Downtown nightlife: Get on the bus!

It's been a happy puzzle for downtown L.A. planners. As the LA Live shopping and entertainment complex opens on downtown's south side, and the Frank Gehry-designed Grand Avenue project (hopefully) rises on the north side next to the Music Center, how to connect them? Especially after hours when the nightlife is heating up. There's talk of a trolley down Broadway. But the developers of LA Live have other ideas. According to blogdowntown, the idea is nighttime DASH bus service connecting Bunker Hill (home to Disney Hall, MOCA, etc.) to South Park (home to LA Live, Staples Center, etc.). Details from Eric Richardson:

LADOT is working with AEG to develop a nighttime DASH route that would connect LA Live and the Music Center, providing service until midnight on Friday and Saturday evenings. DOT would provide the DASH buses, but private companies would be expected to provide for all operating costs. Councilmembers Jan Perry and Wendy Greuel submitted a motion asking DOT to report on options for late night DASH service back in July. Service would run on Friday and Saturday evenings, from the close of regular DASH service until midnight. Thursday night service would be considered if the necessary funding could be raised.

--Shelby Grad

Comments

[Antonio Pacheco]

This is a really interesting proposal, especially concerning the lack of late night bus service in the city. If our downtown area is expected to take on any semblance of life, it needs to have an adequate network of transportation infrastructure of the public variety.
Perhaps this is a stepping stone towards getting the subway to run later into the night and for the MTA buses to offer more frequent service after 8pm.