$893MM Awarded for East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
(East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Rendering, Courtesy of LA Metro)
LOS ANGELES – The USDOT’s grant will go toward construction on the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project, which seeks to create connections with local and regional transit services.
The line will be built on Van Nuys Boulevard and will give local residents a light rail alternative. According to the LA Metro, this is the first local stop and service to return to Van Nuys Boulevard in over seven decades. The Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) is governed by the FTA’s Expedited Project Delivery Pilot Program and will take place through a multi-year agreement.
Metro is working on “constructing advanced utility adjustment work for the $3.57 billion project.” This work includes improvements to Van Nuys Blvd and will start later this year. The project spans 6.7 miles and includes 11 new light rail stations. As of reporting, the current expected opening date is 2031.
Metro Board Chair and LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn said, “This direct, rapid transit connection to our growing Metro system is going to make a huge difference in the lives of thousands of residents across our East San Fernando Valley communities, and it would not be possible without the federal support that Senator Padilla and Congressman Tony Cárdenas, among others, have worked so hard to secure. . . I am thankful for their years of hard work to secure this critical funding for Metro.”
In a news release, the FTA says “the line, phase 1 of the East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor, will improve mobility with a north-south connection between the communities of Van Nuys, Panorama City, Arleta, and Pacoima.” The public-private partnership will reportedly design a solar power system to supply around 70% of the power for the maintenance and storage facility. This power will use clean energy, which will “help lower operating costs for LA Metro, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.”
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg touched on the challenges of traffic and air quality as contributing factors in Los Angeles that the city “has been working hard to fix.” Secretary Buttigieg said the department is “proud to award $893 million to help build a new light rail line along Van Nuys Boulevard that will reduce vehicle congestion, improve air quality, and provide residents an efficient and affordable way to get to where they need to go.”
L.A. Mayor and Metro Board Member Karen Bass expressed her thanks to the “Los Angeles County Congressional Delegation for uniting behind this project and ensuring this federal grant moved forward and for the support of the Biden-Harris Administration. . . Through their dedication, the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail is taking another important step toward a reality that connects East San Fernando Valley communities to our growing transit network which means access to more opportunities, jobs and attractions across the region.”
Additionally, the project contract includes a Cultural Competency requirement. This requirement takes the diversity of the local community into consideration. The plan will include strategies to engage with the community who is impacted by the project.
Also, the 2.5-mile northern segment of this corridor is under additional study. This would extend rail service from Pacoima to the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink station. Senator Padilla said, “Growing up in Pacoima, bringing rail transit to the east side of the San Fernando Valley has been a priority of mine for decades. . . Underserved Angelenos deserve more access to a reliable, affordable transit to create opportunities for work and for a better life. This nearly $900 million federal investment that Representative Cárdenas and I pushed for will bring more customers and business to the San Fernando Valley, connect overlooked communities to the rest of Los Angeles County, and uplift hardworking families.”
As for the creation of jobs, Metro says the project’s construction and operation are expected to create more than 18,000 jobs, some of which are covered by new local hire rules under the federal infrastructure bill. Additionally, Metro will implement a Project Labor Agreement/Construction Careers Policy to ensure good paying jobs for residents who help build the project. After the line’s completion, “riders along the new rail line will be connected to 150,000 jobs.”
