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GOLD LINE EDITION 2003 |
EMEMBER THE FIRST TIME YOU RODE A BUS, TRAIN OR AIRPLANE? It probably was a
little daunting. But with a bit of know-how, you’ll soon be boarding the Metro
Gold Line like a pro.
Tickets, Passes and Tokens, Oh
My!
The regular fare for the Metro Gold
Line is $1.35 one way and transfers are an additional 25¢ (the same fees as MTA
buses). Tickets are available from vending machines on the boarding platforms
and step-by-step instructions are displayed on screens.
If you plan to ride more than
just once, there are many money-saving choices.
A regular MTA monthly pass is
available for $42, with discounts for seniors, persons with disabilities and
students. MTA weekly passes are $11 and MTA semimonthly passes are $21.
With the pass, you can
transfer free to another bus system, such as the city of Commerce line, Gardena
Bus Lines, Glendale Beeline and LADOT. You can buy a pass from Metro Customer
Centers, Nix Check Cashing, Popular Cash Express, most Ralphs markets, or
through the mail. For more information, visit www.mta.net
and click on Metro Transit or call (800) COMMUTE.
Passes are sold from the 25th
of each month through the 10th of the next month at Berry and Sweeney Pharmacy,
1377 Fair Oaks Ave.; Cash It Here, 447 E. Orange Grove Blvd.; Community Check
Cashing, 1298 N. Lake Ave.; Farm Fresh Ranch Market, 475 E. Orange Grove Blvd.;
Pasadena City College, 1580 E. Colorado Blvd.; and in room 121 at Pasadena City
Hall (for seniors and disabled riders only).
If your travel plans change
from week to week, Metro discount tokens, sold in bags of 10 for $9, are sold at
the first four locations or you can get them by mail by calling (213) 922-6059.
Transfers to Other Systems
In Pasadena, you can hop on a
Pasadena ARTS bus or a Metro bus with a transfer from the Metro Gold Line or
another transit agency. Transfers from one Pasadena ARTS bus to another are
free. Senior and disabled passengers who present their Pasadena Dial-A-Ride or
Access Services ID can also ride for free. If your trip begins with a Pasadena
ARTS bus, the fare is 50¢ and transfers to other transit providers are 25¢,
which means a one-way trip savings of up to 60¢ on the Metro Gold Line or a
Metro bus.
Where to Park
For Pasadena residents and
workers, Pasadena ARTS buses are one of the most practical ways to get to and
from Metro Gold Line stations because parking will not be easy. You can also
walk, ride a bike or have a friend or family member drop you off. Here’s why:
The Lake, Allen and Memorial Park stations have no dedicated parking facilities.
Fillmore has only 160 dedicated spaces, Del Mar has 600 and Sierra Madre Villa
has 1,000. It is important to remember that the Sierra Madre Villa Station is at
the end of the line. So while 1,000 spaces may seem like a tremendous number,
the fact is that this station will have the most commuters driving in from
cities east of us.
For more information, watch
for Pasadena ARTS schedules and route information around town, visit www.cityofpasadena.net
or call 398-8973.
Photo Credit: Eric Shen
THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP OF THE MTA and
the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, 18 fare inspectors will ride the rails
to check fares, help riders and beef up security along the route.
Dressed in white shirts and navy
slacks, the fare inspectors are civilians authorized to write citations for up
to $240 for riding without a ticket, eating and drinking on the train and other
violations. They’ll also act as transit ambassadors to help you with
directions, information and other assistance. Equipped with radios and trained
in law enforcement, they’ll act as the eyes and ears of the Sheriff’s
Department and can call for back-up deputies in a snap.
Closed-circuit television cameras at
all stations are monitored by security personnel. Security officers can be
reached by speaker telephones in case of emergency.
For more information, watch for Pasadena ARTS schedules and route information
around town, visit www.cityofpasadena.net
or call 398-8973.
Photo Credit: Eric Shen
If you’re waiting for a blaring
horn when the Metro Gold Line passes by, you’ll be surprised. The Metro Gold
Line horn is much quieter than train horns of yesteryear.
The new 75-decibel warning device is
the same volume used in Sacramento and San Diego. (By comparison, the noise
inside a supermarket is about 84 decibels.)
What’s more, Metro Gold Line horns
are aimed down, low and straight, to focus the sound 100 feet in front of the
train. They’ll be used at just three intersections where the Metro Gold Line
crosses traffic: Glenarm Street, California Boulevard and Del Mar Boulevard.
For more information, watch for Pasadena ARTS schedules and route information
around town, visit www.cityofpasadena.net
or call 398-8973.
Photo Credit: Eric Shen
Getting to and from Pasadena’s six
new Metro Gold Line stations is a breeze, thanks to the newly expanded Pasadena
Area Rapid Transit System (ARTS). Two new lines were recently added, for a total
of six routes crisscrossing the city.
