Sepulveda Transit Corridor

Last updated

LAMetroLogo.svg  Sepulveda Transit Corridor
View from Getty Center Monorail 2.jpg
Sepulveda Pass and I-405, as seen from the Getty Center Tram in 2008
Overview
StatusPlanned
Locale San Fernando Valley
Westside
Service
Type Rapid transit or Monorail
System Metro
History
Planned opening2033–2035
Route map

Contents

Alternative 1 (MRT)
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BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Metrolink icon 2022.svg
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Van Nuys/Metrolink BSicon PARKING.svg
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Sherman Way
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Maintenance facility
BSicon dCONTgq orange.svg
BSicon BHFq orange.svg
BSicon lhBHF.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon dCONTfq orange.svg
Sepulveda BSicon PARKING.svg
LACMTA Square G Line.svg
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US 101
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Getty Center
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Westwood/VA Hospital
LACMTA Circle D Line.svg ( BSicon BUS2.svg to UCLA)
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Santa Monica Boulevard
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Expo/Sepulveda BSicon PARKING.svg
LACMTA Circle E Line.svg
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Alternative 3 (MRT)
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BSicon exhSTR+l.svg
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BSicon lhKBHFeq.svg
BSicon exlINT-Lq.svg
BSicon uexSTR.svg
Van Nuys/Metrolink BSicon PARKING.svg
BSicon exhSTR.svg
BSicon uexCONTf.svg
BSicon exhBHF.svg
Sherman Way
BSicon exhDST.svg
Maintenance facility
BSicon dCONTgq orange.svg
BSicon BHFq orange.svg
BSicon lhBHF.svg
BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon dCONTfq orange.svg
Sepulveda BSicon PARKING.svg
LACMTA Square G Line.svg
BSicon exhBHFe.svg
US 101
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BSicon vRP2.svg
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Getty Center
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UCLA
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Westwood/UCLA
LACMTA Circle D Line.svg
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BSicon exSTR.svg
BSicon RP4+4yvRP2.svg
BSicon vRP2BHF.svg
BSicon exBHF.svg
Santa Monica Boulevard
BSicon CONTgq saffron.svg
BSicon eBHFq saffron.svg
BSicon vRP2BHF.svg
BSicon exCONTf.svg
BSicon CONTfq saffron.svg
Expo/Sepulveda BSicon PARKING.svg
LACMTA Circle E Line.svg
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BSicon vRP2yRP4.svg
Alternative 4 (HRT)
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BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Metrolink icon 2022.svg
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BSicon exlINT-Lq.svg
BSicon uexSTR.svg
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Van Nuys/Metrolink BSicon PARKING.svg
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Sherman Way
BSicon dCONTgq orange.svg
BSicon BHFq orange.svg
BSicon lhBHF.svg
BSicon uexSTR.svg
BSicon dCONTfq orange.svg
Sepulveda BSicon PARKING.svg
LACMTA Square G Line.svg
BSicon dRP4q.svg
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BSicon dRP4q.svg
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Ventura/Sepulveda
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UCLA
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Westwood/UCLA
LACMTA Circle D Line.svg
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Santa Monica Boulevard
BSicon dCONTgq saffron.svg
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Expo/Sepulveda BSicon PARKING.svg
LACMTA Circle E Line.svg
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Phase 2
Alternative 5 (HRT)
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Van Nuys/Metrolink
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Sherman Way
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BSicon dCONTfq orange.svg
Sepulveda BSicon PARKING.svg
LACMTA Square G Line.svg
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Ventura/Sepulveda
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UCLA
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Westwood/UCLA
LACMTA Circle D Line.svg
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Santa Monica Boulevard
BSicon dCONTgq saffron.svg
BSicon BHFq saffron.svg
BSicon uextSTR.svg
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Expo/Sepulveda BSicon PARKING.svg
LACMTA Circle E Line.svg
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Phase 2
Alternative 6 (HRT)
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Van Nuys/Metrolink BSicon PARKING.svg
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Van Nuys Metro Station BSicon PARKING.svg
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Ventura/Van Nuys
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UCLA
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Westwood/UCLA
LACMTA Circle D Line.svg
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Santa Monica Boulevard
BSicon dCONTgq saffron.svg
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Expo/Bundy BSicon PARKING.svg
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Phase 2

