MAYOR GARCETTI ANNOUNCES REOPENING OF HISTORIC ANGELS FLIGHT RAILWAY
Mayor Eric Garcetti announced today that Angels Flight, the iconic Downtown Los Angeles railway, has reopened to the public after a three-year closure.
The Mayor celebrated the opening alongside Councilmember José Huizar, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Angels Flight Railway Foundation, and the private partners that helped modernize the funicular over the last six months.
“Angels Flight is so much more than a railway — it’s a bridge to our history, and a window into countless moments of joy and wonder that have helped shape L.A.’s story for more than century,” said Mayor Garcetti. “I am grateful to our partners, who had the vision and persistence to bring this treasure back to the people of our City, and I look forward to sharing it with the world for generations to come.”
The world-renowned, 116-year-old funicular takes passengers on a scenic ride between Hill and Olive Streets on Bunker Hill. It reopens after a three-year closure for a full-scale modernization with state-of-the-art safety upgrades made possible through a unique public-private partnership.
“In a City with as storied a history as Los Angeles, Angel’s Flight is a treasure that captivates us universally as Angelenos,” said Councilmember José Huizar. “It speaks to our past and a restored and safer Angels Flight points to our future as a modern, multi-modal Downtown Los Angeles. I want to thank Mayor Garcetti, the Angels Flight Railway Foundation and the ACS Group for all their effort in helping us bring this City of Los Angeles gem back to life.”
Originally opened in 1901, Angels Flight — the world’s shortest railway — has given more than 100 million rides along its hillside track. It closed temporarily in 2013, but earlier this year, the California Public Utilities Commission certified a plan to upgrade Angels Flight to meet the highest safety standards.
In March of this year, Mayor Garcetti announced an agreement with the Angels Flight Railway Foundation and ACS Group to recondition, operate, and maintain the funicular for the next 30 years.
“We are witnessing a historic moment for our City. Angels Flight Railway is back and in great hands,” said Adele Yellin, Chair of Angels Flight Railway Foundation Board. “Thank you Mayor Garcetti and your transportation director, Borja Leon for your support and perseverance. Congratulations to the ACS and SENER teams for successfully obtaining the needed approvals and completing the required improvements to ready Angels Flight Railway back into passenger service. See you on the tracks!”
“ACS, together with its contractor, Dragados USA, and its project partner Sener Engineering, is honored to be working with the Angels Flight Railway Foundation, the City of Los Angeles, and LA Metro, and is excited to be celebrating the re-opening of the historic Angels Flight,” said Nuria Haltiwanger, CEO of ACS Infrastructure Development, Inc. “This project is not just about connecting people from the top and bottom of Bunker Hill. It is about connecting Angelenos to the history of their vibrant City. This is a shining example of what a public-private partnership can help achieve and how it can bring a community together. We are thankful for the opportunity to help preserve this iconic landmark in Los Angeles, and look forward to many years of providing the community with safe and enjoyable rides on Angels Flight. ”
“It’s an honor to be part of the team that helped bring this historic, iconic railway back into operation, and wonderful that citizens of Los Angeles and the world can enjoy it once again,” said Geoffrey Yarema, a Partner at Nossaman LLP. “We are proud to have worked with the Foundation, ACS, Sener and the Mayor’s Office on restoring Angels Flight, which will become an integral part of downtown’s public transportation system. We are confident that the deal structure used for this project can serve as the template for other transit projects in the region and nationally.”
In addition to being an iconic tourist attraction, the funicular will serve as an important transit connection between the Metro station at Pershing Square and the top of Bunker Hill — an area that includes Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Broad Contemporary Art Museum, MOCA, and the Los Angeles Music Center, among other cultural institutions.
Angels Flight is open to the public 365 days a year for $1 per ride. Metro Tap Card holders will receive a 50% fare discount for the next three years.
