The bus only lane doesn’t start until you get to Figueroa and Sunset. It was Sunday and there wasn’t much traffic, but last season I did spend a good portion of my trip in traffic on Cesar Chavez between Alameda and Sunset. One game in particular, it took us 35 minutes to get to Figuaroa (at which point we got off the bus and walked). It would be a HUGE improvement if the bus lane could start at Alameda.

Map of the Dodger Stadium Express route. I highlighted the portion with a bus-only lane in yellow.

In practice, the bus lane worked just as well as in theory. We zipped right on by the rest of the cars trying to get into the stadium, and as we turned right onto Elysian Park Ave., I was actually surprised to see that the lane continued all the way up the hill. There are a ton of cones put out and cops monitoring every so often, so the lane was definitely well-respected by other drivers.

We made it up the hill and into the gates of the Dodger Stadium parking lot… and then we sat. From the time we left Union Station, it had only been 10 minutes to this point. We spent the next 6 minutes in parking lot traffic trying to make our way around the stadium to the drop off point by center field.

At the end of the day, I think it’s time for the Dodgers to step up and contribute. As far as I know, they’re not providing any money for the service (thanks to a grant from the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Committee). Metro is running the busses and the LA City Department of Transportation is operating the bus only lanes to the stadium. Once you’re in the stadium’s parking lot, I think the Dodgers could seriously step up their game and allow the busses a quick route to the drop off point. Almost 40% of the total trip time should NOT be within the parking lot. That being said, even a 16 minute trip is awesome.

On the way back to Union Station there is no dedicated bus lane… which is understandable. After the high of the game, fans are more willing to sit through traffic to get out than they are when trying to get into the stadium. If everyone involved wanted to go the extra mile, however, this would make a major difference.

Without a doubt, the addition of a dedicated bus lane to the Dodger Stadium Express has made the service many times better and will certainly be the only way I get to Dodgers games in the future. I have no doubt that ridership will soar this season, as it already has in the first homestand. Thanks to Metro, LADOT, and the MSRC for providing this great service… and to the Dodgers, now it’s your turn to step up and continue to help it improve.

There’s finally light at end of Expo Line Phase 2 legal battle (L.A. Streetsblog) 

The California Supreme Court has set a May 7 hearing date to consider the long-running lawsuit filed by Neighbors for Smart Rail against the Expo Line Construction Authority. The group alleges that environmental documents for the second phase of the project are flawed because they considered future traffic conditions when analyzing rail crossings instead of current conditions. There has been conflicting rulings on similar cases in other courts, thereby earning the interest of the state Supreme Court.

The bus lane en route to Dodger Stadium. Photo: Metro.

Trying to beat Dodger traffic blues (ZevWeb) 

A good look at the 1.5-mile bus lane on Sunset Boulevard being used by the Dodger Stadium Express this season. The lane comes courtesy of the city of Los Angeles Department of Transportation, which admits that traffic hasn’t been peachy in downtown on game days. LADOT also says it is considering allowing carpools of four or more to use the lane.

Critics sue over UCLA’s hotel plans (L.A. Times) 

The plan to build a 250 room hotel and conference on the site of an existing parking garage on campus results in a lawsuit from the group Save Westwood Village, a group that includes nearby homeowners. The suit alleges that UCLA should have to occupancy taxes — the school says it should be exempt — and financing for the structure is illegal due to the use of tax-exempt bonds. The suit is further proof that it’s difficult to build anything of any size in Los Angeles without it resulting in a lawsuit.

•Ridership on Opening Day on Monday was 5,787 boardings. In 2012 on Opening Day there were 4,326 boardings.

•Ridership so far this season is 9,750 boardings for three games — the exhibition game against the Angels last Friday and two games against the Giants. Ridership at this time last year was 7,157 after two exhibition games and two regular season games.

Another very big crowd is expected for tonight’s 7:10 p.m. game against the Giants, the rubber game of the opening three-game series between the two teams expected to contend for the western division title. 

The shuttle is free to those holding game tickets. Click here for the Dodger Stadium Express home page and below are the basics:

•Board the Dodger Stadium Express at Bus Bay 3 of the Patsaouras Transit Plaza at Union Station. The plaza is at the other end of Union Station if you enter on Alameda Street.

•Service leaves Union Station every 10 minutes, starting 90 minutes before game time through the 3rd inning for all home games. We recommend arriving early; crowds are heaviest near game time.

•Your Dodger ticket is good on gameday for the Dodger Stadium Express fare*; otherwise, regular Metro fares apply.

•You’ll be dropped off inside Dodger Stadium behind Center Field. Service will run the same route in reverse after the game.

METRO EXPRESSLANES

Driving to Union Station to connect with the Dodger Stadium Express? Beat traffic on the 10 and 110 freeways with Metro ExpressLanes. They’re toll-free for carpools, vanpools and motorcycles; solo drivers can use them too, by paying a toll. All users except motorcycles need a Fastrak® transponder. Learn more at metroexpresslanes.net.

