San Fernando Valley Light Rail Secures $893M Federal Grant

Metro and the U.S. Department of Transportation have announced an $893-million grant that will enable heavy construction to begin on a long-anticipated light rail line in the San Fernando Valley.

The East San Fernando Valley line will stretch 6.7 miles along the median of Van Nuys Boulevard, connecting Van Nuys to Pacoima. It will feature 11 stations, with links to the G Line Busway, Metrolink's Ventura County Line, and Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner.

The project follows the same route as the former San Fernando Valley Line of the Pacific Electric Railway, which ceased operation in 1952. As part of the development, Metro will construct a new facility for the maintenance and storage of 33 light rail vehicles.

"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," said Metro Board Chair and LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn. "I am thankful for their years of hard work to secure this critical funding for Metro."

The federal funding, provided through the Biden administration's landmark infrastructure bill, will come via the Federal Transit Administration's Expedited Project Delivery Pilot Program. According to a USDOT press release, this is the first grant awarded under the program, which aims to accelerate the completion of fixed guideway projects, smaller transit initiatives, and upgrades to existing systems.

In addition to the federal funding, Metro has secured $600 million in state funding, supplemented by local sales tax revenue.

Major construction is expected to start before the end of 2024, with the $3.6-billion light rail line slated for completion by 2031. This timeline is delayed from Metro’s original target, which had envisioned serving passengers on Van Nuys Boulevard as early as 2028.

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