Wheelchair symbol.svg All stations are accessible

The Sepulveda Transit Corridor is a two-phased planned transit corridor in Los Angeles, California. Its first phase aims to connect the San Fernando Valley to the Los Angeles Basin through the Sepulveda Pass. A second phase would further extend the line southwards to connect with Los Angeles International Airport. The corridor is intended to relieve the heavily congested I-405 freeway through Sepulveda Pass and provide a fast public transit option on this North-South link. Proposed alternatives include heavy rail rapid transit (a subway) or a monorail line connecting the G Line in the Valley to the D Line and E Line on the Westside, and the K Line near Los Angeles International Airport. [1] As of December 2024, the project is in the environmental review phase of planning and construction is expected to be funded via a combination of local Measure M revenue and applications to federal grants. Pending these two requirements, the first phase is projected to open in 2033-2035.

Current traffic situation

The proposed transit line will traverse the Sepulveda Pass largely parallel to the existing I-405 freeway, which connects US 101 to its North in the San Fernando Valley with I-10 to its South in the L.A. Westside. I-405 is the busiest highway corridor in the United States, serving 379,000 vehicles per day. [2] A five-year construction project to widen the I-405 at the cost of $1.6 billion was completed in 2014, but its impact on reducing congestion remain disputed. [3]

Currently, what is essentially phase 1 of the project is being serviced by LA Metro with bus Route 761, which uses Sepulveda Boulevard to traverse the Sepulveda Pass. Its southern terminus is Expo/Sepulveda station on the E Line, and connects to the G Line at its Van Nuys station and Amtrak and Metrolink at their Van Nuys station, before terminating at Sylmar/San Fernando station. It takes about an hour to connect the E and G Lines. [4] Route 233 serves Sepulveda Pass at night. [5]

What is currently designated as phase 2 of the project is served by Culver CityBus lines 6 and Rapid 6 via Sepulveda Boulevard, with the latter only operating weekdays. The lines' northern terminus is the UCLA Gateway Plaza (Westwood/Strathmore). Both lines 6 and Rapid 6 meet the aforementioned Metro 761 in Westwood Village at the Westwood Blvd/Weyburn Ave intersection and at the 761's southern terminus, the Metro E Line's Expo/Sepulveda station. The southern terminus is the Aviation/LAX C line station. As such, the lines indirectly serve LAX, requiring a transfer to a free shuttle bus that serves the station and LAX terminals. They will be rerouted to the LAX Metro Transit center station once it is open, [6] as the station will feature bus bays and direct connections to the LAX terminals by way of the LAX Automated People Mover. [7] Rapid 6 is unique in that it has traffic intersection signal priority in the City of Los Angeles, [8] whereas most agencies do not have signal priority outside of their base city. Line 6 completes its run as scheduled in 1 hour 4 minutes with average traffic while the Rapid 6 completes its run with 15 minute headways in 54 minutes as scheduled with average traffic.

Total transit time from the Aviation/LAX C Line station to the Van Nuys G Line Station with the current bus service is about 2 hours plus transfer time. The completion of both phases of this project is estimated to reduce total transit time through the whole line to about 45 minutes.

History

Rail system map included in the official 1980 Proposition A election pamphlet, including the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Los Angeles County Proposition A rail rapid transit system map.png
Rail system map included in the official 1980 Proposition A election pamphlet, including the Sepulveda Transit Corridor

The line is a long-established goal in Los Angeles transit planning. Proposition A, which imposed a half-cent sales tax in Los Angeles County to fund a regional transit system, was passed in 1980, and a Sepulveda Pass line was in the project map that was part of the proposition's documentation.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has $10 billion in funds available for construction planned to begin in 2026. [9] The plan included in the Measure M transportation funding measure is to build improvements in three stages: additional lanes to be used for express bus service to open by 2028, an 8.8-mile (14.2 km) transit project between the G Line's Van Nuys Station and the D Line Extension’s Wilshire/Westwood Station by 2035, and a planned extension to LAX with a 2059 completion date. [10] [11] In April 2017, Metro issued a request for proposal to study alternatives, and several companies sent unsolicited proposals to accelerate the project via public-private partnerships. [12] The project's timeline could be accelerated under the Twenty-eight by '28 initiative. [13]

Initial proposed routings and modes

In June 2018, Metro released its initial six alternative rail concepts for the corridor. All of the proposals provided connections between the G Line (at Sepulveda, Van Nuys, or both) and the E Line (at Expo/Sepulveda or Expo/Bundy), as well as to the D Line Extension, currently under construction, and to the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project, currently being planned. The proposals fell into four categories:

In January 2019, Metro released a refined second set of rail concepts for the corridor, eliminating light rail and rubber-tired metro technology from consideration and narrowing it down to four concepts: [9]

In July 2019, Metro released a third refined rail concept after community input. These mainly covered the same routes but with a station added at Santa Monica Boulevard Station in reaction to public feedback. Both costs and ridership projections were higher for these proposals.

