Expo Line Opening

(click on images to enlarge)

Tomorrow there will be an official ceremony marking the ground breaking (MAP)for the construction of the the next port of the the MTA lightrail that will eventually end in downtown Santa Monica(see Friends4Expo or the details for the event below - the public is welcomed and invited).

Perhaps this is what Jim Morrison, of The Doors, was singing about this new expo light rail in his song "The End"(read the lyrics (Link) or listen to Jim sing the song in this music video(Link).

In it he sings,

Ride the snake, ride the snake
To the lake, the ancient lake, baby
The snake is long, seven miles
Ride the snake...hes old, and his skin is cold

Because trully, the light rail and the train of light rail cars will be like riding a snake down a winding path from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica. And it is about seven miles from downtown L.A. to Santa Monica. And perhaps the snake is also representative of the path... the old rail way path called "exposition" is what he was referring to of it being an old.

Or perhaps he was singing about the new light rail line and the end of the Big Blue Bus line #10 which has, which has served the public for a few decades. Carrying passengers back and forth from Santa Monica and Downtown Los Angeles every day of the week, which may end its service to the people as the new expo light rail carries on in its place when he sings:

This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end

Or perhaps he is documenting a time in his life while living in Santa Monica/Venice, and riding the Big Blue Bus #10, when he sings:

"The blue bus is callin us
Driver, where you taken us"

"Can you picture what will be
So limitless and free"

Or perhaps a little abstract reminisce of the past and future, with hope, when he sings:

Cmon baby, take a chance with us
And meet me at the back of the blue bus
Doin a blue rock
On a blue bus
Doin a blue rock
Cmon, yeah

Some biographers do in fact say that he was talking about the Big Blue Bus, and his rides from Downtown L.A.'s Union Station (the depot for the Amtrak and Greyhound station) when he would be be coming home from a "walk about" the world.

During it's time, it was the fastest, cheapest, and most comfortable public transit from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica/Venice.

I add to Mr. Morrison's words, is this the end, my beautiful friend? Or is this the beginning of newer and better things in your wake of exemplary service to the people?

Here are the details for the ground breaking ceremony:

9/29/06, Friday at 8:30 a.m.Come celebrate the Expo Line's official groundbreaking ceremony! Press ReleaseThis is a great day: after years of advocacy and planning, construction is about to start on the first half of the Expo Line, finally an alternative to horrible Westside traffic!
Meet in the median of Exposition Blvd.
the Expo Line's right-of-way about 3/8 mile west of Crenshaw Blvd., between West Blvd. and Hillcrest Drive. RSVP (preferred but not required) to Genetha Eddins at 213-245-5506 or geddins@exporail.net.