MARCH/APRIL 2003

Gold Line is Rolling Right Along

ll aboard! The long-awaited Gold Line will be rolling through Pasadena in just a few short months.

The $457 million, 13.7-mile light rail line, running from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to East Pasadena, is right on track to board its first commuters on July 1. With trains running every eight to 10 minutes during rush hour and every 15 to 30 minutes during slower periods, from 4:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., you’ll experience an easy ride through L.A., Chinatown, Lincoln Heights, Highland Park, South Pasadena and Pasadena. Six stations are under construction in Los Angeles, one in South Pasadena and six in Pasadena and all will be easy to reach by bus, bike, taxi or foot.

How can you jump on? Watch for vending machines on the boarding platforms. The fare will be the same as for the bus - $1.35 a trip - with discounts for seniors, students and other monthly pass-holders. Transfers will be 25¢.  Plus, the MTA is devising new bus routes to be unveiled in June to take bus riders directly to all six Pasadena Gold Line stations.

Experts say between 30,000 and 38,000 pioneers are expected to try out the new line on opening day, with ridership increasing to 68,000 by 2015. Not only will this be a great convenience for you - imagine reading the paper while you commute - it will ease the burden on our freeways and bus lines.

If you prefer to stick with your tried and true automobile, remember to be safe when trains are approaching. The Gold Line will cross only three Pasadena thoroughfares at Glenarm Street, Del Mar Boulevard and California Boulevard. But when the warning lights are flashing and the safety gates are down, stay put! It only takes a few seconds for a two-car train to make it through the intersection, and the short wait certainly isn’t worth risking your life. Plus, passing through a gate is considered reckless driving and you could be fined $250.

Phase II of the Gold Line is in the planning stages. When approved, it will run from Pasadena to Claremont beginning in 2008, stopping in 10 cities.

For updates, visit www.la-pasblueline.org or call 799-0080.

Pasadena On The Web
(www.ci.pasadena.ca.us)

As April 15 draws near, Pasadena Public Library offers links to a number of websites to help you prepare. From tax forms to e-filing to frequently asked questions, it’s all in one place: www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/library/taxform.asp.

Keep up with Pasadena’s many city commissions at www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/commissions/default.asp. You’ll find meeting dates, agendas, members and more.

Everyone knows a lot of filming takes place in Pasadena, but most people don’t know what the productions are. From movies to television shows to commercials to music videos, find out more by going to www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/film/calendar.asp.

 Quick facts about Pasadena can be found at www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/facts.asp. Learn how the city got its name, what our namesakes are (a city and a submarine), the story behind those wild parrots and more!