Even During the Oscars, the Union Station Trains Will Run on

One of the strangest issues concerning the Academy’s plan to carry this yr’s Oscars at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles isn’t that they’re placing on an awards present in a practice station, although that can be a primary. Rather, it’s that they’re planning to placed on the present in a transit middle that may stay open, with out shutting down or critically affecting the standard operation of that middle.

That’s not the best way the Oscars often work. For the previous 19 years, the ceremony has been held on the Dolby Theatre within the Hollywood & Highland Center – and on the day of the present, the Metro subway cease beneath the middle is all the time shut down. Some surrounding streets are additionally closed and blocked off for a number of days previous to the present.

But this yr, L.A. Metro doesn’t anticipate adjustments in any Union Station bus or rail schedules, with the station remaining open even through the April 25 ceremony. Although the Oscars are scheduled to make use of important parts of the celebrated Mission Moderne constructing, together with the Historic Ticketing Hall, Grand Waiting Room, north and south patios and principal entrance on Alameda St., L.A. Metro wrote on its web site this week, “Union Station will remain open to transit riders throughout the awards events and riders will be able to access all bus, rail, Metrolink, Amtrak and private transportation providers, along with vendors.”

An L.A. Metro spokesperson instructed TheWrap that some bus strains on Alameda in entrance of the station would endure detours on the day of the present, however that it was a precedence of their discussions with the Academy that the present trigger as little disruption as doable to all transit companies.

In addition, the spokesperson mentioned, L.A. Metro doesn’t anticipate closing the Hollywood & Highland subway cease this yr, regardless that parts of the Oscar present will happen on the Dolby Theatre.

The decreased footprint for this yr’s Oscars is feasible as a result of will probably be a a lot smaller occasion, with attendance restricted to nominees, their company and presenters.

Travelers who usually enter the advanced via the Union Station West constructing will be capable of as a substitute entry transportation companies via the Union Station East constructing, which occupies the other aspect of the Amtrak and Metrolink tracks. Signs each on surrounding streets and contained in the station will point out the detours that can be in impact due to the Oscars.

Some detours had already been in place just lately due to renovations to the ceiling of the Grand Waiting Room. Those renovations can be accomplished earlier than the Oscars ceremony.