Eyes on the Station: Fortified Fare Gates Now Arriving at Metro Stops

Streetsblog visited Pasadena's Metro A Line Lake Street Station and brings you photos of the new fare gates. Metro is installing more secure gates at more than a dozen rail stations.

By Joe Linton

11:20 AM PDT on April 11, 2025

New fare gates at Metro’s Lake Street A Line Station. Photos by Joe Linton

This past December, Metro announced it would install taller stronger fare gates at all new rail stations and several existing stations. In February, the Metro board approved a $15 million budget for additional fare gate retrofits [staff report].

New fare gates have now arrived at some stations. Transit Hunter recently shared video of the new gates at the Metro A Line Lake Street Station in Pasadena. Metro's The Source announced that tall gates are in at Lake and Firestone stations.

Streetsblog visited Lake Street Station and brings you photos of the new gates.

Lake Street Station is located in the middle of the 210 Freeway. The two new gates there had a "fare gate test in process" sign posted. Metro security personnel were on hand to assist riders who had issues getting through.

The gates come in two sizes. This is the standard gate (narrower than the other).

This is the wider version of the new Metro fare gate, with signage at the top noting that this gate serves folks in wheelchairs and riders with strollers/bicycles/luggage

Streetsblog observed a few cyclists use the wider gate easily

Another cyclist entering Lake Station via a new fare gate

Readers - have you spotted and/or tried out Metro's new gates? How are they working for you?

Joe Linton

Joe Linton is an editor at Streetsblog Los Angeles

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