LACMTA evaluating six rail options for Sepulveda Transit Corridor

Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
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LACMTA

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) is holding a series of three community meetings to discuss six concepts for a future rail line for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor project.

The six concepts look at four types of rail including heavy rail, light rail, rubber tire and monorail. The project aims to connect the San Fernando Valley with Los Angeles International Airport and the concepts are following the path of I-405. Officials explain that the steep grade of the Sepulveda Pass are too steep for surface-level light rail or heavy rail, making rubber tire or monorail a better surface option.

The rail concepts were developed as part of an ongoing feasibility study for the project, LACMTA plans to release concepts for the Westside-to-LAX segment later this year.

Officials said at this time, the emphasis of the study will look at how a Sepulveda rail line could connect to other existing or planned transit lines, including the Orange and Expo Lines, the Purple Line Extension of the subway that is currently under construction and the future East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor line between Van Nuys and the San Fernando/Sylmar Metrolink station.

LACMTA says it will continue evaluating these concepts and hopes to conclude the project’s feasibility study in 2019. Potential station locations will also be evaluated as the study continues. Following the study’s conclusion, the concepts that are deemed best and pass public muster will continue into the project’s formal environmental analyses. Among the criteria to judge the concepts: impacts on nearby communities, cost effectiveness, compatibility with local and regional plans, potential environmental effects, ridership, travel time savings and reliability.

LACMTA held community meetings June 7, June 9 and a final one is scheduled for June 12.

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