Eight month street restoration project begins in Little Tokyo
LOS ANGELES - If you enjoy the scene in Downtown L.A. be prepared for some detours around Little Tokyo for the next few months.
As of January 10, Metro will close off streets for a restoration project that is part of the Regional Connector Transit Project, a 1.9-mile
underground light-rail extension that will connect the A Line (Blue), the E Line (Expo) and the L Line (Gold) in downtown Los Angeles and will include three new stations at First Street/Central Avenue, Second Street/Broadway and Second Place/Hope Street.
Crews will remove temporary roadway materials that were used to give access for the excavation and construction of the tunnel beneath the street. Once all is finished there will be a brand new station at First and Central to service the Little Tokyo Arts District.
Starting Friday night, avoid the intersection of First and Alameda Streets. For the next nine weekends the intersection will be closed from Fridays starting at 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday.
Crews will also close the westbound lanes of First Street between Vignes and Alameda until May 1. After that, First Street from Central to Alameda will close until end of August.


Here is a list of the suggested detours:
-- Westbound: Go northbound 101, take the East Cesar Chavez Avenue exit onto Pleasant Avenue, left on E. Cesar Chavez, left on Spring Street, right on First Street.
-- Eastbound: Take First Street then left on Main Street, right on Cesar Chavez Avenue, right on Mission, left on First street.
-- Northbound Alameda Street: Left on Third Street, right on San Pedro Street, right on Temple, Street, left on Alameda Street.
-- Southbound Alameda Street: Right on Temple, left on Judge John Aiso Street.
-- For the west out First Street closure: Right on Vignes Street, left on Temple Street, left on Judge John Aiso Street, right on First Street.
-- For the First Street closure from Central to Alameda: Eastbound traffic should turn left on Judge John Aiso Street, right on Temple Street, right on Vignes Street, left on First Street.
-- Westbound First Street traffic should go right on Vignes, left on Temple, left on Judge John Aiso Street, right on First Street.