The day is finally upon us!  The Expo Line extension will open May 20th , finally bringing rail service from downtown to the beach.

To celebrate, Metro is providing free rides on the Expo line beginning at noon on Friday, and all day on Saturday.  There will be community events at the new stations from 10-4 on Saturday.

The stations were designed with the commuter in mind.  There are limited parking spots available, and include 130 new bike racks throughout the new stations and bike lockers at most of them.  For opening weekend only, Metro has partnered with ridesharing service Uber.  Users of uberPOOL can receive a $5 discount to help with the first/last mile.

The Expo Line Extension stations aren’t just functional, but they are literally works of art.  Each station contains eight and 24 individual art panels, which add a continuous visual narrative that defines the rail line.

Having a rail line that connects downtown to the ocean will revolutionize the way Los Angeles commutes.  I expect to see ridership increase, and traffic on the 10 freeway easing a bit.  This is going to be a great thing for Los Angeles and the communities serviced by the Expo Line.

I hope to see you all at the opening weekend festivities.  Say hello if you see me.  I’ll be the girl with the cane!