The feasibility study for both phases was completed and presented in November 2019, [15] with no significant refinement from the July 2019 presentation. The study said that additional research was needed on whether the project would need to relocate or maneuver around a nine-foot wide DWP water pipe called the "Sepulveda Feeder." [16] Additional studies were also called for on general station locations, tunnel design configuration, rider transfer patterns, and the identification of costs and cost reductions. The study also called for more information to be gathered on the impact of the Santa Monica Fault near Santa Monica Boulevard. The Metro Board then commenced the NEPA and CEQA scoping process.

Two engineering firms were chosen to prepare pre-development materials for the two potential modes. Monorail proposals were developed by BYD LA SkyRail Express, while heavy rail (HRT) work proposals were prepared by Bechtel. [17] By December 2021, six alternatives had been prepared for further consideration: three heavy rail and three monorail (one of which included a separate automated people mover to serve UCLA). [18]

Phase One: Valley–Westside

Current status

As of December 2024, Metro is in the environmental review stage of planning. This process is required by both federal legislation (NEPA) and state legislation (CEQA), and includes project development and specification of alignments, discussion with stakeholders, and analyses of environmental effects. These include potential issues such as noise, pollution, or disruption during construction and operations, as well as specifying required mitigation measures. Environmental review is followed by detailed engineering and design, then construction, and finally the start of revenue service, the latter projected in 2033-2035.

Current project alternatives

As of December 2024, LA Metro is considering five project alternatives to connect the San Fernando Valley to the Los Angeles Basin through the Sepulveda Pass, [19] all of which are developed in a partnership with private consortia: Alternatives 1 and 3 are based around a monorail system that would be built along the existing I-405 freeway for substantial parts. They are developed by LA SkyRail Express, a consortium led by British infrastructure investor John Laing plc along with other partners including Chinese EV manufacturer BYD, Swedish construction firm Skanska, and French transit operator Keolis. [20] Alternatives 4 and 5 are based around automated heavy rail and a new rail tunnel under Bel Air. They are being developed by Sepulveda Transit Corridor Partners, a consortium led by construction firm Bechtel, along with other partners including the European rail vehicle and systems firms Stadler Rail and Siemens Mobility, engineering firms Systra and T.Y. Lin, and French transit operator RATP Dev. [21] Alternative 6 is based on driver-operated heavy rail, like the B- and D-Line. As required under CEQA, a no-build alternative is also being evaluated. Alternative 2 was dropped in July 2024.

Project development

In November 2021, the CEQA notice for the project alternatives was released, with an environmental scoping period to begin in February 2022. Rail options were refined to three monorail and three heavy rail alternatives. Monorail options 1 and 2 did not include a station on the UCLA campus and proposed connecting transit options instead. The new alternatives are being considered for the Draft Environmental Impact Report [22] north to south routes from the Valley to E Line were as follows:

