Bus lane tickets, New Metrolink day pass, and more

The City of West Hollywood is the latest to toss its hat into the ring of automated bus lane enforcement. 

On July 1, West Hollywood and Metro will start the 60-day warning period for vehicles parked in bus lanes or in front of bus stops along La Brea Avenue between Fountain Avenue and Romaine Street. Violators will receive notices via mail. 

Motorists who park in the lanes starting on September 2, 2025 will face penalties starting at $293. Metro is enforcing the rules using a front-facing camera on select buses which use AI to detect vehicles parked in bus lanes and at bus stops.

Culver City and Los Angeles are already participating in the pilot program.

Also on July 1, Metrolink will launch a new fare structure that will continue through the end of 2025.

This will include a year-round $15 weekday fare option, called SoCal Day Pass, providing unlimited rides on the day of purchase. The cost will drop to $10 on Saturdays and Sundays, and up to three children 17 and under can ride free with a fare-paying adult on weekends. Likewise, Metrolink will introduce a $5 L.A. Zone Day Pass, good for travel between the eight stations in and around Downtown Los Angeles (LA Union Station, Cal State LA, Commerce, Montebello/Commerce, Glendale, Burbank-Downtown and both stations serving the Hollywood Burbank Airport).

Chef Crystal Blanchette broke ground earlier this month on Inner City Kitchen, a new culinary club located at 6346 Crenshaw Boulevard ion Hyde Park. Slated to open in phases started in Summer 2026, the space will house a dozen small businesses, including future tenants like Sip & Sonder, Art Delectables, Fresh Finesse Flowers, and The Dawn of George.

Funding for the project came from multiple sources, including LISC Los Angeles.

Here's what we're reading this week:

Tinder co-founder buys Walk of Fame property in Hollywood "In a bet on the future value of local real estate, Mateen and his brother Tyler bought the Hollywood Galaxy shopping center and the historic Petersen Building next door." (LA Times)

Metro Responds to Issues Resulting from ICE Raids and Protests "The Metro board received an update on recent Metro service disruptions precipitated by ICE raids. The board approved a Janice Hahn motion intended to minimize service disruption." (Streetsblog LA)

Fact check: Are gas prices really going to skyrocket starting July 1? "A state gas tax increase is set to kick in just in time for the July 4th holiday. But contrary to some reports, the confirmed increases at the pump shouldn’t be more than 10 cents a gallon." (LAist)

How To Botch A CEQA Analysis "LA Metro’s draft EIR for the crucial Sepulveda Transit Corridor is thorough and careful, but it misses a key point: heavy rail is environmentally superior." (Legal Planet)

Eyes on the Street: New L.A. River Access Path "At Griffith Park Recreation Center a nearly complete new ~750-foot river access path connects to two existing footbridges, improving access to the L.A. River and its bike/walk path" (Streetsblog LA)

Historic film studio hits the market at top dollar even as filming dips "The potential sale of Occidental Studios comes amid a drop in filming in Los Angeles as the local entertainment industry faces such headwinds as rising competition from studios in other cities and countries, as well as the aftermath of filming slowdowns during the pandemic and industry strikes of 2023." (LA Times)

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