Bus riders should see their ride times improved when the new Aliso Street bus-only lane premieres next week. The quarter-mile new one-way eastbound bus lane extends only three blocks, but completes a key connection between Spring Street's counterflow bus lane and the El Monte Busway.
Buses currently have a dedicated left turn pocket from Aliso onto Alameda Street. Before they reach that pocket, buses often get stuck in Aliso Street congestion, especially as drivers crowd to get onto the 101 Freeway at Los Angeles Street. According to the L.A. City Transportation Department (LADOT) fact sheet, up to 61 buses per hour use Aliso during rush hour, roughly one bus per minute. These include the Metro Silver Line (now renamed the J Line) and Foothill Transit Silver Streak.
The bus lane will hug the right curb for two blocks between Spring and Los Angeles Street, where right turning cars and all bikes share the bus lane. It then transitions to the middle lane between Los Angeles Street and Alameda. The Aliso bus lane will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Preliminary markings are already visible on Aliso Street. Final markings are scheduled to be installed today through Sunday.
Next month, El Monte busway riders will also see new changes at Union Station. The Patsaouras Plaza busway station had been anticipated to open this weekend, but that opening has been delayed until late October.
There are seven L.A. County Reconnecting Communities grants totaling $162 million - about 90% of that goes to Metro's Removing Barriers project, which includes new bus lanes, first/last mile walk/bike facilities, bike-share, and more.
New bus lanes are coming to Broadway, Colorado Blvd., Crenshaw Blvd, Lincoln Blvd., Los Feliz Blvd., Santa Monica Blvd., Valley Blvd., Vermont Avenue, Westwood Blvd., Whittier Blvd. and many more city streets!