DEIR Alternative [9] DescriptionRidership
(daily) [23]
Alternative-1: MRT w/ Aerial I-405 alignment [24] A monorail line heading west from the Van Nuys Metrolink station then heads south on Sepulveda Boulevard. Eight total aerial station stops, similar to Metro C line stations on the center medians of a freeway. Stops include Van Nuys G Line station, US-101 freeway, the Getty Center freeway entrance, I-405 station with a bus to UCLA, a station near Westwood D Line station (with a bus to UCLA) and at Santa Monica Boulevard before terminating at the Expo/Sepulveda station E Line. A 19-minute ride.64,798
Alternative-2: MRT w/ Aerial I-405 alignment [9] Similar to Alt-1, A monorail line heading west from the Van Nuys Metrolink station then heads south on Sepulveda Boulevard. Eight total aerial station stops, similar to Metro C line stations on the center medians of a freeway. Stops include Van Nuys G Line station, US-101 freeway, and the Getty Center freeway entrance. Last three stations at Wilshire/I-405 (w/ APM to UCLA), Santa Monica Boulevard/I-405 and terminating at the Expo/Sepulveda station E Line. All along I-405. A 19-minute ride.69,985
Alternative-3: MRT w/ I-405 alignment [9] Similar to Alt-1 except with a tunnel, A monorail line heading west from the Van Nuys Metrolink station then heads south on Sepulveda Boulevard. Nine total stops, including the Van Nuys G Line station, US-101 freeway, and the Getty Center freeway entrance. A 3.3-mile underground tunnel between the Getty Center/I-405 station with a station at UCLA and at Wilshire boulevard. Returning to aerial south of Wilshire Boulevard. Last two stations at Santa Monica Boulevard/I-405 before terminating at the Expo/Sepulveda station E Line. A 19-minute ride.86,013
Alternative-4: HRT Sepulveda Blvd alignment [24] A Heavy Rail Transit line on Sepulveda Blvd., aerial in the San Fernando Valley and underground south of the Santa Monica Mountains. Eight total stations, Four aerial in the Valley and four underground in the Westside area. Includes a station on the UCLA campus. Would make direct transfer stations out of Wilshire/Westwood Station on the D Line and at Expo/Sepulveda station on the E Line. A 14-minute ride.120,546
Alternative-5: HRT Sepulveda Blvd alignment [24] A Heavy Rail Transit line on Sepulveda Blvd., same Alignment as Alt: 4, all underground except northern terminus Van Nuys Metrolink station. Seven total stations before terminating at the Expo/Sepulveda station E Line. It would be a 14-minute ride.121,624
Alternative-6: HRT All Underground Van Nuys Blvd alignment [24] A Heavy Rail Transit line down Van Nuys Blvd., Heads south from Van Nuys Metrolink station, all underground. Three stations in the Valley and four on the west side. The southern terminus would be Expo/Bundy station. Direct stations within UCLA, Wilshire/Westwood D line station. Seven total stations. It would be a 14-minute ride.107,096

In April 2021, Metro advanced five routes to the next study stage, including three routes selected as part of Metro's public-private partnership solicitation for the line. The P3 proposals came from Bechtel and BYD Company, with Bechtel submitting the same heavy rail alignment and station proposals as HRT-4, and BYD submitting two monorail proposals that differed from the original MRT-1 alternative studied by Metro. [25]

Alternative details

The following table shows all potential metro stations and the alternatives for which they apply:

Station Options [26] Alt. 1
MRT
Alt. 2
MRT
Alt. 3
MRT
Alt. 4 / 5 [a]
HRT
Alt. 6
HRT
Connecting
rail services [27]
Community
Van Nuys (Metrolink)Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak: Pacific Surfliner & Coast Starlight
Metrolink icon 2022.svg Metrolink: Metrolink icon 2022.svg Line
Future station of the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project.
Van Nuys
I-405\Sherman Way Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg--Van Nuys
Sepulveda Boulevard\Sherman Way ---Yes check.svg-Van Nuys
Sepulveda Boulevard (w/ G Line)---Yes check.svg- LACMTA Square G Line.svg G LineVan Nuys
Van Nuys (Future Metro Station)----Yes check.svg LACMTA Square G Line.svg G Line

Future southern terminus station of the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project.

Van Nuys
I-405\G LineYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg-- LACMTA Square G Line.svg G LineVan Nuys
I-405\US 101 Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg--Sherman Oaks
Ventura Boulevard/Van Nuys Boulevard ----Yes check.svgSherman Oaks
Ventura Boulevard/Sepulveda Boulevard---Yes check.svg-Sherman Oaks
Getty Center Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg--Pass Area
Westwood/VA Hospital station ----- LACMTA Circle D Line.svg D Line (by 2027). Electric Bus per MRT 1, 2, and 3.Westwood
UCLA--Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgWestwood
Westwood/UCLA --Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg LACMTA Circle D Line.svg D Line (by 2027)Westwood
I-405\Wilshire BlvdYes check.svgYes check.svg---W/ Bus or people mover to UCLA.Westwood
Santa Monica Boulevard Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgWest Los Angeles
Expo/Sepulveda ---Yes check.svg- LACMTA Circle E Line.svg E Line West Los Angeles
Expo/Bundy ----Yes check.svg LACMTA Circle E Line.svg E Line West Los Angeles
Expo/I-405 Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg--West Los Angeles
MSF Locations

Three Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) options are being proposed. [28]

Monorail Maintenance and Storage Facility above existing Metro G Line Sepulveda Station Parking Lot. MRT 1, 2, and 3.
Van Nuys at Arminta. HRT 6.
Woodman at Van Nuys Metrolink Station. HRT 4 & 5.