PARKING AT UNION STATION?

Pay for parking before returning to your car. Use the automated machines located in the elevator lobbies of P1, P2 and P3.

If you’re headed to opening day, here’s the map for the Dodger Stadium Express bus service from Los Angeles Union Station to the ballpark. It’s a free service for those holding tickets to today’s game at 1:10 p.m. against the Giants.

More info:

•Board the Dodger Stadium Express at Bus Bay 3 of the Patsaouras Transit Plaza at Union Station.

•Service leaves Union Station every 10 minutes, starting 90 minutes before game time through the 3rd inning for all home games. We recommend arriving early; crowds are heaviest near game time.

•Your Dodger ticket is good on gameday for the Dodger Stadium Express fare*; otherwise, regular Metro fares apply.

•You’ll be dropped off inside Dodger Stadium behind Center Field. Service will run the same route in reverse after the game.

Metro ExpressLanes

Driving to Union Station to connect with the Dodger Stadium Express? Beat traffic on the 10 and 110 freeways with Metro ExpressLanes. They’re toll-free for carpools, vanpools and motorcycles; solo drivers can use them too, by paying a toll. All users except motorcycles need a Fastrak® transponder. Learn more at metroexpresslanes.net.

Parking at Union Station?

Pay for parking before returning to your car. Use the automated machines located in the elevator lobbies of P1, P2 and P3.

Seats on the Dodger Stadium Express aren’t quite as comfy as this, but they’ll get you to the game. Photo from LA Dodgers Official Facebook

The Dodgers open at home April 1 with a three-game home stand against the Giants, and Metro’s Dodger Stadium Express will be providing convenient, free service to the ballpark from Union Station Patsaouras Plaza to those with game tickets. Ride in and catch the Express on Metro Bus or Rail and skip the hassle of traffic and parking.

And when the Dodgers hit the road and travel to San Francisco in May – and July, and September? Or, if some die-hard Giants fan wants to follow their team to L.A.? Megabus.com can take you from Union Station Patsaouras Plaza and drop you off just a block from AT&T Park. Megabus.com fares start at just $1 but increase as the departure date nears or as seats fill up, so buy your tickets in advance to get them cheap. Megabus.com offers six trips to San Francisco every day.

Angels fans, don’t feel left out, there’s something for you too: Take advantage of the Metrolink Angels Express Train, which will provide special service from Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo or Union Station to Angel Stadium of Anaheim for weeknight Angels games.

Finally, I’d be a bad hockey fan if I didn’t mention the L.A. Megabus.com connection to San Jose. The Western Conference is still anybody’s guess for the last few playoff spots, but if the Sharks squeeze in and somehow end up facing the Kings – all right, or the Ducks – would you be willing to make a trip to the Shark Tank? Megabus.com stops right outside HP Pavilion…

•The Dodger Stadium Express will be back this season, once again offering free bus service between Los Angeles Union Station and the ballpark for those holding tickets to the game. And there's a wrinkle: in cooperation with the city of Los Angeles, there is expected to be a dedicated bus lane near the stadium this year to speed up the bus trips.

•TAP-enabled paper tickets for Metrolink are expected to show up in Metrolink ticket machines this spring. Gate latching tests with the tickets have gone very well.

•Metro will be moving TAP validators at some rail stations so they're more convenient for customers and easier to find. The first change will be the validators at the busy 7th/Metro Center station used by the Red/Purple Line subway and the Blue Line and Expo Line.

This fall for the first time, Metro and the University of Southern California will team up to make getting to USC home games fast, inexpensive and easier than driving.

With the first home game just around the corner on Saturday, Sept. 1, Metro’s new Expo Line is the perfect vehicle for the more than 80,000 fans who crowd USC games at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. And Metro is enhancing service to make it easy for fans to avoid traffic and parking hassles and take Expo to the games.

“In our effort to develop a regional transit system connecting all of our County residents to the places that they really want to go, sports fans now have the option of using Metro, Metrolink, Amtrak and the Dodger Stadium Express to games at the Coliseum, Staples Center and Dodger Stadium,” said MTA Chairman and L.A. County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.

“We think the teaming up of Metro with USC home games will be a welcome change for Trojan fans,” said Metro CEO and USC graduate Art Leahy. “On game days you can bring picnic baskets and blankets and have the whole day experience.  And you don’t need to anticipate what is for some a very long drive home because Metro can now take you to within a short walk of the games and then carry you home again. Or for those who live far away, Metro can take you to Metrolink and Amtrak at Union Station.”

USC passengers will arrive at the game and then depart it at two convenient locations: Expo/Vermont and Expo Park/USC stations.

Frequent service will make it easy. Before and after the games, additional trains will be added to the Expo Line, as well as to the Red, Purple and Gold lines to make transfer connections efficient system-wide.

After the game, passengers will board trains at either Expo/Vermont or Expo Park/USC stations. Additional trains will remain in service to accommodate increased passenger loads.

