Soon West Hollywood residents may find it easier to get to downtown Los Angeles without a car.
The MTA’s Hollywood/Highland stopThe City Council last night agreed to fund a free shuttle from West Hollywood to the Hollywood/Highland MTA subway stop. The shuttle would run eastbound and westbound during rush hours. There would be seven morning rounds and five in the evening, timed to coincide with the Cityline bus service. The shuttles will arrive during those periods at 20-minute intervals.
The program will run through June 20, at which time the city will evaluate its usefulness before asking the council to extend it. The program will cost $98,000 through June and the annual cost would be $160,000 to $180,000.
The Los Angeles Transportation Department once provided a “Dash” route that ran along Sunset Boulevard, connecting West Hollywood with the Hollywood/Highland MTA stop. That service was ended in 2010, with the L.A. Transportation Department citing budget issues and some duplication of service.
Eastbound MTA Shuttle from West Hollywood to the Hollywood/Highland Metro Station. Monday to Friday, 7-9 a.m. and 5:30 to 7 p.m.Westbound MTA Shuttle from West Hollywood to the Hollywood/Highland Metro Station. Monday to Friday, 7-9 a.m. and 5:30 to 7 p.m.
I think this may be the FIRST GREAT IDEA to come from the city! The DASH used to have that route, and despite it’s odd sounding route, for local bus riders it was an inexpensive and quick way to let non driving residents join drivers in the fast shortcuts (other than the grid of streets that are so abnormal in WeHo. What if drivers couldn’t use Fountain to drive through our city? This route opens RALPHS on sunset and most of Hollywood AND fast access to the red line subway, which just happens to be almost useless to WeHo residents… Read more »
mrsman
9 years ago
This would be a good service, but they should charge at least half the regular MTA bus fare for the service.
L
9 years ago
I think this is a really good idea.
Randy
9 years ago
As someone who uses public transportation a lot, I can only hope that they actually implement GPS on these shuttles, so we can check on our phones when they are coming, as has been requested many times for the Pickup Line. Metro has it on the their buses. So does DASH (which has an incredibly useful route, for those of us living closer to Melrose, which loops around the Beverly Center, Cedars, The Grove, Park La Brea and Miracle Mile). It is a bit of a deterrent for me to use public transport if I walk up to the pickup… Read more »
Concerning the Red Line Shuttle. The map is so small it’s difficult to see the route of the line. If they choose to use Hollywood Bl. problems will arise immediately. Hollywood Bl. is shut down on a regular basis between Orange Dr. and Highland Ave. for movie premiers and other special Hollywood events. The MTA finally created a permanent detour for the area when such events take place. Fallowing those detours will in most cases not work for the Red Line Shuttle because it appears to terminate eastbound at Hollywood and Highland. Concerning a light rail line. The MTA has… Read more »
C.R.
9 years ago
As a now longtime public transit user I love the idea of making the redline in Hollywood moe accessible. It would be great to see this extend to nighttime hours to increase nightlife business at some point. And I also highly recommend the existing Cityline bus be streamlined ad someone else suggested. I rode it regularly for quite a while and the stops need to be adjusted. Too few riders regularly at the existing stops.
John H.
9 years ago
I’ve been bicycling from “East West Hollywood” (near the Astro/Fatburger nexus, a.k.a. “Fatassburger”) to Hollywood & Highland’s Red Line for over a decade. It’s a sweaty trek, being uphill all the way. While the exercise is great, I can see how it could be problematic for many people without the ability to bike. And yes, even I’d like to just take it easy and avoid the uphill climb sometimes.
Elaine
9 years ago
When is the shuttle starting? Nobody mentioned a start date.
SaveWeho
9 years ago
@ Zam. SMB had a trolley line and the tracks were only torn out in 1998. The most creative idea would be an elevated system (much like a monorail) down the center. (Little real estate needed). As for monies..it would be challenging, but not unheard of. How much did we spend on Weho Park? Upwards to 90 Million? 18 Million on the RoboGarage? That was all wasteful and really contributed very little to our community and/or the residents. But one other thing we could do is require developers to put in a few million into a transportation fund with approved… Read more »
Rudolf Martin
9 years ago
This is a good step toward making public transportation a more realistic option. I completely agree with Franz’s comment, the Cityline could use an express route that only goes up and down SMB. The current route doesn’t make sense for working people who have time constraints. Once traffic gets worse (2500 cars about to be added to WeHo’s east side) we will also have to consider bus lanes.
