The East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor: Rendered

Though its June 2018 opening date looms on the distant horizon, few details regarding the East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor (ESFVTC) are set in stone.  The project, partially funded through $170 million in Measure R revenue, will improve public transportation along a nine-mile swath between the Orange Line busway and Sylmar.  The proposed transit line would serve an area which is home to over 460,000 people--a larger total than either the cities of Atlanta and Miami.  Approximately 35% of residents within this region are deemed transit dependent, a fact which is exemplified by the high level of bus ridership along Van Nuys Boulevard.

Metro is currently compiling a draft environmental impact report for the project, which will study six different options for the ESFVTC.  These alternatives include: 1) no-build, 2) transportation systems management, 3) curb-running bus rapid transit, 4) median-running bus rapid transit, 5) low-floor light rail transit/tram, and 6) median-running light rail transit.  Although the eventual mode of transportation remains undetermined, a series of artistic renderings portray the hypothetical changes which could be wrought through the project.

More Upgrades for 7th Street/Metro Center Station

Over the past year, Metro Rail's increased passenger load has coincided with a slew of ugrades to the Financial District's 7th Street/Metro Center Station.  The latest in the ongoing series of improvements is the addition of next-train monitors on the station's upper platform.  Utilizing a large, ADA-compliant font size, these monitors display countdown timers for trains on Metro's Blue and Expo light rail lines.  These relatively simple upgrades can go a long way, given the hectic (and claustrophobic) rush hour environment within the station.  7th Street/Metro Center is set to become even more crowded over the next several years, with a variety of new projects getting underway both above and below ground.  The Ratkovich Group is gearing up for construction on it's $160 million remodel of Macy's Plaza, which will create a new subway portal on the southern side of 7th Street.  One block west, the 73-story Wilshire Grand Center will add 400,000 square feet of office space and 900 hotel rooms by 2017.  Most importantly, the Regional Connector will eventually create a new 1.9 mile subway tunnel in-between the Financial District and Little Tokyo.

Repeal of Orange Line Rail Ban Clears State Assembly

Last summer, LA City Councilman Tom LaBonge began pushing for the repeal of SB 211, a law passed in 1991 which bans the construction of light rail on what is now Metro's Orange Line busway.  While a light rail conversion has become a popular cause amongst San Fernando Valley transit users, the reality is that the LA City Council has no power to overturn state law.  However, it appears that Sherman Oaks Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian has successfully taken the fight to Sacramento.  In late January, the State Assembly gave unanimous support to a bill sponsored by Nazarian which would repeal the ban on above-ground rail in-between North Hollywood Station and Hazeltine Avenue.  The bill, designated AB 577, has since moved on to the State Senate for consideration.  While this is another step towards correcting the Valley's 20 year old mistake, it's important to remember that Assemblyman Nazarian's bill is no silver bullet.  Even if AB 577 becomes law, you won't wake up to trains running down the middle of Chandler Boulevard the next morning.  A light rail conversion is possible, but there are no funds currently set aside for such a project.  There's also the question of what happens to the 30,000 people who ride the Orange Line every day during this hypothetical conversion.  Still, this could be something to consider for the 2016 Measure R++ wish list.

• City Councilman Wants to Make Light Rail on the Orange Line Possible (Building Los Angeles)
• Assembly Vote on AB 577 (Open States)

City Councilman Wants to Make Light Rail on the Orange Line Possible

Passengers on Metro's Orange Line buses are undoubtedly familiar with their claustrophobia inducing conditions.  While fighting for scarce leg and elbow room, many have asked "why the hell isn't this thing a train?"  Fear not, San Fernando Valley denizens: Tom LaBonge understands your plight.  The 4th District Councilman introduced a motion over the summer that would put the City of Los Angeles on the record as supporting the repeal of SB 211, the legislation passed by the State Senate in 1991 which prohibits light rail on the Orange Line's right-of-way.

This action from Councilman LaBonge comes at a time when access to rail transit has revived formerly downtrodden neighborhoods such as Hollywood and Downtown.  In the midst of Los Angeles' renewed love affair with urban rail, the San Fernando Valley has been left out of the action.  It is a sad state of affairs which has occurred due to a series of shortsighted decisions made by Los Angeles' political leadership and electorate in previous decades.  Here is a partial history, as described in Metro's Transportation Library:

The California Legislature passed a law in 1991 introduced by Alan Robbins which prohibited the use of the corridor for any form of rail transit other than a "deep bore subway located at least 25 feet below ground."  Later, Los Angeles County passed Proposition A in 1998, promoted by supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, which prohibited Metro from using its county sales tax funding to build subways anywhere in the county.

With subway and light rail now off the table, the only option left [for Metro] to develop the transit corridor was to build a busway.

Years later, the San Fernando Valley continues to pay the price for these poor decisions.  However, with the arrival of a new generation of Angelenos that understands the benefits of public transportation, sufficient political will finally exists to correct these mistakes.  The era when the mayor would "throw himself in front of buses," to block construction of the Orange Line is long gone.  Now, we have politicians and residents alike clamoring for light rail along the Van Nuys corridor.

While the motion from Tom LaBonge will not immediately correct the problem, it is an important step which would put the political will of Los Angeles behind the push for light rail along the Chandler right-of-way.  Councilman LaBonge's motion is scheduled for discussion within the City Council's Rules, Elections and Intergovernmental Relations Committee this Friday.

• Motion from Councilman Tom LaBonge (LA City Clerk)
• Metro Orange Line (Metro Transportation Library)
• Metro Staff Report Refines Alternatives for ESFV Transit Corridor (The Source)

And Onward to Santa Monica...

Construction on the Expo Line's bridge over Venice Blvd.  In a few short years, this bridge help carry thousands of passengers every day between Downtown Santa Monica and Downtown Los Angeles.

Metro's New Format for Next Train Monitors

In order to meet Federal ADA standards, Metro has started the process of implementing larger fonts into their next train monitors.  The new format is much easier to read for those with vision impairments, and feature a countdown as opposed to listing the time for the next scheduled train.

Seen on the Gold Line's Mariachi Plaza Station.