Sepulveda Transit Corridor

The proposed transit line will traverse the Sepulveda Pass largely parallel to the existing I-405 freeway, which connects US 101 to its north in the San Fernando Valley with I-10 to its south in the L.A. Westside. I-405 is the busiest highway corridor in the United States, serving 379,000 vehicles per day. A five-year construction project to widen the I-405 at the cost of $1.6 billion was completed in 2014, but its impact on reducing congestion remains disputed. Currently, what is essentially Phase 1 of the project is being serviced by LA Metro with Metro Rapid Line 761, which uses Sepulveda Boulevard to traverse the Sepulveda Pass. Its southern terminus is Expo/Sepulveda station on the E Line. It connects to the G Line at its Van Nuys station and Amtrak and Metrolink at their Van Nuys station, before terminating at the Sylmar/San Fernando station. It takes about an hour to connect the E and G Lines. Route 233 serves the Sepulveda Pass at night. the station features bus bays and direct connections to the LAX terminals by way of SkyLink. Rapid 6 is unique in that it has traffic intersection signal priority in the City of Los Angeles, whereas most agencies do not have signal priority outside of their base city. Line 6 completes its run as scheduled in 1 hour 4 minutes with average traffic while the Rapid 6 completes its run with 15 minute headways in 54 minutes as scheduled with average traffic. Total transit time from the Aviation/Imperial C Line station to the Van Nuys G Line station with the current bus service is about 2 hours plus transfer time. The completion of both phases of this project is estimated to reduce total transit time to about 45 minutes. == History ==

The line is a long-established goal in Los Angeles transit planning. Proposition A, which imposed a half-cent sales tax in Los Angeles County to fund a regional transit system, was passed in 1980, and a Sepulveda Pass line was in the project map that was part of the proposition's documentation. Los Angeles Metro has $10 billion in funds available for construction planned to begin in 2026. The plan included in the Measure M transportation funding measure is to build improvements in three stages: additional lanes to be used for express bus service to open by 2028, an transit project between the G Line's Van Nuys Station and the D Line Extension’s Wilshire/Westwood Station by 2035, and a planned extension to LAX with a 2059 completion date. In April 2017, Metro issued a request for proposal to study alternatives, and several companies sent unsolicited proposals to accelerate the project via public-private partnerships. The project's timeline could be accelerated under the Twenty-eight by '28 initiative. Initial proposed routings and modes In June 2018, Metro released its initial six alternative rail concepts for the corridor. All of the proposals provided connections between the G Line (at , , or both) and the E Line (at or ), as well as to the D Line Extension, currently under construction, and to the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project, currently being planned. The proposals fell into four categories: • A standalone heavy rail (HRT) line, primarily underground but possibly with some elevated sections in the Valley. • A continuation of the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project, primarily underground but with a possible elevated spur to Sepulveda station. • A monorail or rubber-tired metro line, underground on the Westside, elevated in the Valley, and running at grade or elevated along the 405. • A further extension of the heavy rail D Line, with a wye that would allow direct connections between the Valley and the E Line as well as from both to downtown. This option would be mostly underground but could include elevated sections in the Valley. In January 2019, Metro released a refined second set of rail concepts for the corridor, eliminating light rail and rubber-tired metro technology from consideration and narrowing it down to four concepts: with no significant refinement from the July 2019 presentation. The study said that additional research was needed on whether the project would need to relocate or maneuver around a nine-foot wide DWP water pipe called the "Sepulveda Feeder." Additional studies were also called for on general station locations, tunnel design configuration, rider transfer patterns, and the identification of costs and cost reductions. The study also called for more information to be gathered on the impact of the Santa Monica Fault near Santa Monica Boulevard. The Metro Board then commenced the NEPA and CEQA scoping process. Two consortia were chosen to prepare pre-development materials for the two potential modes. Initially, monorail proposals were being developed by BYD LA SkyRail Express, while heavy rail (HRT) work proposals were being developed by Bechtel. By December 2021, six alternatives had been prepared for further consideration: three heavy rail options and three monorail options (one of which included a separate automated people mover to serve UCLA). Ultimately, the Metro Board approved one of the HRT proposals in January 2026. == Phase 1: Valley–Westside ==

