Historic Broadway station
| Company type | Light rail station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Light rail transit services |
Historic Broadway station is a subterranean light rail stop served by the A and E routes within the Los Angeles Metro Rail network. Positioned at the intersection of 2nd Street and Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles' Historic Core district, it was originally designated as 2nd St/Broadway during planning stages.
This station was developed under the Regional Connector initiative—a tunnel project connecting various parts of Downtown LA—and is situated on land owned privately, with provisions for future high-rise construction above its entrance. The station's construction employed the sequential excavation method, marking Metro's inaugural use of this tunneling approach.
Connections
As of now, these transit connections are accessible:
- Antelope Valley Transit Authority: 785*
- Big Blue Bus (Santa Monica): Rapid 10*
- City of Santa Clarita Transit: 799*
- Foothill Transit: Silver Streak, *, *, *, *, *, *
- LADOT Commuter Express: *, *, *, *, *, *, *, *, *
- LADOT DASH: A, B, D
- Los Angeles Metro Bus: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Express, Express*
- Montebello Bus Lines: 90 Express*
- Torrance Transit: 4X*
Note: An asterisk (*) denotes commuter routes operating exclusively during weekday peak periods.
Notable places nearby
This station provides pedestrian access to several prominent business centers and cultural venues:
Station artwork
The Historic Broadway station displays four art installations commissioned by Metro Art.
At the station’s glass entrance pavilion, Andrea Bowers’ The People United (“El pueblo unido jamás será vencido,” Sergio Ortega and Quilapayun; “Brown Beret 13 Point Political Program,” La Causa) features revolutionary phrases such as “El pueblo unido jamás será vencido” (translated as the people united will never be divided) and “By independence we mean the right to self-determination, self-government and freedom.” These texts trace back to Chile between 1969 and 1973, supporting Salvador Allende’s presidency and becoming an anthem for the Chilean Popular Unity coalition. The second phrase originates from the Brown Berets, a Chicano civil rights organization active in East Los Angeles during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Mark Steven Greenfield’s glass mosaic Red Car Requiem, located on the mezzanine level, honors the legacy of Los Angeles’ Pacific Electric Red Cars. The artwork employs shades of red, orange, and yellow to depict stops along a historic route through rosette-like patterns inspired by punched passenger tickets from the Red Cars.
On the platform walls is a mural titled Migrations by photojournalist Clarence Williams, accompanied by a temporary lightbox piece called Performance on the Streets of LA created by Ralph Gilbert.