7th Street/Metro Center station explained

Style:Los Angeles Metro Rail
7th St/Metro Center
Symbol Location:losangeles
Symbol:A
Symbol2:B
Symbol3:D
Symbol4:E
Symbol5:J
Other Name:7th Street/Metro Center/Julian Dixon
Address:660 South Figueroa Street
Borough:Los Angeles, California
Coordinates:34.0487°N -118.2587°W
Owned:Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Platform:2 side platforms (light rail)
1 island platform (subway)
Tracks:4
Connections:See Connections section
Structure:Underground
Parking:Paid parking nearby
Bicycle:Metro Bike Share station[1]
Accessible:Yes
Other Services Header:Future services
Other Services Collapsible:yes
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Zoom:14

7th Street/Metro Center station is an underground light rail and rapid transit station on the A, B, D, and E lines of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system. The station also has street level stops for the J Line of the Los Angeles Metro Busway system. The station is located under 7th Street, after which the station is named, at its intersections with Figueroa, Flower and Hope Streets.[2]

It is officially named 7th Street/Metro Center/Julian Dixon station after former U.S. Rep. Julian Dixon, who had a pivotal role in obtaining the federal funding that enabled construction of the Metro Rail system.[3]

History

7th Street/Metro Center was constructed by the Southern California Rapid Transit District, which later became part of today's LA Metro, as part of the first 4.5miles minimum operating segment (MOS-1) of the Metro Rail subway (now B Line). Ground was broken for the project on September 29, 1986.[4]

The upper level of this station, used by light rail trains, opened on February 15, 1991,[5] nearly two years before the rest of the MOS-1 subway stations. However, the opening was several months after the rest of the Blue Line's (now A Line) stations.[6] The lower level subway platform opened with the rest of the MOS-1 segment stations on January 30, 1993.[7]

Metro spent nearly $2 million worth of enhancements to 7th Street/Metro Center station as part of the Expo Line project, which was completed weeks before the Expo Line (now E Line) began service to La Cienega/Jefferson station. These enhancements included a new dispatch booth and improved signage in the station.[8]

The station served as the northern and eastern terminus for the A Line and E Line, respectively. Both lines were extended on June 16, 2023 as part of the Regional Connector Transit Project.

Service

Station layout

The station was the first underground station in the Metro system, and consists of three underground levels. The main concourse is on the first level down, the light rail side platforms are on the second level down, while the heavy rail island platform is on the third level down. A small first level mezzanine connects the light rail side platforms. The Metro Silver Line stops at the street level next to the station's entrances. The station has direct access to The Bloc Shopping Mall (formerly known as Broadway/Macy's Plaza) with a pedestrian-friendly entrance from the mall directly to the subway station.

This is one of only two stations in the entire system that has underground side platforms, the other being the Wilshire/Vermont station.

Connections

In addition to the rail and busway services, 7th Street/Metro Center station is a major hub for municipal bus lines. As of spring 2024, the following connections are available:[9]

Note: * indicates commuter service that operates only during weekday rush hours.

As a filming location

Due to the design of the station and the popularity of the film industry in Los Angeles, the station has been featured in various movies and music videos over the years

Films

Music videos

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Station Map . November 13, 2021 . . January 27, 2015 . en-US . January 2, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220102233640/https://bikeshare.metro.net/stations/ . live .
  2. Web site: 7th St/Metro Center Connections . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120225095240/http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/maps/images/red_7th_metro.pdf . 2012-02-25 . 2021-11-18 . Metro.
  3. Web site: Jager . Rick . August 2, 2001 . MTA Unveils Plaque Honoring Late Congressman Julian Dixon . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120806000434/http://libraryarchives.metro.net//DPGTL//employeenews//mymetro//20010802-dixon-plaque.pdf . 2012-08-06 . MyMetro (employee news digest) . Dorothy Peyton Gray Transportation Library and Archive.
  4. Web site: September 29, 2011 . 25 Years Ago Today: Los Angeles' Red Line Subway Breaks Ground . November 14, 2021 . Dorothy Peyton Gray Transportation Library and Archive . en-US . November 14, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211114054030/https://metroprimaryresources.info/25-years-ago-today-los-angeles-red-line-subway-breaks-ground/1755/ . live .
  5. News: Underground Opening . 14 December 2022 . . Newspapers.com . 15 February 1991 . A3 . March 23, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230323083529/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114625152/the-los-angeles-times/ . live .
  6. News: Taylor . Ronald B. . 1991-01-17 . Blue Line's Ridership, Safety Praised After Initial 6 Months : Transit: Officials say 18,000 commuters daily use the trains, three times the number expected. Crime is low; accidents with cars and pedestrians are main problem. . en-US . . 2021-11-18 . November 18, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211118192447/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-01-17-me-313-story.html . live .
  7. News: Katches . Mark . January 31, 1993 . Red Line Rolls to Raves – It's Smooth Railing As L.A. Subway Opens . Los Angeles Daily News.
  8. Web site: July 15, 2010 . Project: Exposition Light Rail Transit Project – Phase 1 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110629124153/http://www.metro.net/board/Items/2010/07_July/20100722RBMItem26.pdf . 2011-06-29 . 2010-09-07 . Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
  9. Web site: June 16, 2023 . E Line Timetable – Connections section . June 26, 2023 . Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority . 2.
  10. Web site: 7th street Metro film Location. September 17, 2022. September 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220920170702/https://moviemaps.org/locations/27q. live.
  11. Web site: The Weeknd: After Hours (Short 2020) - Filming & production - IMDb . .