Pre-development

In March 2021, Metro awarded contracts to two firms to develop two alternatives to advance the project. A plan for conventional heavy rail (HRT) is being developed by Bechtel. The rival design is a monorail as planned by BYD LA SkyRail Express (LASRE). [29]

A scoping process carried out by Metro from November 2021 to February 2022 showed a majority of the public favoring heavy rail over monorail, 93% to 7% respectively. [30] Heavy rail alternatives were cited by comments as having better transfer options to other lines, faster travel times, and more familiarity with the Los Angeles Metro Rail system. [31] Results of an official public opinion survey conducted by Metro during July and August 2022 to gauge public opinions about the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project were released in December 2022. After describing details of both rail types were presented to residents, an HRT underground option stood at 71% approval, with respondents citing shorter travel time and fewer surface impacts. [32]

The project is currently in the environmental review phase involving the development of an environmental impact report (EIR) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and subsequently, an environmental impact statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Draft EIR will evaluate Project alternatives representing a range of rail transit modes, alignments, and station locations for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project. Once the draft EIR has been completed and circulated for public comment, Metro staff will recommend a locally preferred alternative (LPA) to the board of directors. After the LPA is identified, the final EIR, draft EIS, and final EIS will be prepared to complete the environmental review process. [33]

In October of 2023, Metro released ridership estimates for the six Sepulveda Line options, with the results greatly favoring the heavy rail option. Estimates showed that the heavy rail alternatives (4-6) not only had higher ridership than the monorail alternatives (1-3) by between 21,000 to 57,000 daily riders, but the heavy rail alternatives also were 8-14 minutes faster and had quicker connections to other lines in the LA Metro system, such as the D and E lines. [34] In addition, state assemblywoman Laura Friedman, chair of the California State Assembly Transportation Committee, implied her support the heavy rail alternatives, citing the monorail alternatives having their stations located in I-405 as well as the need for a station at UCLA. [35]

On July 3, 2024, Metro formally eliminated Alternative 2. This follows a request from LASRE for its elimination, along with Metro's independent review and public input in May 2024. [36]

Phase Two: Westside–LAX

Initial alternatives analysis

Early concepts for phase two from E Line to the (at the time unbuilt but now operational) K Line were released in 2019, with detailed connections to the under-construction LAX Automated People Mover. [1] Metro hopes to complete the feasibility study by 2019 and begin an environmental impact review along with phase one.[ needs update ]

There are two main modes for phase two of the corridor. Five proposed concepts begin at either Expo/Bundy station or Expo/Sepulveda station, contingent on the terminus of the first phase of the project. All routes terminate at the LAX/Metro Transit Center station, which is currently under construction as part of the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor Project. This terminus station will offer transfers to the K Line and LAX Automated People Mover. [9]

Concepts include routing south along Sepulveda Boulevard, Overland Avenue, Centinela Avenue, and I-405, with possible intermediate stops at Venice Boulevard, Culver City Transit Center, the Howard Hughes Center, and Sepulveda Boulevard at Manchester Boulevard. The Sepulveda Boulevard route option would be completed as below-grade heavy rail, while the I-405 option could be completed as either a combination of elevated and below-grade heavy rail or a combination of elevated and below-grade monorail. [37]

Metro's July 2019 updated concepts for Phase 2 added a stop along Santa Monica Boulevard per public popular demand. They added the fifth concept, extending the east/west Purple Line Extension terminus south towards LAX, creating a one-seat HRT trip from LAX to Downtown Los Angeles along Centinela Avenue. [22]

All north-to-south routes from the E Line to LAX are:

