The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) has received an 893 million USD grant from the US Department of Transportation to help fund the construction of the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project.
This 6.7-mile light rail line will connect to local and regional transit services, including Metrolink, Amtrak, and Metro lines.
Built along Van Nuys Boulevard, one of the Valley’s busiest corridors, the project will serve the communities of Van Nuys, Panorama City, Arleta, and Pacoima, where many residents rely heavily on public transport.
The grant is part of a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) governed by the Federal Transit Administration’s Expedited Project Delivery Pilot Program, which aims to speed up new infrastructure projects.
“This direct, rapid transit connection to our growing Metro system is going to make a huge difference in the lives of thousands of residents across our East San Fernando Valley communities, and it would not be possible without the federal support that Senator Padilla and Congressman Tony Cárdenas, among others, have worked so hard to secure. I am thankful for their years of hard work to secure this critical funding for Metro.”
Metro is already preparing for this 3.57 billion USD project by conducting utility adjustments along Van Nuys Boulevard. Construction is expected to begin later this year, with completion and opening scheduled for 2031.
The project will include 11 new light rail stations and may extend northwards in the future to connect with the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink station.
“The San Fernando Valley deserves a major transportation investment like this, and has needed it for decades. I’m happy to say it’s finally becoming a reality. With its connections to the G and the B Lines in North Hollywood, East San Fernando Valley Light Rail will turbocharge transit usage in the San Fernando Valley and fulfill the dream of safe, efficient, sustainable transportation for everyone who calls the Valley home.”
The light rail line is expected to create more than 18,000 jobs during construction, thanks in part to the Project Labor Agreement and local hire policies under the federal infrastructure bill.
Once complete, the new rail service will connect passengers to 150,000 jobs along its route, offering residents improved access to employment, education, and healthcare.
“I want to thank the Los Angeles County Congressional Delegation for uniting behind this project and ensuring this federal grant moved forward and for the support of the Biden-Harris Administration. Through their dedication, the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail is taking another important step toward a reality that connects East San Fernando Valley communities to our growing transit network which means access to more opportunities, jobs and attractions across the region.”
With the funding in place, Metro plans to break ground on the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project in the coming months, marking the return of rail service to Van Nuys Boulevard for the first time in over 70 years.