Additional service also will be provided on the Silver Line for 20 minutes after each game in both directions from the 37th Street/USC Station. The Silver Line is Metro’s limited-stop service connecting the South Bay and San Gabriel Valley to downtown Los Angeles. It runs between Artesia Transit Center and El Monte Station via the Harbor Transitway on the Harbor Freeway and the El Monte busway on the San Bernardino Freeway.

Passengers traveling to the games should purchase $5 Metro Day Passes at the station where they are starting out … and that is all they will need for the day. Those starting on the Expo Line should purchase a one-way fare. When they arrive at either Vermont or Expo Park, they should purchase a return trip fare, to avoid having to stand in line after the game.

For more information on USC Trojan games go to http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/usc-m-footbl-sched.html. For more information on the easiest ways to get there via Metro go to the trip planner at metro.net.

As a baseball fan, no trip to any city is complete without a visit to the stadium. I’ve been to a game at San Francisco’s AT&T park before, but arrived late from the airport and headed straight inside. This time, I didn’t attend the game, but explored the area all around the stadium as crowds were arriving for the crossbay showdown between the Giants and the Oakland A’s.

AT&T Park in San Francisco is perhaps one of the country’s best urban baseball stadiums.

So far, San Francisco’s AT&T park and San Diego’s Petco Park are two of my favorite urban stadiums. There are many lessons for Dodger stadium to be found in them, though we also have to realize that Dodger stadium is a diametrically different kind of ballpark. It’s location on an isolated hilltop makes it much more of a suburban style stadium (surrounded completely by parking lots) than any of the country’s urban stadiums.

While some have proposed moving Dodger Stadium to a Downtown location, as a longtime baseball fan and purist I am conflicted with the idea. The urbanist in me says YES! while the fan wanting to retain as much of the history of the stadium says NO. For now, I will assume (as is most probable) that the stadium won’t be moving anytime soon. There are still many improvements that can be made in its current location.

So let’s look… What is so great about AT&T Park?

Publicly Accessible

AT&T Park is part of the city. It is accessible on all sides by the public. You can walk right up to its walls at anytime, gameday or not, ticket or not. The area around the stadium is a public space, where visitors will come and take pictures even if there is no game going on. There are no gates hundreds of yards away from the stadium, blocking access and opened only for cars on gamedays. This stadium is part of the city. When there is a game going on, even the action on the field is publicly viewable to fans outside from beyond the outfield walls.

From behind the outfield, a wide pedestrian promenade lets you watch the action through the wall.

Fans can watch the game from a walkway behind the stadium. If there are large crowds, they clear the area out after every three innings to ensure that many spectators get to see. Watching from here is not free admission to the entire game, but it’s still a valuable way for the public to be part of the gameday experience.

Multi-Use Ground Level

The stadium’s exterior is a great example of multi-use development. There is a doctor’s office and multiple restaurants around the ground floor. These are open and accessible from the outside and have regular hours whether there is a home game or not.

Restaurants and Bars are part of the stadium building, but open to the exterior and have regular business hours on non-gamedays as well.

Wile the doctor’s office may seem a bit out of place, the bars an restaurants contribute to the gameday atmosphere and the neighborhood on off-days. They provide a place for fans to gather and watch away games and for locals to grab lunch or dinner when there isn’t a game. These commercial uses make the stadium building a valuable contributor to the neighborhood on a daily basis, rather than a black hole of inactivity when there isn’t a home game.

Transportation

The stadium is conveniently located immediately next to a light rail station that serves two of the city’s most heavily used lines. The light rail provides connections to BART and the city’s central Market Street. One block away from the stadium is a CalTrain depot, providing commuter rail service from points south to San Jose.

The light rail stop serving SF Muni N&T lines is next to AT&T Park, and riders only have to cross half of a street to reach the stadium.

Behind the stadium is the bay and a ferry dock that provides service from East Bay cities directly the the stadium’s outfield gate. At least hundreds of fans take a boat to each game at AT&T Park.

Also behind the outfield wall, the San Francisco Bike Coalition operates a bike valet. I was there before most fans arrived, but there were already many bikes checked and more people arriving on bicycles by the minute. I know a lot of people who bike in San Francisco and it’s great to see that you can bike right up to the stadium, check your bike at a valet (so you don’t have to worry about it being stolen off of some bike rack somewhere), enjoy the game, and then bike home after. There were signs and friendly attendants that made the valet a visible aspect of the stadium, so fans would see it and know it was there for future use even if they didn’t bike this time.

A permanent bike valet at AT&T park caters to San Francisco’s many fans who arrive by bike, offering an easy, safe place to park while they enjoy the game.

Finally, as I walked around I was astounded at the fact that I didn’t see a single stadium-operated parking lot. There were some private lots a few blocks away (making use of space under an elevated freeway). A little while later, I did find the stadium lots, across the creek. While it’s still a large amount of land dedicated to surface parking (that may have a better possible use), this land is separated from the stadium and the main downtown section of the city. It does not impede the pedestrian experience or separate the stadium from the neighborhood around it.

