I was recently in southern California to assist a seminar. The place I stayed was a ten minute walk from the C Line (Green Line) Hawthorne/Lennox station, which runs every 13 minutes. The place I worked was a twelve minute walk from the K Line, which runs ever 13 minutes. The two lines overlap at the Aviation Blvd and LAX/Metro Transit Center, so transfer between the two lines is easy, and was usually a short wait.

The problem with the C Line is that it was built in the median of a busy freeway, Interstate 105 (‘the 105’), the Century Freeway. It is also parallel to the ‘Imperial Highway’ which is a surface arterial and predates both the freeway and light rail. Almost every light rail station is in that median of a freeway that is 11 lanes wide at the Hawthorne/Lenox station. The freeway noise at this station is oppressive, and I was uptight the entire time I was waiting for the train. I downloaded a decibel app from NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) called SLM (Sound Level Meter) to see just how bad it is. During non-commute hours, which was the only time I was there, the levels ranged from 80 db to 92 db. Prolonged levels above 85 db are considered hazardous, and levels above 100 of more than 15 minutes risks permanent hearing damage. I would guess that commute hours under free-flowing or nearly free-flowing conditions would be over 100 db. Of course significant congestion would reduce the noise level by reducing tire noise, unless of course drivers are honking their horns.

Line C (Green Line) was the second light rail line constructed in the LA area, after the Line A (Blue) line from downtown to Long Beach, which has now been extended far to the east of downtown with the same Line A name. It was opened in 1995. The alignment was picked because it was constructed at the same time as the freeway, so there were no right-of-way costs. As a plus, it is completely grade-separated. However, it is a miserable place to be. Parts of the A Line near Pasadena are in freeway median. Parts of BART are in freeway median. Each and every light rail station in a median is an oppressive place to be. These median running rail systems are popular with transit agencies because they cost less. They are extremely unpopular with riders.

I hope that light rail will never again be constructed in freeway medians. I hope that someday the Watt/I-80 station will be moved out of the I-80 freeway median. Note that the Roseville Road and Watt/I-80 West stations are also in the same freeway median, but as the median is wider at these points, the freeway noise is less oppressive. The location of all three stations is located on the right-of-way of an additional freeway that was never built.

Wikipedia: “One of the lessons learned from the line, and the Harbor Transitway built at the same time, was that freeway median stations offer a poor rider experience, requiring customers to descend from bridges or climb stairs from dimly lit underpasses to isolated stations in the middle of a noisy and exhaust-ridden freeway. While stations generally have elevators as a necessary accessibility accommodation, these sometimes fail, and have been known for having sanitation issues; escalators are also often out for maintenance or, with the C Line in particular, only available downward.”

Not to be outdone, Sacramento has a similar problem with the Watt/I-80 Blue Line light rail station. I visited this morning, more or less during commute hours, though not during the peak. At the station platform, the range was 65 to 80 db, helped a great deal by the row of vegetation between the platform and the eastbound I-80 lanes. The walkway from the platform to the east stairway and elevator ranged from 75 to 90 db, harmed a great deal by reflection off the overhead Watt Avenue bridge, and with no sound protection from the westbound I-80 lanes. Up top, where the bus stops are, with primary noise from Watt Avenue traffic and secondary noise from the freeway below, ranged from 65 to 80 db. Watt Avenue is six lanes wide, and carries heavy traffic. I-80 is eight lanes wide, with seven additional lanes of ramps and bypasses, and carries heavy traffic.

When SacRT was considering what to do with Watt/I-80 light rail station, which was an unpleasant and unsafe location, the public asked that the station be moved out of the freeway median and to a more pleasant and safe location. SacRT decided to retain the location and make ‘improvements’. The dark, urine stained, unsafe west stairway has been replaced by a wide, high visibility stairway. The dark, urine stained, unsafe east stairway has been replaced by a better visibility stairwell. The east elevator is in the same condition it always was, with a strong urine smell, graffiti on the walls, and damaged glass. Though the west elevator is closed at the moment for maintenance, I imaging it has the same issues. Wider walkways and trees have been added at a few locations. The station will indeed by nicer than it was, but nice enough to induce riders that have a choice to use it? I doubt that.