The San Fernando Valley is getting closer to its first commuter rail service in more than 70 years.
Construction is set to begin this week on a 6.7-mile rail line linking Van Nuys and Pacoima. The nearly $4-billion project, which will run along Van Nuys Boulevard, will include 11 street-level stations and is projected to open in 2032, according to L.A. Metro, the Los Angeles County transit agency.
The project is years behind schedule and billions of dollars over its initial estimated budget.
Approved in 2018, construction was originally slated to start in 2021, with the line opening in 2027. The cost was projected at $1.3 billion.
Metro officials, who broke ground on the project with Metro chair and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Monday, didn’t have an immediate response to questions about why the project had been delayed so long. The Metro board approved a budget increase in May as estimated construction costs rose, according to a board report.
In a news release, the agency said funding sources for the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project included Measures R and M, two local sales tax measures for transit, and an $893-million grant from the federal government.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Adrin Nazarian, who represents the eastern San Fernando Valley, said the project was a “long-overdue … economic justice” for overlooked immigrant communities that live in the area where access to public transit is needed but limited. The area is currently served by two bus lines, which saw roughly 20,000 boardings in September, according to Metro.
“This is about equity, about inclusivity, about making sure that we’re making the investments that make it easier for people to not rely on costly forms of transportation,” Nazarian said at the groundbreaking. “It brings communities closer together. It makes life quicker because now you’re not stuck in traffic, and you can spend the time with your family.”
The area lost its last rail service in 1952 when the Pacific Electric streetcars stopped running. It has remained “one of the most heavily traveled and transit-dependent areas in our entire county,” said Metro board member and Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who represents the Valley and has been a major advocate for the project.
Community discussions about the project started in 2010, according to a Metro meeting in February. The project will eliminate some parking along Van Nuys Boulevard and construction will affect traffic in the area. Multiple small businesses that will be affected by construction have received grants from Metro to assist with the impact.
State Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez (D-San Fernando) said she and her team have regularly met with community coalitions to ensure that the impact is minimal and that small-business owners and neighborhoods are apprised of updates.
“A successful transit project is more than just getting the wheels turning. It’s about the everyday experience of the people who use the system, the families who live along the corridors, and the small businesses that keep our neighborhoods thriving,” she said Monday. “That means safe and accessible sidewalks, shaded waiting areas, reliable connections, adequate parking for residents and businesses, sufficient lighting, and clean and safe stations.”
When completed, the east San Fernando Valley line connect with local and regional transit services including Metro’s G Line and the Van Nuys Metrolink-Amtrak station. It will also one day include transfers to the Sepulveda Transit Corridor train.
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