DEIR Alternative [9] DescriptionRidership
(daily)
Alternative 1: HRT or MRT I-405 route [24] A heavy rail transit (HRT) line heading south from the Expo/Sepulveda station on the I-405 median with an aerial stop at Venice Blvd/I-405. Leaves the aerial route and continues underground with stations on Centinela/Sepulveda and Manchester/Sepulveda near LAX. The southern terminus station is at LAX/Metro Transit Center station. [28] A 38-minute ride.MRT: 173,000 HRT: 228,000 [28]
Alternative 2: Centinela route [24] A heavy rail transit (HRT) line heading south underground from either Expo/Bundy station or Expo/Sepulveda station with stops at Venice/Centinela, Culver/Centinela, Jefferson/Centinela, and Manchester/Sepulveda with its southern terminus station at LAX/Metro Transit Center station. [28] A 31-minute ride.229,000 [28]
Alternative 3: HRT Sepulveda route [24] A heavy rail transit (HRT) line heading south underground from the Expo/Sepulveda station along Sepulveda Boulevard with stops at Venice/Sepulveda, Jefferson/Sepulveda and Manchester/Sepulveda near LAX. The southern terminus station is at LAX/Metro Transit Center station. [28] A 30-minute ride.236,000 [28]
Alternative 4: HRT Overland Avenue route [24] A heavy rail transit (HRT) line heading south underground from the Expo/Sepulveda station to Overland Avenue. Stations located on Overland/Venice Blvd. and Overland/Jefferson Blvd, Jefferson/Sepulveda, and Manchester/Sepulveda near LAX. The southern terminus station is at LAX/Metro Transit Center station. [28] A 31-minute ride.233,000 [28]
Alternative 5: D Line Extension routes [24] A heavy rail transit (HRT) extension south of the under-construction D Line extension terminus station of Westwood/VA Hospital station or Westwood/UCLA station, a stop on Santa Monica Boulevard and then follow the Centinela Ave route alternative (alt 2) as underground HRT. The southern terminus station is at LAX/Metro Transit Center station. [28] A 31-minute ride.275,000 [28]

Alternative details

The following table shows all potential metro stations and the alternatives for which they apply:

Station Options [1] Alt 1Alt 2Alt 3Alt 4Alt 5Connecting
rail services [38]
Community
Westwood/UCLA or Westwood/VA Hospital (Under Construction as HRT)----Yes check.svgLACMTA Circle D Line.svg  D Line (NET 2027)Westwood
Expo/Bundy or Expo/Sepulveda (Already Built as LRT)Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgLACMTA Circle E Line.svg  E Line West Los Angeles
Venice Boulevard/I-405 Yes check.svg----Mar Vista/Westdale
Venice Boulevard/Overland Avenue-Yes check.svg--Yes check.svgMar Vista
Venice Boulevard/Sepulveda Boulevard --Yes check.svg--Mar Vista/Westdale
Venice Boulevard/Overland Avenue---Yes check.svg-Washington Culver
Jefferson Boulevard/Overland Avenue---Yes check.svg-Studio Village
Culver Boulevard-Yes check.svg--Yes check.svgDel Rey/Culver West
Slauson Avenue/Sepulveda Boulevard--Yes check.svgYes check.svg-Fox Hills
Jefferson Boulevard/Centinela Avenue-Yes check.svg--Yes check.svgPlaya Vista
Howard Hughes Center Yes check.svg----Westchester/Fox Hills
Manchester Avenue/Sepulveda BoulevardYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgWestchester
LAX/Metro Transit Center (Under Construction as LRT)Yes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svgYes check.svg LAX Automated People Mover (2025)
LACMTA Circle K Line.svg  K Line (2024)
Westchester

Alternative 5's concept for the Westside-LAX phase of the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project would extend the Purple Line subway south down Centinela Ave along the same route as the other proposed Centinela Ave concepts (Alt 2). This concept would provide a one-seat ride from the LAX Automated People Mover to Downtown Los Angeles but would require passengers from the San Fernando Valley to transfer at Westwood/UCLA station to travel further south. [37]

The second phase of the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project is not due to break ground until 2048.

Advocacy

Transit advocates have proposed combining the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project and the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project into a single study to connect Sylmar, Van Nuys, the G Line, Sherman Oaks, UCLA, and the future Westwood/UCLA D Line station. Metro studies declined the LRT merge option and stated HRT would provide faster times and more occupancy on trains. Future extension phases south to the E Line, LAX, South Bay, or beyond are also being advocated and proposed. [39] Metro proposed a Centinela Avenue route to LAX or thru Sepulveda Boulevard. No studies have been allocated funds.

