After four months of renovation work, the Metro is halfway done rebuilding the Blue Line. Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia says the southern portion of the rail line will resume service on Saturday.
"Every single station in Long Beach through Compton will now be open officially."
Also on Saturday, Metro will suspend rail service on the northern section of the Blue Line between Compton and Downtown LA. Buses will connect riders until work wraps up in September. Construction is also expected to take about four months.
Inglewood Mayor, James T.Butts says the rebuilding of the Blue Line means faster and cleaner commutes.
"This is work on a big,big part of our transit system."
The renovation project includes upgrading tracks, overhead power lines and train control and adding switches. Train stations are also being repainted and outfitted with digital customer information screens, new signs and fresh landscaping.
``Blue Line riders are about to receive a number of service improvements, which will lead to fewer delays and refurbished stations,'' said Metro Board Chair and Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl.
County supervisor Janice Hahns says the Metro's oldest transit line was in need of modernization.
"They have finished it on time and now they're ready to turn their attention to the second and final part of this project."
Work on the northern section of the line will also cause temporary closures of two stations on the Metro Expo Line, which stretches between Santa Monica and downtown Los Angeles and shares two stops with the Blue Line.
Construction work at the junction of the Expo and Blue lines near Washington and Grand Avenue will begin June 22 and continue for 60 days. During that time, the Expo Line will terminate at the LATTC/Ortho Institute station, and passengers will have to use bus shuttles to access the Pico and Seventh/Metro stations.