Today marks the 20th birthday of Los Angeles' 79-mile Metro Rail system as the Metro Blue Line, its first light rail link, was inaugurated on July 14, 1990.
Today, the Blue Line carries over 73,000 riders and has the second-highest ridership of any light rail line in the United States. It and the four other Metro Rail lines together carry about 326,000 riders daily around Los Angeles county, and it's still growing, with the 9-mile Exposition light rail line opening next year from Downtown Los Angeles to Culver City.
Here's a video of the opening ceremony of the Blue Line 20 years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rECL99M6YEI
Too bad the Pacific Electric was scrapped. Wonder how many new light rail projects around the country have dug up old trolley/interurban tracks during construction? Toronto got it right!
But, it is good to see city rails make a comeback.
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