Parking lots are located across a creek, without separating the stadium from the main part of the city next to it. In this photo you can see the stadium in the far background.

I am impressed by the team’s official transportation page and map. Transit directions are listed first, followed by car and then bike information. The map shows transit routes and pedestrian walking routes to the stadium before driving routes and parking lots. The only improvement I would make is to move the bike information higher. The service looked great and it should be marketed higher on the page.

Fan and Civic Pride

AT&T Park sits on a portion of street named for its Hall of Fame outfielder Willie Mays. There are multiple statues of Giants greats outside the stadium, and fans spend time taking photos with the statues before and after the game. The stadium and its surrounding grounds contribute to a sense of civic pride, just as the team that plays inside does.

This statue, of Giants hall-of-fame pitcher Juan Marichal is one of five statues and numerous other plaques and memorials surrounding the stadium.

Dodger Stadium

With all of this in mind, what can be done to improve the fan experience and contribution that Dodger Stadium makes to the surrounding neighborhood and Los Angeles?

The biggest improvement is to make it a place to go, and make it publicly accessible all the time. Right now, there are gates that close off the stadium far below at the parking lot entrances. Of course, nobody has any reason to go to the park if there’s not an event at the moment either. Real improvement of the Dodger Stadium experience will take development. Housing, restaurants, a baseball museum… All of these things could bring more life to the area and make Chavez Ravine a regular part of daily life as well as a destination.

It’s hard to add any use the ground level of Dodger Stadium because for most of the perimeter, there is no real ground level. Because the stadium is build into the hill and not just on top of it, any new retail that is open to the outside would most likely be in the form of additional development around the stadium structure.

Transportation is perhaps the area where Dodger Stadium could use the most immediate improvement. While many fans take the Dodger Stadium Express Bus, it isn’t nearly as good as it should be. I took the Angels Express Metrolink train to Anaheim last week. Exactly 50 minutes after departing Union Station, I was off the train and walking through the parking lot at Angel Stadium. I have sat in traffic on the Dodgers Express bus for 45 minutes before and only been half way from Union Station to the ballpark. We eventually got off the bus and walked. Dodger Stadium is far closer and its express service gets much more use than the train to Angel Stadium — but it pales in comparison when looking at ease of use and reliability.

I look forward to the day when we’ll have a rail link to Dodger Stadium (if I had my way, it would be part of a line heading through Silverlake to Glendale), but until then, the bus must be improved. A bus only lane would do wonders. It would be easy to implement and would speed the travel times considerably. For a start, this should be implemented right away at least along Elysian Park Ave all the way into the stadium. Including Sunset Blvd. will take some more planning, but should be accomplished soon enough.

Because it sits atop a large hill and further from the rest of the city, I don’t think Dodger Stadium will see the same amount of bikers as AT&T Park, but with some improvement of facilities and marketing, I know plenty of people who would be glad to bike to the games. Many fans are coming from bike-heavy Downtown and Silverlake, and a staffed bike valet would give them peace of mind when they are inside the stadium and a protected lane into and through the parking lot would give them peace of mind on the way.

Lastly, Dodger Stadium currently does next to nothing to contribute to civic pride. While there is plenty of Dodger Pride in LA, there is no reflection of this at the stadium. Dodgers fan blog “Vin Scully is My Homeboy” brought this up a few years ago, but why in the world are there no statues at Dodger Stadium?

Fans and visitors alike are always taking pictures at Star Plaza and the statues outside Staples Center (I know because I used to watch them from my office across the street). Baseball’s first African-American player, Jackie Robinson, will forever be known as a Dodger. He grew up in Pasadena, went to college in Los Angeles, and his number is retired by every Major League team, yet I see no memorial to him at Dodger Stadium. There is a plaque at the Coliseum for him and the Mets’ new park in NY has an entire entry rotunda dedicated to Robinson. I think at the very least a statue at Dodger Stadium would begin to do him justice. I’d also love to see a statue dedicated to Vin Scully within his lifetime. Chick Hearn’s memorial outside Staples Center is a fan favorite, and Vin Scully is arguably more well known and loved.

The current point of entry to Dodger Stadium is an outfield wall immediately abutted by a parking lot and a couple team stores in temporary tents. These structures should be permanently built (seriously, temporary tents at a major league facility?) and there should be an entry plaza outside center field with statues and other iconic elements. At Angel stadium, for example, while there are no statues on the entry plaza (there are some inside), there is a replica baseball diamond and large hats, with a huge main entry gate. This is the location of many family and fan photos before and after games. No such spot exists at Dodger Stadium, and the creation of something(s) iconic would absolutely contribute to more civic and team pride.

Taking lessons from AT&T park (and other stadiums) and applying them to fit with the location and structure of Dodger Stadium will enhance the gameday experience for fans and the everyday connection between the stadium and the city. There is a lot to be done, but some of the beginning steps are clear.

Photo by kla4067, via Flickr creative commons

Here’s the news release:

Metro will again offer Dodger Stadium Express bus service from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to Dodger Stadium throughout the regular 2012 baseball season under a grant approved by the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC).

