Gold Line Eastside Extension used to dig two subway stations on the LA Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension, now part of the E Line. The oldest portion of today's E Line is the Gold Line Eastside Extension, the southern branch of the former
Gold Line, and the first phase of the Eastside Transit Corridor. The Eastside Extension runs from
Union Station east to
Atlantic station in
East Los Angeles, in a new median following
1st Street and
3rd Street. Construction on the extension began in 2004 and service started on November 15, 2009, with Gold Line trains running through Union Station northeast to
Pasadena. This service was in effect through 2020, extending to
Azusa in 2016. The Gold Line was renamed the L Line in 2020 and split into two segments to prepare for construction of the
Regional Connector. The Eastside Extension portion of the L Line (east of
Pico/Aliso station) then operated as an independent line until 2023, when it was merged into the E Line.
Air Line becomes the Expo Line The E Line's western section largely follows the right of way used by the
Los Angeles and Independence Railroad steam railroad, built in 1875. The
Pacific Electric company converted it to
electric traction. It operated the line as the
Santa Monica Air Line by 1920, with both freight and passenger services. Passenger service ended in 1953, and freight service stopped in 1988. Local
advocacy groups, including Friends 4 Expo Transit supported the successful passage of Proposition C in 1990, which allowed the purchase of the entire right of way from
Southern Pacific by Metro. In 2000, an urban art group called Heavy Trash placed signs advertising a fictional "Aqua Line." The signs, with the text "Coming Soon," showed a subway route extending along
Wilshire Boulevard to the Pacific Ocean, with ten stations. Although the campaign was a hoax, it demonstrated newfound support and revealed the frustrations surrounding the lack of rail service connecting
Santa Monica and the
Westside with
Downtown Los Angeles. Metro released a Major Investment Study in 2000 which compared
bus rapid transit and
light rail transit options along what was later known as the "Mid-City/Exposition Corridor." A
joint powers authority, the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority, was formed by the
California State Legislature in 2003 to plan, design, and construct the line. The authority was governed by appointees from Metro,
Los Angeles County, and the cities of
Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and
Culver City. After construction of the second phase was completed, the line was handed over on January 15, 2016, to Los Angeles Metro. The line was built in two phases; the first phase comprised the section between
7th Street/Metro Center station in Downtown Los Angeles and Culver City. Construction began in early 2006, and most stations opened to the public on April 28, 2012.
Culver City station opened on June 20, 2012, in conjunction with the
infill Farmdale station between
Expo/La Brea station and
Expo/Crenshaw station. Construction on the and the segment opened on May 20, 2016. In 2019, Metro began a process where all Metro Rail and Busway lines would be identified by a letter name rather than the previous system of colors. As a result, the Expo Line became the E Line in 2019, and retained the aqua color until the opening of the Regional Connector Transit Project.
Regional Connector The Regional Connector Transit Project constructed a light rail
tunnel through Downtown Los Angeles that connected the preexisting A and E Lines to the former L Line to allow for a seamless one-seat ride between the A and E lines' previous terminus at 7th Street/Metro Center station to Union Station and the
Eastside. Two new stations were also constructed in the tunnel, providing more service to destinations and communities in Downtown Los Angeles. Formal studies and planning for the Regional Connector began in 2004 and was approved in 2012. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on September 30, 2014, marking the start of major construction. To accommodate the new tunnel, the existing at-grade L Line
Little Tokyo/Arts District station was demolished in 2020 and rebuilt as a subway station approximately south and on the opposite side of
Alameda Street from its former location. Starting on April 9, 2023, the A, E, and L Line trains ran through the Regional Connector tunnel for final testing. The project officially opened for revenue service on June 16, 2023. Once the Regional Connector was completed, the alignment of the L Line was split into two parts at
Little Tokyo/Arts District station, with the portion north of the station joined to the A Line, extending it to connect
Long Beach with
Azusa. The alignment east of Little Tokyo/Arts District station was assigned to the E Line, extending it to connect Santa Monica and East Los Angeles directly. The new east–west line kept the E Line name but uses the L Line's gold color. At this time, the L Line ceased to exist as a separate line. == Future developments ==