Phase 1 of the project is part of Metro's Twenty-eight by '28 initiative, which aims to complete its list of expansions in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics. [1] Metro is looking into a public/private partnership to accelerate the opening.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority</span> Public transport agency in Los Angeles County, California, United States

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), branded as Metro, is the county agency that plans, operates, and coordinates funding for most of the public transportation system in Los Angeles County, California, the most populated county in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transportation in Los Angeles</span> Complex multimodal regional, national and international hub for passenger and freight traffic

Los Angeles has a complex multimodal transportation infrastructure, which serves as a regional, national and international hub for passenger and freight traffic. The system includes the United States' largest port complex; an extensive freight and passenger rail infrastructure, including light rail lines and rapid transit lines; numerous airports and bus lines; vehicle for hire companies; and an extensive freeway and road system. People in Los Angeles rely on cars as the dominant mode of transportation, but since 1990 the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has built over one hundred miles (160 km) of light and heavy rail serving more and more parts of Los Angeles and the greater area of Los Angeles County; Los Angeles was the last major city in the United States to get a permanent rail system installed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sepulveda Pass</span> Mountain pass in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Sepulveda Pass is a low mountain pass through the Santa Monica Mountains in Los Angeles. It is named after the Sepúlveda family of California, a prominent Californio family that owned the land where the pass lies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles Metro Rail</span> Urban rail transit system serving Los Angeles County, California

The Los Angeles Metro Rail is an urban rail transit system serving Los Angeles County, California, United States, consisting of six lines: four light rail lines and two rapid transit lines, serving a total of 102 stations. The system connects with the Metro Busway bus rapid transit system, the Metrolink commuter rail system, as well as several Amtrak lines. Metro Rail is owned and operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sepulveda Boulevard</span> Street in Los Angeles, California

Sepulveda Boulevard is a major street and transportation corridor in the City of Los Angeles and several other cities in western Los Angeles County, California. The street parallels Interstate 405 for much of its route. Portions of Sepulveda Boulevard between Manhattan Beach and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) are designated as part of State Route 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sepulveda station</span> Los Angeles Metro Busway station

Sepulveda station is a station on the G Line of the Los Angeles Metro Busway system. It is named after nearby Sepulveda Boulevard, which travels north-south and crosses the east-west busway route. Unique among G Line stations, Sepulveda's platforms are not located at the cross street, but rather about a block west of it. The station is in the Van Nuys neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles, in the central San Fernando Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van Nuys station (Los Angeles Metro)</span> Bus rapid transit station in Los Angeles, California

Van Nuys station is a station on the G Line of the Los Angeles Metro Busway system. It is named after adjacent Van Nuys Boulevard, which travels north-south and crosses the east-west busway route and is located in the Van Nuys district of Los Angeles, in the San Fernando Valley. Adjacent to the station is the G Line Bikeway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K Line (Los Angeles Metro)</span> Light rail line in Los Angeles County, California

The K Line is a light rail line in Los Angeles County, California. It is one of six lines in the Los Angeles Metro Rail system operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), and is the newest named line in the system, having opened on October 7, 2022. The line currently consists of two separate noncontiguous segments. The 5.9-mile (9.5 km) northern segment runs north–south between the Jefferson Park and Westchester neighborhoods of Los Angeles, passing through various South Los Angeles neighborhoods and the city of Inglewood. The southern segment runs north–south between the Westchester neighborhood of Los Angeles and the city of Redondo Beach.

Measure R was a ballot measure during the November 2008 elections in Los Angeles County, California, that proposed a half-cent sales taxes increase on each dollar of taxable sales for thirty years in order to pay for transportation projects and improvements. The measure was approved by voters with 67.22% of the vote, just over the two-thirds majority required by the state of California to raise local taxes. The project was touted as a way to "improve the environment by getting more Angelenos out of their cars and into the region's growing subway, light rail, and bus services." It will result in the construction or expansion of a dozen rail lines in the county.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D Line Extension</span> Rapid transit construction project in Los Angeles, California

The D Line Subway Extension Project is a construction project in Los Angeles County, California, extending the rapid transit D Line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system from its current terminus at Wilshire/Western in Koreatown, Los Angeles, to the Westside region. The project is being supervised by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). The subway has been given high priority by Metro in its long-range plans, and funding for the project was included in two county sales tax measures, Measure R and Measure M.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) operates six rail lines as part of its Metro Rail system. This system includes four light rail lines and two rapid transit lines. The agency owns, operates, and maintains a fleet of 439 rail vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LAX/Metro Transit Center station</span> Future light rail transport hub in Los Angeles, California

