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potzbie
01-28-2006, 01:24 PM
Here is a travel tip for locals.

I got a mailing from the Los Angeles County "Metro" (the equivalent of the old Rapid Transit District, which now includes buses and trains).

There is a new bus line (577X) which is an express line between three stops:
1. El Monte (transit center)
2. Norwalk (Metro Rail Station)
3. Long Beach (Veterans Administration Hospital)

The brochure was touting the Green Line connection at Norwalk.

In describing the NORWALK stop, the description mentions, "... Reach L.A. County and Norwalk government offices, or travel to Disneyland."

"Disneyland"!

Indeed, I have often wondered how to beat the rush hour traffic to travel to and from Disneyland from the San Gabriel Valley.

I am not near any Metro Rail stop or Amtrak stop. So I would have to fight traffic to get to Union Station, or get to Norwalk's station, to take the train to Disneyland, never mind duplicating the effort in the opposite direction, going home.

But, with this new 577X, I can get to El Monte's bus terminal in 10 minutes using surface streets (or faster if the freeways are clear), and then use 577X to got to Norwalk, and then use Metro Rail or Amtrak (I am not sure which is which, and their differences) to Fullerton station or Anaheim station.

The hours which concern me, of course, is weekdays, mornings 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., and evenings 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
I like the idea that I don't do any driving except for 10 minutes to/from El Monte.

I have taken surface streets to/from Disneyland.
(e.g., from Anaheim, Harbor Blvd. turns into Fullerton Rd., going north toward the Pomona (60) freeway.)
(e.g., from El Monte, Rosemead Blvd. turns into Lakewood Blvd. going south toward Long Beach.)
(e.g., from Long Beach, Wardlow Rd. turns into Ball Rd., and Carson St. turns into Lincoln Ave., driving east toward Anaheim.)

I hate the 10 m.p.h. crawl during rush hour on all freeways.
Surface streets at least give the driver a sense of progress, despite stop lights. -- You keep moving, instead of riding the brake pedal.

I can tell you that is exactly 20 minutes from the MICKEY AND FRIENDS parking structure to the 605 (San Gabriel River) Freeway, when you use Ball Rd. -- I did this to keep off the Santa Ana (5) freeway, on a weekday.
And I did so more than once.

pisces
01-28-2006, 01:58 PM
Just take the 605, and get off at Katella.

And take Katella all the way down. That way you are forced to pass by---stop in----at the Katella Deli !;)