The Dodgers opening day game against the Pittsburgh Pirates is Tuesday, April 10 beginning at 1:10 p.m.

“Once again, The Dodger Stadium Express comes through for fans,” said Metro Board Chairman and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “Through a generous grant, the MSRC will allow ticketed fans to ride free from Union Station to Dodger Stadium with the purchase of a Dodgers game ticket.”

A grant of $300,000 awarded to Metro by the MSRC was made in support of clean fuel transit service to link Union Station to Dodger Stadium. The MSRC awards funding within the South Coast Air Basin from a portion of the vehicle registration fee set aside for mobile source projects that result in emission reductions.

“Today’s action is a “Triple Play” for Dodger fans,” said Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, a South Coast Air Quality Management District representative on the MSRC and MTA 1st Vice Chair. “Reestablishing our Dodger Stadium Express bus will provide fans across the region an opportunity to avoid traffic, save gas and help improve air quality.”

Last year under a similar grant from the MSRC, the Dodger Stadium Express bus service transported over 116,000 fans with 68 percent of those riders using public transportation from their place of origin to get to Union Station to take advantage of the special bus service to the games.

Funding under the MSRC grant will be used to offset the cost of fares on the Dodger Stadium Express bus service for passengers possessing a Dodgers ticket. Service will be provided starting 90 minutes prior to the beginning of the games and will end 45 minutes after the end of the game.

The Dodger Stadium Express will begin at Union Station picking up Dodgers fans at the Patsaouras Bus Plaza adjacent to the east portal of Union Station and continue to Dodger Stadium via Sunset Blvd. and Cesar Chavez Avenue. Passengers will be dropped off and picked up in the Dodgers parking lot behind Left/Center field.

Service will be provided every 10 minutes prior to the start of the game and run approximately every 30 minutes throughout the game. Metro will deploy state-of-the-art 40-foot clean burning compressed natural gas (CNG) buses. Dodgers admission tickets will be honored as fare payment to ride the bus service. Those without a ticket will pay regular one way fare of $1.50.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are working closely with Metro to ensure a high level of awareness for this service to Dodger Stadium and plan to continue to promote the service to fans during each game. The Dodger Stadium Express bus service will be provided by Veolia Transportation under contract to Metro.

Patrons are encouraged to use the many transportation alternatives that serve Union Station that will connect them to the Dodger Stadium Express. Metro operates the Metro Gold Line from East Los Angeles to Pasadena, the Metro Red/Purple subway lines from Wilshire/Western and North Hollywood to downtown and the Metro Green Line between Norwalk and El Segundo intersects with the Metro Blue Line operating between Long Beach and downtown Los Angeles.

In addition Metrolink and Amtrak trains (please check departure times/schedules) are available and Metro operates many bus lines that serve Union Station where patrons can easily transfer to the Dodger Stadium Express. For specific route and schedule information visit http://www.metro.net or call 323.GO.METRO (323.466.3876).

“Once again, The Dodger Stadium Express comes through for fans,” said Metro Board Chairman and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “Through a generous grant, the MSRC will allow ticketed fans to ride free from Union Station to Dodger Stadium with the purchase of a Dodgers game ticket.”

Metro will offer Dodger Stadium Express bus service from Union Station in downtown LA to Dodger Stadium beginning April 3 with the Dodgers pre-game series.

The bus service will begin two hours prior to game time and end 45 minutes postgame.

The MSRC awarded the $300,000 grant to Metro  in support of clean fuel transit service between the two stops.

“Today’s action is a “Triple Play” for Dodger fans,” said Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, a South Coast Air Quality Management District representative on the MSRC and MTA 1st Vice Chair. “Reestablishing our Dodger Stadium Express bus will provide fans across the region an opportunity to avoid traffic, save gas and help improve air quality.”

Here is the news release from Metro:

Metro will again offer Dodger Stadium Express bus service from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to Dodger Stadium beginning April 3 with the Dodgers pre-game series and throughout the regular 2012 baseball season under a grant approved by the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC).

“Once again, The Dodger Stadium Express comes through for fans,” said Metro Board Chairman and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “Through a generous grant, the MSRC will allow ticketed fans to ride free from Union Station to Dodger Stadium with the purchase of a Dodgers game ticket.”

A grant of $300,000 awarded to Metro by the MSRC was made in support of clean fuel transit service to link Union Station to Dodger Stadium. The MSRC awards funding within the South Coast Air Basin from a portion of the vehicle registration fee set aside for mobile source projects that result in emission reductions.

​“Today’s action is a “Triple Play” for Dodger fans,” said Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, a South Coast Air Quality Management District representative on the MSRC and MTA 1st Vice Chair. “Reestablishing our Dodger Stadium Express bus will provide fans across the region an opportunity to avoid traffic, save gas and help improve air quality.”

Last year under a similar grant from the MSRC, the Dodger Stadium Express bus service transported over 116,000 fans with 68 percent of those riders using public transportation from their place of origin to get to Union Station to take advantage of the special bus service to the games.

