dialogue with local community stakeholders and provide updates on the project. LA ART is committed to working with all stakeholders and LA Metro on this proposed safe, affordable and accessible permanent transit link for zero-emission public transportation to and from Dodger Stadium.
LA ART’s preferred route is called the Broadway Alignment; this preference harmonizes with a majority of community comments received on the alternatives analyzed in the Notice of Preparation process last fall. With this route, the aerial gondola would fly close to the Metro L Line (Gold) light rail tracks along the southern edge of the Los Angeles State Historic Park, which is bordered by the light rail tracks. The project will not pursue the previously considered Spring Street alternative. In addition to offering a location closer to Chinatown and convenient transfers to Metro’s L Line (Gold) Chinatown station, the Chinatown / State Park Station’s architectural design is proposed to incorporate local community cultural elements as well as a community art program, and benefits for the Los Angeles State Historic Park including proposed visitor-serving entrance improvements.
LA ART would provide the first permanent zero-emissions transit link to Dodger Stadium, transporting riders between Union Station and Dodger Stadium in about seven minutes. Connecting to the region’s transit hub at Union Station, above Alameda Street near El Pueblo de Los Angeles, LA ART would serve all Dodger home games and special events at Dodger Stadium for its game-time service including timed- entry reservations to encourage fans to utilize this unique transit to the game. It can also operate daily to serve community members, Los Angeles State Historic Park and Elysian Park visitors, and tourists – creating a critical new zero-emission first-last mile link to the region’s transportation hub at Union Station.
LA ART has met with stakeholders in Solano Canyon, Victor Heights, Chinatown, Lincoln Heights, and the William Mead communities. As part of its commitment to work with the community, LA ART will host two additional community meetings in early June to update the community on the project. To register, please visit LAART.LA.
The Los Angeles Dodgers welcome this innovative new proposal for fans to have a new opportunity for access to the stadium. They stated: “This project offers an innovative transit alternative that can significantly improve traffic and accessibility for both Angelenos and Dodger fans.”
“The urban gondola is a game-changer for Los Angeles,” said Martin Farfan, President of Cathedral High School. “We are proud to support smart transit to ensure a safe connection from Chinatown to Dodger Stadium that is accessible for our school and local community.”
“LA ART offers significant potential benefits to the City of Los Angeles and to our community at William Mead Homes,” said Ines Gomez, President of William Mead Resident Advisory Council. “We are grateful to the LA ART team in their willingness to engage with us, keeping us updated and allowing us to participate in making this project a success.”
The updated plans, to be studied in the Metro Draft Environmental Impact this fall, propose an intermediate station location on the Broadway Alignment, where Alameda Street merges into Spring Street near the southernmost entrance to the Los Angeles State Historic Park. The Chinatown / State Park Station offers a short walk to many Chinatown businesses as well as a safe, landscaped pedestrian connection to both Metro’s L Line (Gold) station and the Los Angeles State Historic Park. The station would also enhance transit access to the Los Angeles State Historic Park, recognizing that both Metro and the State of California have identified the importance of increasing transit access to parks, such as Metro’s “Transit to Parks Strategic Plan” and the State of California’s “Parks for All” initiative. The updated plans also propose improvements for the southern entrance to the Park, improved concession and restroom facilities, and funding contributions for a long-awaited pedestrian bridge planned by State Parks to provide park access for communities north of Broadway.
“Chinatown is a model for urban revitalization and LA ART’s transformative gondola will connect Chinatown to Dodger Stadium,” said Jeanne Lam, the owner of Golden Dragon Restaurant. “We support LA ART.”
For the Chinatown / State Park Station, an architectural design reduced in height from the prior “wing” roof concept includes a simple barrel vault form roof to provide shade and weather protection, including for passengers on the boarding platform. The design would incorporate patterns to reflect the diverse cultures of adjoining neighborhoods and surrounding urban fabric. Opportunities will be offered for site specific artwork that could be commissioned from local artists.
In 2018, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) accepted LA ART’s proposal to the Office of Extraordinary Innovation and agreed to act as the lead agency for the EIR under the California Environmental Quality Act. In October of last year, Metro kicked off the public environmental review process with the publication of the Notice of Preparation. Metro is currently preparing the Draft Environmental Impact Report, which is anticipated to be released for public comment in Fall 2021.
Updated project renderings can be found here.
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