L.A. County is slowly but surely moving toward a more connected, sustainable public transportation network, and the San Fernando Valley is about to get a major piece of that puzzle. The area has just secured a massive construction contract for its first-ever light rail line, bringing a long-planned transit project one step closer to reality.
A major step forward for the Valley’s new rail line
L.A. Metro has awarded a $2.43 billion construction contract to build the first phase of the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.
The contract covers everything from utility relocation and other pre-construction work to the actual tracks and stations along Van Nuys Boulevard. Early construction has already been underway, but this latest award moves the project into its major construction phase.
The broader project is estimated to cost billions and is being funded through a combination of L.A. Metro’s local Measure M and Measure R funding, state money, and federal support. That includes $1.5 billion in federal funding and $600 million from California’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program.
Once complete, the new line will provide rail access through communities including Van Nuys, Panorama City, Arleta, and Pacoima, connecting residents with important destinations along one of the Valley’s busiest corridors.
San Fernando Valley light train will feature 11 new stations
The first phase will run 6.7 miles along Van Nuys Boulevard, from the Metro G Line’s Van Nuys Station to Van Nuys Boulevard and San Fernando Road in Pacoima. The line will operate at street level in the center of the boulevard, with tracks separated from regular vehicle lanes.
Plans call for 11 center-platform stations, serving areas near destinations such as:
- Van Nuys G Line.
- Victory.
- Vanowen.
- Sherman Way.
- Van Nuys Metrolink.
- Roscoe.
- Nordhoff.
- Woodman.
- Arleta.
- Laurel Canyon.
- San Fernando.
The project will also include 33 electric light-rail vehicles and a 21-acre maintenance and storage facility.
For riders, Metro estimates trains will arrive every 7 to 10 minutes during peak hours, making the service considerably more frequent and predictable than many existing bus routes.
The first phase is currently expected to be completed in 2031. Metro is also studying a potential 2.5-mile northern extension to the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink Station, which could eventually push the rail connection farther into the Valley.
