Strategic PartnershipsTravelers between California’s Westside and the San Fernando Valley could soon see their commute time cut in half, thanks to a multibillion-dollar transportation project.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) said the proposed Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project would provide an alternative for the 400,000 people who cross the Sepulveda Pass each weekday. Of those commuters, only 2% currently ride public bus transit.
From the Van Nuys Metrolink Station, travel times could range from 18 to 33 minutes to the LA Metro E Line, 25 to 36 minutes to Century City and 32 to 50 minutes to Santa Monica. LA Metro projects ridership could reach up to 124,000 daily boardings.
The project transitioned from the planning to the environmental review stage with its 2025 release of a Draft Environmental Impact Report. A 90-day public comment period concludes on Aug. 30, after which LA Metro’s board will select a preferred alternative to advance for final design and construction.
LA Metro is currently evaluating five alternatives. The options include two automated monorail configurations and three heavy rail systems, each designed to traverse the terrain of the Santa Monica Mountains through combinations of tunnels and elevated structures. Though, LA Metro eliminated a monorail option in July 2024 following public input and independent review.
LA Metro expects revenue service to begin between 2033 and 2035.
The project is estimated to cost between $15.4 billion and $24.4 billion. LA Metro has allocated $5.7 billion from Measure M sales tax revenue, with an additional $3.8 billion designated for the second phase of LAX’s extension. The agency will also pursue federal Capital Investment
Grants and coordinate with private partners through pre-development agreements totaling more than $130 million.
Photo by Edwin Flores from Pexels
