Hahn’s Vision for Water Taxi Gains Momentum with Metro Backing

LOS ANGELES — During its May 14 meeting Metro’s ad-hoc committee on the Olympic and Paralympic Games approved a motion by Metro Board of Directors chair and Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn to explore the feasibility of a water taxi between San Pedro and Long Beach during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games. The City of Long Beach will host 11 sports during the Games — the second most of any city behind Los Angeles. 

“If we are serious about people taking transit to every Olympic event, we need to get creative. The water taxi’s time has come. It would offer residents, workers, and tourists an alternative to driving and parking at the Games venues that’s not only reliable and affordable, but fun as well,” said Hahn. “It’s time to explore what it would take to get this idea off the ground and into the water.” 

Hahn’s proposed water taxi will offer an innovative public transport connection for San Pedro and surrounding communities, as well as for riders along Metro’s J (Silver) Line, which runs along the El Monte Busway and Harbor Transitway from El Monte to San Pedro via Downtown Los Angeles. Olympics attendees could also park at the Harbor Gateway Transit Center in Gardena and take the J Line to San Pedro to catch the water taxi, significantly relieving traffic congestion in and around Long Beach and on the Vincent Thomas Bridge. 

There is precedent for Hahn’s proposed water taxi; a water ferry service between San Pedro and Long Beach with a stop at Terminal Island existed before the construction of the Vincent Thomas Bridge. The ferry was operated by both private and municipal companies and provided transportation for workers, residents, and commuters. 

The water taxi proposal has earned widespread support. Hahn’s motion was co-authored by her colleagues on the Metro Board, Mayor Karen Bass, Metro Vice Chair Fernando Dutra, Inglewood Mayor James Butts, and Director Jacquelin Dupont-Walker. During the meeting, representatives of ILWU Local 13, Los Angeles City Councilmember Tim McOsker, Long Beach Councilwoman Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, Long Beach Councilwoman Mary Zendejas, the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, the LA Maritime Institute, the Battleship Iowa, and LA Harbor Commissioner Lee Williams voiced their strong support for the proposal.  

Hahn’s motion will be voted on by the full Metro Board of Directors in their monthly meeting May 22.  

Details: https://tinyurl.com/Water-taxi-proposal