By reading this portion of the Metro.Net website, all the information that was disseminated at the meeting can be learned:
Link Union Station (Link US)
The Link Union Station (Link US) project, formerly known as the
Southern California Regional Interconnector Project (SCRIP), is a Los
Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) project
designed to meet the long-term regional rail needs at Los Angeles Union
Station (LAUS) by allowing the station to function more efficiently and
providing a better overall passenger experience.
Link US is made up of several key components, including:
• New run-through tracks over the US-101 freeway to
provide one-seat rides to major destinations in Southern California
• Reconfiguration of the “throat” (station entry tracks) and
“rail yard” (station arrival and boarding area)
• A new passenger concourse with retail, food services, passenger waiting areas, and other amenities
• A new loop track to provide operational flexibility
• Potential accommodation of future transportation options, including California High-Speed Rail (HSR)
The project will transform LAUS from a “stub-end,” or dead-end station,
to a “run-through” station by extending tracks south over the US-101
freeway, resulting in reduced passenger wait times and reduced
greenhouse gas emissions from idling trains. The project will also add
a new loop track that will provide improved operational flexibility for
rail service. Additionally, Link US includes the development of a new
passenger concourse with a wide array of retail amenities to further
enhance the passenger experience at LAUS. These modifications will
significantly enhance the station’s efficiency and enable LAUS to
continue to serve as a major hub for local, regional, and interstate
transportation.
Link US will allow LAUS to meet future transportation demands and
provide one-seat rides to regional destinations. The Link US Team is
working together with the Los Angeles Union Station Master Plan Team,
the California High-Speed Rail Authority, the Southern California
Regional Rail Authority, and Amtrak to ensure community needs are
addressed.
A new Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report
(EIS/EIR) is expected to be released in Summer 2017, reflecting the
project updates. A Final EIS/EIR will be prepared, with an expected
Record of Decision (ROD)/EIR Certification by Winter 2017.
From:
metro.net/projects/link-us
My getting to the Meeting had some
complications of what should have been an easy hop on the train in
Fullerton, hop off in LA and walk out the east entrance and a few steps
to the meeting. However, about an hour before my train was to
arrive at 5:05 pm in Fullerton, I decided to check my Amtrak App for
its arrival time. I discovered that it was over an hour and 20
minutes late, which would have gotten me to the meeting way after its
start time. I checked the precious Amtrak train and it had been
cancelled. I parked in the large structure and walked to the
Metrolink machine and discovered I could get it at 4:49 for the 35
minute ride to LA Union station. With a previous freight passing
through the station, Metrolink arrived at 5:04 and I was off off to LA
even after the train change. Since there are tro Metrolink routes
that pass through Fullerton on the way to LA, there are sufficient
opportunities to take one to LA if an Amtrak has difficulties. I
learned later in the evening that the problem of the Amtrak's being
late was because of a pedestrian trespasser being killed south of
Carlsbad. In any event, I made it on time for the 6 pm meeting.