Funding under the MSRC grant will be used to offset the cost of fares on the Dodger Stadium Express bus service for passengers possessing a Dodgers ticket. Service will be provided starting two hours prior to the beginning of the games and will end 45 minutes after the end of the game.

The Dodger Stadium Express will begin at Union Station picking up Dodgers fans at the Patsaouras Bus Plaza adjacent to the east portal of Union Station and continue to Dodger Stadium via Sunset Blvd. and Cesar Chavez Avenue. Passengers will be dropped off and picked up in the Dodgers parking lot behind Left/Center field.

Service will be provided every 10 minutes prior to the start of the game and run approximately every 30 minutes throughout the game. Metro will deploy state-of-the-art 40-foot clean burning compressed natural gas (CNG) buses. Dodgers admission tickets will be honored as fare payment to ride the bus service. Those without a ticket will pay regular one way fare of $1.50.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are working closely with Metro to ensure a high level of awareness for this service to Dodger Stadium and plan to continue to promote the service to fans during each game. The Dodger Stadium Express bus service will be provided by Veolia Transportation under contract to Metro.

Patrons are encouraged to use the many transportation alternatives that serve Union Station that will connect them to the Dodger Stadium Express.

Metro operates the Metro Gold Line from East Los Angeles to Pasadena, the Metro Red/Purple subway lines from Wilshire/Western and North Hollywood to downtown and the Metro Green Line between Norwalk and El Segundo intersects with the Metro Blue Line operating between Long Beach and downtown Los Angeles.

​In addition Metrolink and Amtrak trains (please check departure times/schedules) are available and Metro operates many bus lines that serve Union Station where patrons can easily transfer to the Dodger Stadium Express. For specific route and schedule information visit www.metro.net or call 323.GO.METRO (323.466.3876).

The stats from Metro, which runs the service:

The bus service between Union Station and Dodger Stadium — it’s free to those holding a game ticket, by the way — is typically carrying 500 to 1,000 people each way for most games.

The fun started when I met my friends at Union Station. Metro has this service called the Dodger Stadium Express; it picks you up from Union Station and drops you off in front of Dodger Stadium, and there’s no fare charge if you show your Dodger ticket. The service seemed convenient enough so my friends and I decided to try it. We hopped on the bus and no more than 20 minutes later were we inside the stadium looking for our seats. It couldn’t have been faster or easier to get there.

The game itself was entertaining. I pigged out on a Super Dodger Dog, pretzel, fries, peanuts, sprite and lemonade all while watching for falling foul balls. The crowd was fun. Everyone sang along to “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” at the 7th inning and gave standing cheers when our team hit home runs. The wave even glided through the stadium for several rounds, and beach balls bounced from fan to fan. And best of all, the Dodgers won! (Which I found out later.)

Being my first game, I wasn’t sure how much longer the 8th and 9th inning would take, and not wanting to miss the last Purple Line train to Wilshire/Western I made my exit at 10pm. We walked over to the Dodger Stadium Express bus waiting patiently outside the entrance gates. And after then did I realize how tired I was. I looked around the parking lot and was so happy and relieved that I wouldn’t have to worry about driving or sitting behind the wheel in parking-lot traffic. I just got onboard,  sat comfortably and closed my eyes as the bus made its way back down to Union Station.

My only disappointment was that I did not stay for the remaining innings and fireworks. We had made it to Union Station by 10:20pm, giving us plenty of time to make the last Purple Line train departure at 11:27pm. Bummer. I guess I’ll just have to go back again, and again. And I can, because there’s still months left in the season and there’s the Dodger Stadium Express to get me there.

Have you let the Dodger Stadium Express take you out to the ball game?

See you on Metro (or the Dodger Stadium Express).

xx

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If you’re around this weekend, be sure to say hello!

xx

photo by Fernando ‘Andres’ Di Zitti, via submission

Fernando, a Metro transportation planner, took this nice shot of the Dodger Stadium Express loading after last Friday night’s game, which the Dodgers won.

To submit a photo or photos of something transportation-related, post them to Metro’s Flickr group or email them to sourcemetro@gmail.com. The photos we’ve featured can be seen in these galleries on Flickr. Or click on the ‘art of transit’ in the categories box at right.

Another thing to mention is the Dodger Stadium Express. It started running on Monday and will continue throughout the season, making it easy for Dodger Fans to get to all Dodger home games. The service connects at Union Station and starts 90 minutes before game time. You can find out more details at metro.net/dodgers and there you’ll find a link to Metrolink, which has three lines running later hours to accommodate Dodger Fans who live near the San Bernardino, Antelope Valley and Ventura County lines. Last week I stopped by East Portal in Union Station for the press event.

Metro CEO, Art Leahy, talks about the second season of Dodger Stadium Express.

Are you going to Dodger Stadium to see the Dodgers vs San Francisco Giants game? If you’re a Dodger Fan, I’m sure you have this Thursday’s Opening Day marked in your calendar. You know, you don’t have to pay to ride the Dodger Stadium Express if you have a Dodger ticket.

