East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project
| Company type | Transit project |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Founder | Los Angeles Metro |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Area served | San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles |
| Products | Light rail transit service |
| Owner | Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) |
| Parent | Los Angeles Metro |
The East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project—previously known as the East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor Project—is underway to establish a light rail route along the eastern segment of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, extending in a north–south direction primarily along Van Nuys Boulevard and the Antelope Valley Line corridor.
Developed by Los Angeles Metro, this initiative is a top priority within Metro's long-term strategy, with financial backing secured through Measure R and Measure M. Its schedule was expedited as part of the Twenty-eight by '28 program.
In June 2018, Metro staff recommended constructing the corridor as a surface-level rail line without tunneling, integrating it into the existing Los Angeles Metro Rail network. The Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) received approval in December 2020, permitting construction to proceed in stages.
Preliminary utility relocations commenced on December 2, 2022. The initial phase is targeted for completion by 2031.
Overview
The line’s northern terminus will be at Sylmar/San Fernando station, providing a connection to the Metrolink Antelope Valley Line. At the southern end, it will link to the G Line at the Van Nuys station. A significant intermediate stop is the current Van Nuys Metrolink and Amtrak station, facilitating transfers to the Ventura County Line, various Amtrak services, and the forthcoming Sepulveda Transit Corridor toward the Westside. Metro staff have proposed 14 stations along this corridor.
Historically, from 1911 to 1952, the north–south route between Downtown Los Angeles and San Fernando was served by the Pacific Electric San Fernando Line, which was later replaced by bus service. This corridor was also featured in the 1980 Proposition A plan. Currently, transit service includes Metro Rapid route 761 running on Van Nuys Boulevard, supplemented by several Metro Local routes. Planning efforts coordinate with other major projects such as the Sepulveda Transit Corridor rail line, conversion of the G Line from bus rapid transit to light rail, and double tracking of the Metrolink Antelope Valley Line.
The Draft Environmental Impact Report was finalized in September 2017, with final approval from the Federal Transit Administration granted in February 2021. By 2020, funding commitments included $800 million from Measure M, $200 million from the Road Repair and Accountability Act gas tax, and an additional $200 million from other state sources. In 2022, a Letter of Intent for $909 million was issued by the Federal Transit Administration, culminating in an $893 million federal grant agreement signed in September 2024. Furthermore, in January 2023, $600 million was allocated from California’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program, funded through prior budget surpluses. The projected capital cost for phase one stands at approximately $3.635 billion.
History
During the environmental review phase, six initial alternatives were evaluated:
| DEIR Alternative | Description | New trips | Estimated cost (billions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alternative 1 | No build option | N/A | N/A |
| Alternative 2 | Transportation system management approach | N/A | N/A |
| Alternative 3 | Bus rapid transit (BRT) operating curbside | 30,900 | $0.294 |
| Alternative 4 | Bus rapid transit (BRT) running in median lanes | 31,500 | $0.402 |
| Alternative 5 | Light rail transit (LRT) with low-floor vehicles operating in median lanes | 35,800 | $1.3 |
| Alternative 6 | Light rail transit (LRT) featuring high-platform stations and some underground segments within median lanes | 47,400 | $2.79 |
Route Selection: Revised Alternative 6
In June 2018, Metro staff proposed a revised Alternative 6 plan featuring high-floor light rail vehicles compatible with existing Metro Rail lines, entirely constructed at street level. This adjustment removed the expensive underground portion previously planned between Sherman Way and Roscoe stations.
Metro authorized the project with an allocation of $1.3 billion, triggering the commencement of the final Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The northern endpoint will be the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink station. From there, the light rail will proceed southeast along San Fernando Road to Van Nuys Boulevard, then continue southward on Van Nuys Boulevard to reach the Van Nuys Metrolink station. The southern terminus is designated as the Van Nuys G Line station located near Van Nuys City Hall.
| Phase | Opening Date | Station | City/Neighborhood | Connecting Services |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | TBA | Template:LAMs | Sylmar | Template:Rint Metrolink: Template:Rcb |
| Maclay | San Fernando | |||
| Paxton | Pacoima | |||
| 1 | 2031 | Van Nuys/San Fernando | ||
| Laurel Canyon | ||||
| Arleta | Arleta | |||
| Woodman | ||||
| Nordhoff | Panorama City | |||
| Roscoe | ||||
| Van Nuys/Metrolink | Van Nuys | Template:Rint Amtrak: Pacific Surfliner & Coast Starlight, Template:Rint Metrolink: Template:Rcb Potential future terminus of the Sepulveda Transit Corridor | ||
| Sherman Way | ||||
| Vanowen | ||||
| Victory | ||||
| Van Nuys/MOL | Template:LACMTA icon | |||
By 2023, Metro launched a fresh evaluation of the northern segment to enhance coordination for shared right-of-way with the expanded Antelope Valley Line, reflecting Metrolink's initiative to implement double tracking—a factor not fully integrated into earlier plans.
Construction
The construction will proceed in two stages: initially from the Van Nuys G Line station extending to San Fernando Road, with the subsequent section completed thereafter. Groundbreaking occurred in December 2022, and service commencement is projected for 2031. This phased execution facilitates effective resource allocation and secures eligibility for federal funding, aligning with Los Angeles Metro’s broader strategy for transit expansion within the San Fernando Valley.