Metro’s El Monte bike hub won’t be reopening for much of the year, after a car crashed into it last Fall. Since September, the secure lock up and part-time bike shop has been boarded up, looking eerily frozen in time with a twisted bike, a lot of tempered glass shards, and the knocked out pieces of the window frame strewn about the floor. Some of the bike racks are pretty badly bent, but others seem intact.
SBLA visited the crash site and contacted Metro after a reader expressed dismay that the bike hub has remained closed for this many months while being located at the agency’s regional SGV headquarters. The bike hub first opened in September 2015.
A Metro spokesperson told SBLA, “Metro is currently working through the insurance claim process. Metro will soon advertise the repair project and hire a contractor to repair the bike hub. The hub is expected to open to the public in Fall 2023.”
David Diaz, executive director of the mobility non-profit Active SGV, tells SBLA he's not happy about how long this is taking. "I have a bike hub membership and I'm very disappointed it's [taking] a full year to repair! I've shown up multiple times across months expecting for it to be fixed, but have to turn around back home. They should at least provide signage at the site to let them know [when it's expected to reopen]. Additionally, Metro should be looking at how they could provide a temporary measure for secure bike parking, maybe consider finally utilizing the vacant space next door."
In the meantime, the free, unattended bike parking outside the Fastrak office looks pretty full.
Streetsblog’s San Gabriel Valley coverage is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit Foothill Transit. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.”
Sign-up for our SGV Connect Newsletter, coming to your inbox on Fridays!