Status overview , Metro is in the environmental review stage of planning for the first phase, to traverse Sepulveda Pass. This involves the development of an environmental impact report (EIR) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and subsequently, an environmental impact statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The draft EIR was completed and circulated for a 90 day public comment period from June–August 2025. Next, metro staff recommended a modified alternative 5 as the locally preferred alternative (LPA) to the board of directors. After the LPA was identified, the final EIR, draft EIS, and final EIS will be prepared to complete the environmental review process. Environmental review is followed by detailed engineering and design, and then construction. Revenue service is projected to start in 2033–2035 if environmental review and funding proceed according to plan. Project alternatives As of October 2025, LA Metro considered five project alternatives to connect the San Fernando Valley to the Los Angeles Basin through the Sepulveda Pass, all of which are developed in a partnership with private consortia: Alternatives 1 and 3 were based around a monorail system that would be built along the existing I-405 freeway for substantial parts. They are developed by LA SkyRail Express (LASRE). Alternatives 4 and 5 were based around automated heavy rail and a new rail tunnel under Bel Air. They are being developed by Sepulveda Transit Corridor Partners (STCP). Alternative 6 was based on driver-operated heavy rail, as implemented on the B- and D-Line. As required under CEQA, a no-build alternative was also evaluated. Alternative 2 was dropped in July 2024. File:Sepulveda Pass Corridor Project Alternative 1.png | Alternative 1: Aerial Monorail File:Sepulveda Pass Corridor Project Alternative 2.png | Alternative 2 (eliminated): Aerial Monorail File:Sepulveda Pass Corridor Project Alternative 3.png | Alternative 3: Aerial Monorail with partial tunneling File:Sepulveda Pass Corridor Project Alternative 4.png | Alternative 4: Automated heavy rail, partially aerial in Van Nuys File:Sepulveda Pass Corridor Project Alternative 5.png | Alternative 5: Automated heavy rail, fully tunneled until Van Nuys File:Sepulveda Pass Corridor Project Alternative 6.png | Alternative 6: Driver-operated heavy rail Project development history In March 2021, Los Angeles Metro awarded contracts to two consortia to develop alternatives to separately advance the project via different modes. Plans for an automated heavy rail are being developed by Sepulveda Corridor Transit Partners (SCTP), a consortium led by construction firm Bechtel, along with other partners including the European rail vehicle and systems firms Stadler Rail and Siemens Mobility, engineering firms Systra and T.Y. Lin, and French transit operator RATP Dev. The rival design approach is a monorail as planned by LA SkyRail Express (LASRE), a consortium led by British infrastructure investor John Laing plc along with other partners including Chinese EV manufacturer BYD, Swedish construction firm Skanska, and French transit operator Keolis. In April 2021, Metro advanced the five routes to the next study stage, including three routes selected as part of Metro's public-private partnership solicitation for the line. The P3 proposals came from Bechtel and BYD Company, with Bechtel submitting the same heavy rail alignment and station proposals as HRT-4, and BYD submitting two monorail proposals that differed from the original MRT-1 alternative studied by Metro. In November 2021, the CEQA notice for the project alternatives were released, with an environmental scoping period in February 2022. Rail options were refined to three monorail and three heavy rail alternatives. Monorail options 1 and 2 did not include a station on the UCLA campus and proposed connecting transit options instead. The alternatives considered for the Draft Environmental Impact Report north to south routes from the Valley to E Line are in the following table: In October 2023, Metro released ridership estimates for the six Sepulveda Line options, with the results greatly favoring the heavy rail option. Estimates showed that the heavy rail alternatives (4–6) not only had higher ridership than the monorail alternatives (1–3) by between 21,000 and 57,000 daily riders, but the heavy rail alternatives also were 8–14 minutes faster and had quicker connections to other lines in the LA Metro system, such as the D and E lines. On July 3, 2024, Metro formally eliminated Alternative 2. This follows a request from LASRE for its elimination, along with Metro's independent review and public input in May 2024. In May 2025, Metro released preliminary cost estimates for each route in advance of releasing the draft environmental impact report (DEIR). Alternative 1 (monorail, aerial) budget was placed at $15.4 billion, Alternative 