LACMTA refines master plan for L.A.'s Union Station

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) yesterday released an updated master plan for Union Station that reflects public input and additional technical analysis for proposed improvements to the downtown Los Angeles hub.

The master plan team of LACMTA, Gruen Associates and Grimshaw Architects of New York and London have refined the concepts with particular emphasis on earlier public input that dealt largely with proposed improvements to transit connections, LACMTA officials said in a press release.

Key proposals being evaluated include the possibility of a new passenger concourse, a new bus terminal, and improved access through the station and connectivity to area neighborhoods.

Ongoing public review and refinement of the alternative concepts are part of a multiphase process to create a master plan for the station and its surrounding 47 acres. Since the planning team was announced in June 2012, it has been collecting data, performing technical studies, soliciting opinions from the public and other stakeholders, and creating four draft alternative plans.

"We will ensure that [Union Station] is a world-class destination for Los Angeles now and into the future that can accommodate the growth of our transportation network and be an efficient and convenient hub for our passengers," said LACMTA Chief Executive Officer Art Leahy.

The alternatives address near-, medium- and long-term needs, and allow for the seamless integration of high-speed rail at Union Station in the future, agency officials said.

Meanwhile, LACMTA officials also announced the Metro Blue Line Transit Mall Station in Long Beach, Calif., has been renamed the Downtown Long Beach Station to more clearly reflect its location.