The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has released details about its new Sepulveda Transit Corridor project.
Shared during the first of five community meetings, the new update includes details on benefits, expected costs and the project’s potential construction schedule.
Metro has stated that if built, the operator expects to see travel times between the Van Nuys Metrolink Station and Metro Expo Line of between 18 and 33 minutes, with travel times between Van Nuys Metrolink Station, Century City and Santa Monica ranging from 25 to 36 minutes and 32 to 50 minutes, respectively.
Metro expects ridership of between 64,000 and 124,000 daily boardings across the five alternatives.
Data shows that over 400,000 passengers cross the Sepulveda Pass each weekday, with typical San Fernando Valley commuters losing an average of 59 hours per year to traffic delays from the evening drive home on the I-405 between Wilshire Boulevard and Ventura Boulevard. Currently, bus ridership across the Sepulveda Corridor sits at 2%.
The project, which is estimated to cost around 15.4 and 24.4 billion USD, aims to provide local residents and visitors a new transport alternative, as well as reduce pollution, improve air quality, traffic safety and the region’s economy.
Yearly operations and maintenance of the system is expected to cost between 130 and 157 million USD, with Metro stating that cost projections are preliminary due to the project currently sitting at 15% completion.
Metro is also due to release its Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) within the coming months, which is set to contain detailed information on the environmental impacts of the five new alternatives, with the official public comment period also due to begin with the Report’s release.
