Golden Line, Golden Opportunities
By Sharie Kuo
Public transport are two essentially unknown words in the Southern California vocabulary. All I knew about the metro before the opening of the Gold Line in Arcadia consisted of words passed on from my aunt who asserted that it was extremely dangerous and unsanitary—she is also known to polish the wood floors every other day. I had been under this misconception for the longest time.
But on the opening day of the Gold Line, a couple friends and I had devised a plan to take the metro to downtown LA since they were offering free rides for the day. And although I was still pretty skeptical about metros, I was looking forward to a day in downtown. My first ride was a little cramped (as expected on the opening day) but besides that, I found that hearing stops and navigating with the maps were quite simple. We exited the metro at Union Station only to find the most adorable street market, Olvera Street. Taking the metro opened my mind about public transportation—that it not only exists in Southern California, but is also amazingly convenient and affordable.
The new Gold Line stop opened up opportunities for Arcadians to get around without traffic or wasting any gas and living in the Los Angeles County, the most polluted city in the US, it has become increasingly vital that we reduce automobile usage to protect our air. As the metro continues to expand to reach the beach or even the Natural History Museum, it will be extremely convenient for teens who cannot drive yet, but would like a taste of adventure. Since its opening, more and more of my peers have been taking advantage of the metro to explore beyond the city lines of Arcadia.
Hopefully one day, the Gold Line will become an essential part of Arcadia’s vocabulary.