Willow is the northern end of the interurban section of the Blue Line where it runs has a high speed, signaled railway line. Just south of the station trains curve about 45 degrees inot the median of Long Beach Blvd and resume street running (in dedicated lanes) the rest of the way to the 4 station terminus loop in downtown Long Beach. The street running tracks south of the station can't handle the 6 minute headways run during rush hours so every other blue line train terminates at Willow using a crossover and third storage track just north of the station.
The station has a single island platform with a single entrance at its southern end where the main canopy structure is (there is a tiny one at the northern end of the platform) that covers the TVMs as well. This canopy is slightly complex and has Out of Sight by Merge Conceptual Design beneath it, looking from the south one sees a willow tree (which leaving the station), from the north a web of catenary wires (entering to take the light rail). At the end of the platform this then leads down to a ramp and a pedestrian grade crossing (with gates on each side that need to be pulled open). To the east it is at the western sidewalk of Long Beach Blvd. To the west it leads to a loop at the end of American Avenue (which curves into 27 Street) along the platform and a landscaped walkway to a large parking garage where most of the stations 1799 parking spaces are (3rd most on the system, the Norwalk Green Line Station and El Monte, the end of the Silver Line busway have more).
All Photos taken on 18 March, 2010
Wardlow
