$1 Billion Southern California Commuter Rail Line Opens

DUARTE, Calif. (AP) - A $1 billion extension to Los Angeles County's mass transit system is open for business.

The 11.5-mile Metro Gold Line extension opened Saturday. It's the first new stretch of Metro passenger rail line in about four years.

The Gold Line will now run 31 miles from downtown L.A. to Pasadena and east through the San Gabriel Valley.

It will end in Azusa, with six stops that include City of Hope hospital in Duarte, Azusa Pacific University, Citrus College and the Santa Anita racetrack.

The entire trip will take under an hour.

Officials expect the line will draw thousands of people who now must use jammed freeways to reach downtown L.A.

Money for the project came from a half-cent sales tax hike approved by voters in 2008.