Anyway, to make up for my recent MIA, here are some photos of my past week. You can also keep tabs on me with foursquare.

A Margherita and Big Sur pizza at Pitfire Pizza in Downtown.

Me, Sofia, and Jennie at Pitfire Pizza.

Riding the Gold Line to The Bar Method in Pasadena on a rainy Sunday morning.

I exit at Memorial Park Station and walk a few blocks to get to Old Town Pasadena.

The Bar Method is on Mills Place in Old Town Pasadena.

Just checked-in to Larchmont Bungalow and am about to work on my Facebook page. Want a sip of Mexican Hot Chocolate or a bite of a cranberry-oatmeal cookie?

See you on Metro.
xx

Workers ready the banner for the Dodger Stadium Express this morning at Union Station. Photo by Kim Upton.

The Dodgers’ first home game of the season is tonight at 7:10 with an exhibition game against the Angels. The Dodger Stadium Express bus service between Union Station and Dodger Stadium also begins running this evening.

A few basic details:

•The bus is free for anyone holding a game ticket (the State’s Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee is picking up the tab).

•At Union Station, the bus can be found at Bay 3 on the Patsaouras Transit Plaza on the east side of the building — the side facing Vignes Street.

•At Dodger Stadium, the bus stops in the parking lot behind center field.

•Buses begin running from Union Station to the ballpark 90 minutes before the game starts and through the third inning. Buses from the ballpark will run for 45 minutes after the end of the game.

For more details, please visit the Dodger Stadium Express page on the Metro website (link is above). Metrolink has also added late-night trains from Union Station on the Antelope Valley, San Bernardino and Ventura County lines. More info is at metrolinktrains.com.

Photo by Rob Reiring, via Flickr.

The bus running between Los Angeles Union Station and Dodger Stadium during baseball season was a success last year and thanks to a a grant from the state Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee it’s returning for the 2011 season.

As was the case last season, the Dodger Stadium Express is free to anyone holding a game ticket. The buses will run every 10 minutes prior to the start of the game and run about every 30 minutes throughout the game. The bus can be found at the Patsaouras Bus Plaza at the east portal of Union Station.

In addition, Metrolink will have 11 p.m. trains leaving Union Station on the Antelope Valley, San Bernardino and Ventura County lines on weeknights with Dodger home games.

Here’s the news release, issued by Metro:

Metro will again offer Dodger Stadium Express bus service from Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to Dodger Stadium beginning March 28 with the Dodgers pre-game series and throughout the regular 2011 baseball season under a grant approved by the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC).

A grant of $450,000 awarded to Metro by the MSRC was made in support of clean fuel transit service to link Union Station to Dodger Stadium. The MSRC awards funding within the South Coast Air Basin from a portion of the vehicle registration fee set aside for mobile source projects that result in emission reductions.

“Following last year’s successful launch, Metro is pleased to offer fans the Dodger Stadium Express bus service, which provides a direct link to Dodger Stadium from a vast network of trains and buses coming into Union Station,” said LA County Supervisor and Metro Board Chairman Don Knabe. “We encourage fans to take advantage of public transportation throughout the season to save time and money.”

Last year, under a similar grant ($300,000) from the MSRC, the Dodger Stadium Express bus service transported over 122,000 fans with more than 60 percent of those riders using public transportation from their place of origin to get to Union Station to take advantage of the special bus service to the games.

“Today’s action is a “Double Play” for Dodger fans, said Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, a South Coast Air Quality Management District representative on the MSRC and MTA 2^nd Vice Chair. “Expanding Metrolink service hours and reestablishing our Dodger Stadium Express bus will provide fans across the region an opportunity to avoid traffic, save gas and help improve air quality.”

As part of the grant funding, $180,000 will be used to offset operational costs for Metrolink to offer additional late night service on three of their popular lines. Metrolink, operated by the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) will offer trains leaving Union Station at 11 p.m. following weekday home games on their Antelope Valley, San Bernardino, and Ventura County lines so that riders can use these lines to connect with the Dodger Stadium Express bus service.

“Metrolink trains provide a safe, reliable and affordable way to get to and from Los Angeles for Dodger games,” said Metrolink CEO John Fenton. “It is unnecessary to spend money and time for parking when you can hop on one of our trains.”

Round trip tickets on Metrolink trains associated with the Dodger home games will cost between $8 and $10 depending on the distance traveled. Regular fares will apply on all bus and rail lines connecting with the Dodger Stadium Express service.

Funding under the MSRC grant will be used to offset the cost of fares on the Dodger Stadium Express bus service for passengers possessing a Dodgers ticket. Service will be provided starting 90 minutes prior to the beginning of the games and will end 45 minutes after the end of the game.

The Dodger Stadium Express will begin at Union Station picking up Dodgers fans at the Patsaouras Bus Plaza adjacent to the east portal of Union Station and continue to Dodger Stadium via Sunset Blvd. and Cesar Chavez Avenue. Passengers will be dropped off and picked up in the Dodgers parking lot behind Left/Center field.

