Yesterday, a long-awaited milestone for public transportation in Los Angeles was achieved when the L.A. Metro Board of Directors approved the addition of new trains and schedule changes to the Metrolink Antelope Valley Line (AVL). The decision to add four additional trains during the week and six additional trains on the weekends has been warmly welcomed by riders and city officials alike, as it stands to benefit an increasing number of daily commuters, according to the City of Santa Clarita press release.
These changes, affecting both the weekday and weekend schedules for inbound and outbound trains, include a late-night weekday train departing Union Station at 11:39 p.m., adding further convenience to those who rely on public transportation. Councilwoman Marsha McLean, herself a dedicated advocate for regional transportation, expressed her delight at the decision, stating that these changes have been requested by Metrolink riders for a long time.
As Chair of the San Fernando Valley Council of Governments and Vice Chair of both the North County Transportation Coalition JPA and the Southern California Association of Government's (SCAG) Transportation Policy Committee, McLean has worked assiduously to improve public transit in the region. Speaking to the significance of the approved changes, McLean emphasized that making public transit, including the Antelope Valley Line, safe, accessible, and convenient is critical for ridership and offers residents a reliable alternative to get to where they need to go.
The new schedule, set to go into effect on October 23, will coincide with the inaugural service of the Vista Canyon Metrolink Station. The complete AVL schedule can be found on the MetrolinkTrains.com website.
