Design and Architecture
Can Metro Boost Ridership with Transit-Oriented Development?
Ridership on the Expo Line rose by nearly 60 percent in the month of June compared to April, but average weekday trips continue to decline. Why, and can the trend be reversed by building close to the train stations?
By Frances Anderton • • 5m ListenIf you took a ride on the Expo Line last month, the LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority says you helped contribute to some positive numbers. Ridership on the Expo Line rose by nearly 60 percent in the month of June compared to April, with the recent opening of that line’s extension into downtown Santa Monica. Systemwide, however, it’s a different story, as average weekday trips continue to decline. Why, and can the trend be reversed by building close to the train stations? It's a topic Metro is trying to address as it asks voters for another half-cent sales tax on the upcoming November ballot.
Photo: The Expo Line train opened to the public on May 20, 2016.
