While commuting hasn’t been a topic of discussion lately due to the majority of us doing remote learning or work, it is something that is on the minds of many in the UCLA community as fall 2021 gets nearer. Thousands of students and staff go to class at UCLA every single day, and in a bustling city like Los Angeles, it can be a difficult commute. Fortunately, Bruins will need not worry in the future. A Purple Line Extension will be added as a sustainable transportation option to the UCLA community. The train will be completed and accessible by the year 2025.
Bruins get to campus via different forms of transportation. For Bruins living on and off-campus, getting to and from UCLA can be a challenge. According to a State of the Commute Annual Report by UCLA, about “64% of commuter students travel to UCLA by some form of sustainable transportation, including carpool, vanpool, public transit, bicycling and walking. This is slightly over half of the commuters who use forms of public transportation.”
Photo/Map by L.A. Metro
The Purple Line Extension will connect from Wilshire Western Station in Koreatown to UCLA and end at the Westwood V.A. Hospital. The addition of these three new stations will take riders from downtown Los Angeles to Westwood in a matter of 25 minutes. This will make Los Angeles and UCLA a more sustainable campus and city with more people using public transportation. Giving students, staff, and visitors a sustainable and reliable means of transportation to UCLA, and will be more accessible to students who are traveling back and forth between the city and the university.
Photo/Map by L.A. Metro
The Extension for the Purple Line project is being built in three sections adding seven new stops heading toward Westwood. The first section will be completed by 2023 and the entire project is expected to be completed in the year 2025. This project is getting built as fast as possible in order to give Los Angeles more connectivity to one of its largest working areas in the Westside of Los Angeles like Westwood. Therefore, this subway will not only be a breakthrough for UCLA but the entire city of Los Angeles as well as L.A. County.
Sustainable methods of transportation are a priority for the Bruin community. Available safe, healthy, and affordable transportation options such as the Bruin Commuter Transit Benefit Program offers one free metro pass that is available to students, staff, and faculty, it gives free rides by metro rail or bus line. There is a need for more transportation options for both students and people around the community of Westwood and UCLA. This connection to the westside will improve the ability of others to be mobile and also increase connectivity for all of L.A. County and surrounding cities.
Other Services provided by UCLA
- UCLA offers subsidized bus passes at a fair price that will make your monthly commute cost-efficient.
- Bruin Bus Live maps with updates on current busses
- UCLA safe rides where you can get picked up by campus safety and get dropped off at your desired location are available in fall, spring as well as winter quarter that arrive at their location every 30 minutes
- Walking tips related to health and safety
- Campus safety officer escorts
- Zipcars
- Electronic Vehicle charging stations
- Bruincars similar to Zipcar
- Bruin Access
- Bicycling options (Bike share programs), UCLA bike shop
- Bruin ePermits for those with their own vehicle
With the expected arrival of the Purple Line Extension, the next question is if UCLA will accommodate the possibility of more commuters using public transportation. The city of Los Angeles is growing and adapting to the growth of the city, and as we move into higher populated areas of Los Angeles and L.A. County, we will likely see new rail lines and subways built to accommodate those who commute to every corner of Los Angeles. This will bring a more green and sustainable Los Angeles.
