"With the Green Line coming downtown, people all over San Diego can now reach the downtown area more conveniently," Metropolitan Transit System Chairman Harry Mathis told local media. "This event also marks about the half-way point in a major reinvestment of our trolley infrastructure, which will bring low-floor cars and modern stations to our entire trolley network."

MTS also will alter its operations pattern systemwide Sept. 2, in an effort to eliminate some transfers and improve travel times.

Though the San Diego Trolley debuted in 1981 as the first modern U.S. light rail transit line built in the post-World War II period, it was the third such in North America, following earlier LRT introductions in Edmonton and Calgary, both in Alberta.