Los Angeles transit officials unveil Union Station master plan

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) yesterday unveiled four draft alternative master plan concepts for the historic Union Station and its surrounding 47 acres in downtown Los Angeles.

Gruen Associates and Grimshaw Architects created the schematics as the first step in the station's redesign to better serve increasing ridership and to accommodate a greater variety of transit modes in the future, LACMTA officials said in a press release.

The alternative concepts focus on transit operations, offering options for expanded bus service and a larger passenger concourse, while leaving open the potential for additional heavy- and light-rail service, they said.

The alternatives also "satisfy near, medium and long-term goals for the seamless accommodation of the future arrival of high-speed rail at Union Station," LACMTA officials said.

In addition, development opportunities that would benefit from transit access will be explored in the final draft alternatives, slated to be brought before the agency's board in fall.

"Our efforts today will help make the new Union Station one of the premiere transit hubs in the country," said LACMTA Executive Officer Arthur Leahy.