I like this idea a lot. Having a red line extension opens up a whole host of transit options to our Senior and Disabled community. A direct route (instead of taking multiple busses) would make such a route useful to everyone. Secondly, I’d like to see this integrated into the night-life transit system. This could reduce drunk driving and increase the number of people coming into the city to spend money on night-life. Some other issues Light rail / trolly: Our city might be in great economic shape, but a light rail wouldn’t be economically possible. This is especially true… Read more »
WeHoMikey
9 years ago
if Don Azars would please get himself from SMB and San Vicente over to Hollywood/Highland (and back, if he’s still willing) on our “transit”, his comments might actually have some weight.
having spent a couple of years riding the #4 to and from a job in the financial district, i can confidently say that he’s never seen the inside of a bus.
I think this may be the FIRST GREAT IDEA to come from the city! The DASH used to have that route, and despite it’s odd sounding route, for local bus riders it was an inexpensive and quick way to let non driving residents join drivers in the fast shortcuts (other than the grid of streets that are so abnormal in WeHo. What if drivers couldn’t use Fountain to drive through our city? This route opens RALPHS on sunset and most of Hollywood AND fast access to the red line subway, which just happens to be almost useless to WeHo residents… Read more »
This would be a good service, but they should charge at least half the regular MTA bus fare for the service.
I think this is a really good idea.
As someone who uses public transportation a lot, I can only hope that they actually implement GPS on these shuttles, so we can check on our phones when they are coming, as has been requested many times for the Pickup Line. Metro has it on the their buses. So does DASH (which has an incredibly useful route, for those of us living closer to Melrose, which loops around the Beverly Center, Cedars, The Grove, Park La Brea and Miracle Mile). It is a bit of a deterrent for me to use public transport if I walk up to the pickup… Read more »
Concerning the Red Line Shuttle. The map is so small it’s difficult to see the route of the line. If they choose to use Hollywood Bl. problems will arise immediately. Hollywood Bl. is shut down on a regular basis between Orange Dr. and Highland Ave. for movie premiers and other special Hollywood events. The MTA finally created a permanent detour for the area when such events take place. Fallowing those detours will in most cases not work for the Red Line Shuttle because it appears to terminate eastbound at Hollywood and Highland. Concerning a light rail line. The MTA has… Read more »
As a now longtime public transit user I love the idea of making the redline in Hollywood moe accessible. It would be great to see this extend to nighttime hours to increase nightlife business at some point. And I also highly recommend the existing Cityline bus be streamlined ad someone else suggested. I rode it regularly for quite a while and the stops need to be adjusted. Too few riders regularly at the existing stops.
I’ve been bicycling from “East West Hollywood” (near the Astro/Fatburger nexus, a.k.a. “Fatassburger”) to Hollywood & Highland’s Red Line for over a decade. It’s a sweaty trek, being uphill all the way. While the exercise is great, I can see how it could be problematic for many people without the ability to bike. And yes, even I’d like to just take it easy and avoid the uphill climb sometimes.
When is the shuttle starting? Nobody mentioned a start date.
@ Zam. SMB had a trolley line and the tracks were only torn out in 1998. The most creative idea would be an elevated system (much like a monorail) down the center. (Little real estate needed). As for monies..it would be challenging, but not unheard of. How much did we spend on Weho Park? Upwards to 90 Million? 18 Million on the RoboGarage? That was all wasteful and really contributed very little to our community and/or the residents. But one other thing we could do is require developers to put in a few million into a transportation fund with approved… Read more »
This is a good step toward making public transportation a more realistic option. I completely agree with Franz’s comment, the Cityline could use an express route that only goes up and down SMB. The current route doesn’t make sense for working people who have time constraints. Once traffic gets worse (2500 cars about to be added to WeHo’s east side) we will also have to consider bus lanes.
I like this idea a lot. Having a red line extension opens up a whole host of transit options to our Senior and Disabled community. A direct route (instead of taking multiple busses) would make such a route useful to everyone. Secondly, I’d like to see this integrated into the night-life transit system. This could reduce drunk driving and increase the number of people coming into the city to spend money on night-life. Some other issues Light rail / trolly: Our city might be in great economic shape, but a light rail wouldn’t be economically possible. This is especially true… Read more »
if Don Azars would please get himself from SMB and San Vicente over to Hollywood/Highland (and back, if he’s still willing) on our “transit”, his comments might actually have some weight.
having spent a couple of years riding the #4 to and from a job in the financial district, i can confidently say that he’s never seen the inside of a bus.