The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments hosted a presentation over zoom to discuss the future of public transit in the San Gabriel Valley focusing on building out the public transportation system on September 20.
Multiple bus rapid transit lines were presented by the board as future plans to make San Gabriel Valley’s network work more efficiently and to attract new riders.
Two options were put forth for operating service between the L Line’s(formerly Gold Line) most southern eastern terminus in East Los Angeles at Beverly Boulevard. and Atlantic Boulevard., to Pomona Transit Center in Pomona.
Five other north-south running options were being considered; the first most important option according to ridership numbers was a line running down Rosemead Boulevard.
The other three options are not going to be addressed first but are being looked at for service improvements to help speed up and provide a higher quality transit options. These lines studied could be of great help to Citrus College students who rely on public transit to get to school. Options to improve and make new lines run along Myrtle/Peck, Azusa Avenue, The presentation presented the Citrus line would start its route at the APU/Citrus College L line stop. It would head south down Citrus Avenue to Workman Avenue. It would head east to Grand Avenue where it would continue heading south down Grand Avenue passing Mount San Antonio College. It will head west down Valley Boulevard and then south down Brea Canyon Road passing the City of Industry Metrolink Station to Pathfinder Road and Brea Canyon Road. The line continues south down to the edge of Los Angeles County and Orange County.
The long-term plan by the SGVCOG is to connect the line with Orange County’s public transportation network, also known as the Orange County Transportation Authority. SGVCOG has plans that OCTA will continue to run the line down from the Brea Mall, in Brea, to Anaheim.
Nothing specific about the frequency of trips was said about the bus line, but the other bus lines in the presentation were expected to have service be between 10 to 15 minutes.
The presentation noted that the stops would be less than an average bus line to increase speed and help with frequency.
Other topics covered in the presentation were the concept of making the bus stops better and more accessible with boards displaying the bus lines and when the next bus would be arriving. A community member asked the board if most of the bus lines would have shelters and seating to attract ridership. The SGVCOG members giving the presentation repeatedly brought up the desire to make these bus lines have transit hubs where one could connect with other transit services easier.
“I’m always for more public transit,” Gabriel withheld his name, a student said while also expressing that the line wouldn’t really affect his commute much as he lives in Glendora.
Similarly, Lorena Galeano, another student, said she would not be affected by the new bus service as she lives too far from it. Galeano believes it would help her friends who also attend Citrus.
The plans are not solid yet, as the SGVCOG is having a public comment and continuing feasibility studies. If one wants to contribute input to the future plans plenty of ways to leave comments are available. According to the presentation given future “pop-up” events that will have representatives to answer questions and take feedback will be organized.
If not able to attend an event, people can contribute comments through email sgvtransitstudy@sgvcog.org, telephone 888-574-8264, or go to: https://www.sgvcog.org/transit-study-community-input to submit comments.