LAX/Metro Transit Center station is an under construction light rail transport hub in the Los Angeles Metro Rail system, located near Aviation Boulevard and 96th Street in the Westchester district of Los Angeles. The station was designed as a station for the C and K lines. It will serve as the transfer point between Metro Rail and the LAX Automated People Mover (APM) serving the Los Angeles International Airport terminals and facilities. Additionally, the station will have connections to Metro Bus, other municipal bus lines, a customer service center, and a Metro Bike Share hub. Metro is scheduled to start serving the station sometime in 2025, although the APM connection is not scheduled to open until early 2026.

The East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project is a transit project constructing a light rail line on the east side of Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley, running on a north–south route along Van Nuys Boulevard and San Fernando Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastside Transit Corridor</span> Future light rail line extension in Los Angeles County, California

The Eastside Transit Corridor is a light rail line extension that currently connects Downtown Los Angeles with East Los Angeles. However, the extension is planned to extend further southeast to connect with the Gateway Cities, continuing from a relocated Atlantic station southeast to a new Lambert station in Whittier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K Line Northern Extension</span> Planned light rail extension project in Los Angeles, California

The K Line Northern Extension, formerly known as the Crenshaw Northern Extension, is a project planning a Los Angeles Metro Rail light rail transit corridor extension connecting Expo/Crenshaw station to Hollywood/Highland station in Hollywood. The corridor is a fully underground, north-south route along mostly densely populated areas on the western side of the Los Angeles Basin; it would be operated as part of the K Line. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is prioritizing the project along with pressure from the West Hollywood residents. Construction is slated to start in 2041 and begin service by 2047 unless means to accelerate the project are found.

The history of the Los Angeles Metro Rail and Busway system begins in the early 1970s, when the traffic-choked region began planning a rapid transit system. The first dedicated busway opened along I-10 in 1973, and the region's first light rail line, the Blue Line opened in 1990. Today the system includes over 160 miles (260 km) of heavy rail, light rail, and bus rapid transit lines, with multiple new lines under construction as of 2019.

The North Hollywood to Pasadena Transit Corridor is a proposed 18-mile (29 km) bus rapid transit line in the Los Angeles Metro Busway system in Los Angeles, California. It is planned to operate between Pasadena and the North Hollywood station in the San Fernando Valley, where it will connect with the B Line in the Los Angeles Metro Rail system and the G Line in the Los Angeles Metro Busway system. The project completed its scoping phase in 2019, was approved by the Metro board on April 28, 2022 and is estimated to be completed by 2027. It is part of Metro's Twenty-eight by '28 initiative.

The Vermont Transit Corridor is a proposed 12.5-mile (20.1 km) bus rapid transit line in the Metro Busway network in Los Angeles, California with plans to convert it to rapid transit in the future. It is planned to operate on a north-to-south route on Vermont Avenue between the B Line's Vermont/Sunset station and the C Line's Vermont/Athens station on the Los Angeles Metro Rail system. The project feasibility study was released in February 2019 with a proposed completion date of 2028 for BRT and after 2067 for rail. It is part of Metro's Twenty-eight by '28 initiative and is partially funded by Measure M. The route will have signal priority at traffic lights and will have a dedicated right of way. Metro reports the initial cost is $425 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westwood/VA Hospital station</span> Future rapid transit station in Los Angeles, California

Westwood/VA Hospital station is an under construction, underground rapid transit station on the D Line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system. The station will be located underground between Bonsall Avenue and the I-405 freeway, south of Wilshire Boulevard. The main station entrance will be located south of Wilshire Boulevard, next to Bonsall Avenue, directly serving the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. Another entrance will be located north of Wilshire Boulevard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sherman Way</span> Arterial road in Los Angeless San Fernando Valley

Sherman Way is a major east–west arterial road that runs for 16 miles (26 km) across the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles and Burbank, California.

References

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Notes

  1. Alternatives 4 and 5 only differ in how they treat the Sherman Way, G Line, and Ventura Boulevard stations. Alternative 4 has them as elevated stations, while Alternative 5 lists them as underground.