Miles SmithThe U.S. Department of Transportation is awarding an $893.3 million grant to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to support the construction of a light rail line in the East San Fernando Valley.
Phase 1 of the $3.6 billion project involves building 6.7 miles of LA Metro rail line along Van Nuys Boulevard. When complete, it will provide a north-south connection between the communities of Van Nuys, Panorama City, Arleta, and Pacoima.
The project includes 11 stations, 33 light rail vehicles, and extensive street and sidewalk improvements along the route. The new light rail line will also link to LA Metro’s bus rapid transit G Line (Orange), Amtrak, and the Metrolink Ventura County Line, the Federal Transit Administration said.
The federal support for the project, named the East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor, comes from the Federal Transit Administration’s Expedited Project Delivery (EPD) Pilot Program. The project received FTA’s first grant under the EPD program.
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A public-private partnership will design and support a solar power system to supply approximately 70% of the power for the maintenance and storage facility using clean energy, which will help lower operating costs for LA Metro, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, FTA says.
Advanced utility adjustment work is underway. Construction of utility work and minor street improvements along Van Nuys Boulevard are expected to start later this year.
Completion of the project is anticipated in 2031, the FTA says.
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