“The Dodger Stadium Express is good for fans, the environment, and the surrounding neighborhoods,” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “Thanks to the MSRC for once again making it possible for passengers to ride from Union Station to Dodger Stadium for free with the purchase of a Dodgers ticket.”

Service will be provided every 10 minutes prior to the start of the game and run approximately every 30 minutes throughout the game. Metro will deploy state-of-the-art 40-foot clean burning compressed natural gas (CNG) buses. Dodgers admission tickets will be honored as fare payment to ride the bus service. Those without a ticket will pay regular one way fare of $1.50.

“The MSRC, Metro and the Dodgers really knocked one out of the park last year with the inaugural season of the Dodger Stadium Express,” said Greg Winterbottom, Chair of the MSRC and Orange County Transportation Authority Board member. “This year, the MSRC is excited to partner once again with these organizations and will provide $450,000 in Clean Transportation Funding to help operate the buses and late night Metrolink lines. Having Dodger fans take public transportation to the stadium takes cars off the road cutting congestion and air pollution, which helps advance the MSRC’s mission to reduce harmful emissions from mobile sources.”

The Los Angeles Dodgers are working closely with Metro to ensure a high level of awareness for this service to Dodger Stadium and plan to continue to promote the service to fans during each game. The Dodger Stadium Express bus service will be provided by Southland Transit Inc. under contract to Metro.

“Thank you to the leadership of MSRC and Metro for making this public transit program possible and for making the decision to continue this vital service,” said Los Angeles Dodgers owner and chairman Frank McCourt. “Public transit is taking hold with Dodger fans and that benefits surrounding communities and the entire region. We look forward to a great season and to further integrating public transit at Dodger Stadium,” he added.

Patrons are encouraged to use the many transportation alternatives that serve Union Station that will connect them to the Dodger Stadium Express. Metro operates the Metro Gold Line from East Los Angeles to Pasadena, the Metro Red/Purple subway lines from Wilshire/Western and North Hollywood to downtown and the Metro Green Line between Norwalk and El Segundo intersects with the Metro Blue Line operating between Long Beach and downtown Los Angeles.

In addition Metrolink and Amtrak trains are available and Metro operates many bus lines that serve Union Station where patrons can easily transfer to the Dodger Stadium Express. For specific route and schedule information visit www.metro.net or call 323.GO.METRO (323.466.3876). For Metrolink service information visit www.metrolinktrains.com.

Main boarding point is at Patsaouras Transit Plaza, Bay 3. Riders will be permitted to board at Cesar E. Chavez/Figueroa if space is available.

The new Dodger Stadium Express bus service will be in operation tonight as the Dodgers face the Cleveland Indians in a preseason game. Service from Union Station to Dodger Stadium will start at 5:40 p.m. – 90 minutes before the game begins at 7:10 p.m. – and run every 10 minutes through the 3rd inning. Buses then run every 30 minutes through the 7th inning. Return service begins at the 7th inning and runs until 30 minutes after the game ends.

Fans can board the Dodger Stadium Express at Union Station at Bay 3 of the Patsaouras Transit Plaza and the bus will drop fans off right at the Center Field entrance of Dodger Stadium. The Union Station location means that riders can connect to the Dodger Stadium Express from Metrolink, Amtrak, Red Line, Purple Line and Gold Line in addition to the multitude of bus lines serving Union Station.

Fans who already have a ticket to the game will be able to ride the service for free, those who don’t are required to pay the regular Metro fare.

Not to steal thunder from the Dodger Stadium Express service, but here’s another tip from someone who’s been getting to Dodger Stadium on Metro long before the Stadium Express existed: if getting to Union Station is inconvenient but getting to Metro Local Line 2 or 4 is convenient, you can take either of those lines to Sunset Blvd./Innes Ave. and take a 10 minute walk up Elysian Park Ave. to Dodger Stadium. It’s not quite as door-to-door as the Dodger Stadium Express, but a good alternative for those living along Sunset or Santa Monica Boulevards.

To ride the Dodger Stadium Express, just show your game day ticket, or pay the regular Metro fares.

Fans can board the Dodger Stadium Express at Bay 3 of the Patsaouras Transit Plaza at Union Station.

Service leaves Union Station every 10 minutes, starting 90 minutes before game time through the 3rd inning for all home games.  The Dodger Stadium Express will continue running every 30 minutes until the 7th inning.

From Union Station, Dodger Stadium Express riders will travel along Sunset Boulevard and Cesar Chavez Avenue and then dropped off inside Dodger Stadium behind Center Field.

Return service will travel the same route in reverse begining in the 7th inning and continuing until 30 minutes after the final out of the game.

Dodger fans can get to Union Station by Metro Rail and Bus, Metrolink trains and Amtrak trains.

The Dodger Stadium Express is a joint demonstration project made possible by a $300,000 grant from the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (which OCTA is also a member) to provide clean fuel transit service to link Union Station to Dodger Stadium.