LA Metro to increase frequency, reliability

Several bus lines across Los Angeles County are expected to see an increase in service with the aim of getting riders to their destinations faster, and Metro is preparing Thursday for the program's launch.

Starting June 23, Metro will offer more frequent and reliable bus service, and an improved travel experience on multiple routes based on direct feedback from customers and bus operators, as well as from review of ridership and travel time data. The transportation agency aims to reduce waiting at stops, add trips at peak travel times and extend some bus lines.

Bus ridership in the San Fernando Valley is growing faster than in other areas, according to Metro. To accommodate this growth, Metro will begin operating service every 10 minutes on Line 152 on Roscoe Boulevard and Line 166 on Nordhoff Street.

On Line 152, 10-minute service will operate eastbound from 7 to 9 a.m. and westbound from 3 to 5 p.m. Line 166 will operate 10-minute service westbound from 6 to 8 a.m. and eastbound from 4 to 6 p.m. Each will add new weekday trips to the schedule -- about seven new trips on Line 152 and eight on Line 166.

Additionally, Line 158 will add 25 extra trips between the southern terminal at Moorpark Street/Van Nuys Boulevard and Van Nuys Boulevard/Woodman Avenue to increase weekday frequency from 60 minutes to 30 minutes on the segment of Line 158 along Woodman Avenue.

Line 165 on Vanowen Street will add two additional eastbound trips from 3 to 5 p.m. weekdays.

Line 169 on Saticoy Street will add one additional weekday westbound trip from 6 to 7 a.m. and an additional eastbound trip from 4 to 5 p.m. between Hollywood Burbank Airport and West Hills Medical Center for service every 30 minutes.

Metro will also be changing some bus routes serving West and Central Los Angeles.

Line 81 will relocate the northbound terminal at Eagle Rock Plaza from eastbound on Colorado Boulevard at Eagle Dale Avenue to westbound Colorado Boulevard at Eagle Dale Avenue to accommodate the Line 217 extension to Eagle Rock Plaza at the Colorado and Eagle Dale Terminal.

This change will require that two stops relocate near Eagle Rock Plaza. Line 81 will also see two southbound trips added to the afternoon peak schedule weekdays from 3 to 5 p.m. to accommodate increasing ridership.

Line 217 will extend from Vermont Avenue/Hollywood Boulevard to Eagle Rock via Glendale to allow easier access for riders between Mid-City, Hollywood and Glendale. Lines 180 and 217 will each be scheduled to operate every 12 minutes daytime on weekdays and every 15 minutes daytime on weekends with coordinated schedules to maximize frequency on duplicated segments.

In Westwood, Metro Line 20, 602, and 720 buses will no longer be able to travel through the federal General Services Administration building parking lot between Veteran Avenue and Sepulveda Boulevard. As a result, Line 602 will move from the existing terminus on Veteran Avenue to a new terminus location at Kinross Avenue west of Gayley Avenue and will discontinue use of the stop at Wilshire Boulevard and Veteran Avenue.

Eastbound Line 20 and 720 buses starting trips from Veteran Avenue will instead travel via Veteran Avenue, Santa Monica Boulevard and Sepulveda Boulevard to reach Wilshire Boulevard.

According to the agency, it is expected to adjust service levels slightly on many bus lines to better match ridership levels and to ensure an improved experience for riders.

The agency also announced some lines in the San Gabriel Valley, Gateway Cities and South Bay will be updated.

A complete list of changes and links to new schedules can be found at metro.net/mybus.