The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) has broken ground on the 6.7-mile East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project. Being designed by AECOM, the progressive design-build project aims to expand transit access to employment hubs, schools, healthcare facilities and local businesses. L.A. Metro says the expansion comes as part of a broader plan to increase public transit and improve mobility throughout the San Fernando Valley.

“The East San Fernando Valley deserves an affordable and safe transit system that provides reliable access to jobs, healthcare, schools and local businesses—I’m proud that [L.A.] Metro’s Light Rail Transit Project will deliver just that,” said L.A. Metro Board Chair and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “Under my leadership as chair of the [L.A.] Metro Board, we’re bringing [L.A.] Metro services to our Van Nuys, Panorama City, Arleta and Pacoima neighborhoods where nearly 19% of residents rely on public transit. By creating 18,000 good-paying jobs through this project, we’re demonstrating the benefits of investing locally and building the infrastructure that Angelenos deserve.” 

The line will run along Van Nuys Boulevard through the communities of Van Nuys, Arleta, and Pacoima, Calif. Roughly 19% of households in the project corridor are fully transit-dependent, without a personal vehicle, compared to just 8% for Los Angeles County as a whole. It is the first local-stop commuter rail service to roll down Van Nuys Boulevard in more than 70 years.

The project integrates directly with regional transit networks, providing transfers to Metrolink, Amtrak and the L.A. Metro G Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line.

“This [L.A.] Metro investment is a game changer for our community,” said L.A. Metro Board Member and Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath. “Our Valley residents deserve faster, easier and safer connections between Van Nuys and San Fernando, enhancing access to jobs, healthcare and essential services throughout the Valley.”

The 11 new at-grade light-rail stations will feature modern shade structures and safety improvements and will operate at street level in the center of Van Nuys Boulevard. These stations are located approximately three-quarters of a mile apart and include: Van Nuys L.A. Metro G Line, Victory, Vanowen, Sherman Way, Van Nuys Metrolink, Roscoe, Nordhoff, Woodman, Arleta, Laurel Canyon and San Fernando.

Along with new stations, L.A. Metro notes that the project delivers major streetscape upgrades, including ADA-compliant sidewalks, safer pedestrian crossings and improved roadway design.

“This marks a historic milestone for the East San Fernando Valley and the working-class communities that have waited generations for this kind of investment,” said L.A. Metro Board Member and Los Angeles City Councilmember Imelda Padilla. “As someone who grew up in the Valley, I know how much reliable public transportation means to our families. Bringing rail back to Van Nuys Boulevard after more than 70 years is about more than connecting people to jobs, schools and essential services. It is about creating new opportunities for our residents, supporting our local businesses and making sure the communities that have called this corridor home for generations are part of its future.”

The project’s estimated cost of construction is just shy of $4 billion and is set to be funded through a variety of federal, state and local sources, including voter-approved sales tax Measure M.

L.A. Metro notes it has secured an $893 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to finalize the project’s overarching funding layout. The grant marks the first Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) executed under the Federal Transit Administration’s Expedited Project Delivery Pilot Program.

L.A. Metro says the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project serves as the core backbone of a broader multi-billion-dollar transit surge coming to the San Fernando Valley over the next 10 years.

“The San Fernando Valley is key for [L.A.] Metro in creating a connected Los Angeles County,” said L.A. Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins. “We want to improve access and mobility for the diverse communities along the route who depend on transit. The new East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project is a huge step in providing access to jobs and the economic boost from the project will benefit local residents and the economy.”