The last time Los Angeles residents were able to take a train to the beach was in 1953. But starting today, Angelenos will be able to board an Expo Line train in downtown L.A. and take it to downtown Santa Monica, just blocks from the pier.

The extension was delayed for decades over safety, environmental and funding concerns. But now Metro, the train’s operator, is hailing this and other subway extensions as a "transit renaissance" for the region. Is L.A. moving toward a less car-dependent future?

There’s one group in L.A. that’s been anticipating the Expo Line extension for years: cyclists. The route features a bike lane that runs alongside it.

“I think the bike path is going to change the city, maybe as much as the train,” Alissa Walker said. “I’ll be able to jump on this bike freeway to get from one part of the city to another, and being able to jump on the train if you get tired, that’s going to make the most difference in my commuting.”

Another excited cyclist is Meghan Sahli-Wells, the mayor of Culver City and a board member of the Expo Construction Authority. She says she takes the train and bikes to all the Expo board meetings.