LA Metro to open Blue light-rail line next month

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) yesterday announced it will open the Blue Line between downtown Los Angeles and Long Beach in late October. 

The line will open following completion of a $350-million initiative to upgrade and modernize it. The project included track replacement, train control and overhead power system upgrades and installation of four new switches, LA Metro officials said in a press release.

In late January, crews began work on the Blue Line’s southern section between the downtown Long Beach and the 103rd Street/Watts Towers stations. Improvements are in progress on the line's northern section between the Compton and 7th Street/Metro Center stations, which has required four times more work than the southern section.

The exact opening date of the line will be announced next month following train testing.