They’re the very best way to catch
a Metro Gold Line train, run errands, travel to school or work, make it to
appointments and visit all of Pasadena’s famous spots.
Route 10
Popular with shoppers and PCC
students, Route 10 now starts weekdays at 7 a.m. It travels westbound on
Colorado Boulevard and eastbound on Green Street between PCC and Old Pasadena
and comes within a few blocks of the Lake, Del Mar and Memorial Park stations.
Buses operate Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday from 7 a.m.
to 10 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Route 20
The most popular route in the
system, Route 20 connects with most of the other ARTS routes, providing service
between northern and southern Pasadena via a two-way loop on Fair Oaks Avenue
and Lake Avenue. This route directly serves the Lake, Fillmore, Del Mar and
Memorial Park stations. Buses run Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.,
Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Routes 31/32
This route provides service between
Northwest Pasadena (North Fair Oaks Avenue) and Hastings Ranch (East Foothill
Boulevard) via Washington Boulevard and takes riders within a block of the East
Pasadena station. Buses run Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.,
Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Route 40
This east-west route connects East
Pasadena to the Civic Center and Old Pasadena. This route runs from the corner
of East Foothill Boulevard and Sierra Madre Villa Avenue to Raymond Avenue in
Old Pasadena via Orange Grove Boulevard and Villa Street, with connections to
the Sierra Madre Villa, Allen, Lake and Memorial Park stations. Buses run Monday
through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday
from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Route 50 - NEW
This long-awaited new route provides
the connection from the Linda Vista area and Art Center College of Design to Old
Pasadena, as well as service to the Civic Center, the Rose Bowl, the future Art
Center campus on the power plant property and peak-hour service to and from JPL.
Route 50 directly serves the Memorial Park, Del Mar and Fillmore stations. Buses
operate Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and goes to and from JPL
once an hour from 7 to 9:30 a.m. and 4 to 8 p.m.
Route 60 - NEW
This new route provides direct
connections to the start of the Metro Gold Line. Watch for peak hour weekday
service in the East Pasadena/Hastings Ranch area between North Altadena Drive,
Hastings Ranch and the Sierra Madre Villa station. Buses run Monday through
Friday from 6 to 9 a.m. and from 4 to 8 p.m.
ARTS Fares
A ride on a Pasadena ARTS bus
is just 50¢, or 25¢ for children in grades K–12, seniors 60 and older and
riders with disabilities. Up to two children ages five and younger can ride for
free with a paying adult. Seniors and passengers with disabilities who show a
Pasadena Dial-A-Ride or Access Services ID can also ride for free. As they
board, youngsters in grades 8 to 12 must present a student ID. Seniors and
persons with disabilities must be prepared to show proof of eligibility.
For more information, watch
for Pasadena ARTS schedules and route information around town, visit www.cityofpasadena.org
or call 398-8973.
Photo Credit: Eric Shen
LIGHT RAIL IS A VERY SAFE WAY TO
TRAVEL and it’s getting even safer. Compared to other modes of
transportation, the California Public Utilities Commission reports that the rate
of accidents involving light rail trains is miniscule.
But mishaps and even fatalities do
occur when motorists run through traffic lights or drive around safety gates at
the highway-rail grade crossings. That’s why the Metro Gold Line was designed
with the latest safety features to protect nearby motorists and pedestrians.
First, unlike other rail lines in
L.A. County, the Metro Gold Line runs along an exclusive track and there are far
fewer street-level crossings. In fact, trains will only cross at three
intersections - Glenarm Street, Del Mar Boulevard and California Boulevard.
Planners added four state-of-the-art, four-quadrant crossing gates with
top-quality controls and lighting at each of these intersections instead of
relying on simple traffic signals. Medians were also added wherever possible to
discourage motorists from driving around the safety gates.
But even with all of this
technology, it’s up to every individual to be responsible and use common
sense. When warning lights are flashing and safety gates are down, stay put! It
only takes a few seconds for a train to make it through an intersection; the
short wait certainly isn’t worth risking your life. The fine for grade
crossing violations is a minimum of $271.
IF YOU HAVE A DISABILITY, you
can look forward to hassle-free travel on the brand-new Metro Gold Line. With
fully accessible features, the trains are completely ADA-compliant for riders
with hearing, mobility and visual impairments. What’s more, you can qualify
for reduced fares.
Once you’ve reached your station,
hop on a Metro bus or a Pasadena ARTS bus for an easy ride to your destination.
All bus lines are equipped with wheelchair lifts. For riders with visual
impairments, Metro provides Braille-encoded and large type Metro Flash Books for
signaling the correct bus. For more information, call (213) 922-7023 for Metro
buses or 398-8973 for Pasadena ARTS buses.
If you are not able to use regular
bus or rail service, the MTA offers Access Services Incorporated, which provides
24-hour curb-to-curb service. For more information, call (800) 827-0829.
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