L.A. Metro Board could be ready to officially advance light rail project

Koppers will pick up and dispose crossties for a new Class 1 operator.

The San Fernando Valley could be in for a pretty good haul as far as light rail projects go.

The L.A. Metro Board of Directors will vote on preliminary design and management services for the proposed 9.2-mile East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Line on Aug. 25. Also up for consideration is a seven-year contract with Arcadis Mott MacDonald for construction management support services to oversee the construction of the East Valley light rail line. That contract alone is estimated to cost around $66 million.

The planned line will move north from the Van Nuys Metro G Line station to the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink Station and will include a total of 14 at-grade stations. The first section of the line will have trains operating down the center of Van Nuys Boulevard. The second segment moves northwest another 2.5 miles along the Metrolink rail line.

San Fernando Valley officials said they had to push to get the East Valley light rail line project included in Measure M, which is a one-half cent sales tax for transportation capital projects passed by voters in Los Angeles County back in 2016.

The project could cost as much as $3.6 billion, with some money coming from Measure M, some from Measure R, and additional funding coming from state and federal grants. However, there is a funding gap that has yet to be disclosed. Construction could begin later this year.  

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