3 (monorail, partially tunneled) at $20.8 billion, Alternative 4 (tunneled HRT, partially aerial) at $20 billion, Alternative 5 (fully tunneled HRT) at $24.2 and Alternative 6 (driver-operated, tunneled) at $24.4 billion. All proposed budgets include the FTA's 40% cost contingencies mandate. Metro released the draft environmental impact report on June 3, 2025. Alternative details The following table shows all potential metro stations and the alternatives for which they applied: Maintenance and storage facility locations Three maintenance and storage facility (MSF) options were proposed. • Monorail Maintenance and Storage Facility above existing Metro G Line Sepulveda Station Parking Lot. MRT 1, 2, and 3. • Van Nuys at Arminta. HRT 6. • Woodman at Van Nuys Metrolink Station. HRT 4 & 5. Route selection: Modified Alternative 5 In early January 2026, Metro staff recommended a modified version of Alternative 5 for the locally preferred alternative (LPA) to the Metro board of directors. The modified alternative would instead follow the alignment of Alternative 6 in the San Fernando Valley, utilize a different, yet to be determined location for the maintenance and storage facility (MSF), and will be constructed in phases; the section between the G and D lines will be opened first as an initial operating segment (IOS) while the remainder of the line will be constructed as additional funding is obtained. Metro's Planning and Programming Committee unanimously approved Modified Alternative 5 as the LPA at its meeting on January 14, 2026, with final approval being unanimously given by the full board at its January 22, 2026 board meeting. Controversy and public opinion The planned project sparked a vigorous debate that centered on the two different proposed modes: the aerial monorail following I-405 or heavy rail in a subway tunnel under Bel Air. Supporters of the heavy rail option included UCLA, which would be served with direct station access on campus under all heavy rail options. A scoping process carried out by Metro from November 2021 to February 2022 showed a majority of the public favoring heavy rail over monorail: 93% to 7%, respectively. Heavy rail alternatives were cited by comments as having better transfer options to other lines, faster travel times, and more familiarity with the Los Angeles Metro Rail system. Metro conducted a public survey during July and August 2022 to gauge public opinions about the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project; after details of both rail types were presented to residents, a heavy rail underground option stood at 71% approval, with respondents citing shorter travel time and fewer surface impacts. State assemblywoman Laura Friedman, chair of the California State Assembly Transportation Committee, implied her support for the heavy rail alternatives, citing the monorail alternatives having their stations located in I-405 as well as the need for a station at UCLA. The heavy rail option is summarily opposed by a group of homeowners in the affluent Bel Air neighborhood, under which the subway tunnel would be built. An organized effort against this option is primarily led by Fred Rosen, the former CEO of Ticketmaster and leader of opposition group Keep Bel Air Beautiful'. Jamie Meyer, president of the Bel Air Association, called the proposal a "mind boggling expensive and potentially dangerous subway under our community". Local congressman Brad Sherman, who was seen as pivotal in the debate due to his position for lobbing for federal funding, sent a letter to Metro with the local homeowners' concerns, though he declined to take a side until the environmental review was completed. Main concerns brought forth by the heavy rail opponents were worries about noise and traffic disruptions during construction, as well as vibrations during operation. Metro dismisses all these claims. Further points included fiscal sustainability in light of the high upfront costs and Metro's record of cost overruns. The opponent group has threatened to litigate their claims. Supporters argued that litigation is unlikely to succeed, but may contribute to increasing costs and lead to delays. ==Phase 2: Westside–LAX==

Initial alternatives analysis Prior to the selection of the LPA in January 2026, Metro studied both monorail and heavy rail alternatives for Phase 2 of the corridor. Five proposed concepts begin at either Expo/Bundy station or Expo/Sepulveda station, contingent on the terminus of the first phase of the project. All routes terminate at the LAX/Metro Transit Center. This terminus station will offer transfers to the C Line, K Line, and SkyLink. Metro's July 2019 updated concepts for Phase 2 added a stop along Santa Monica Boulevard per public popular demand. They added the fifth concept, extending the east/west Purple Line Extension terminus south towards LAX, creating a one-seat HRT trip from LAX to Downtown Los Angeles along Centinela Avenue. All north-to-south routes from the E Line to LAX are: Alternative details The following table shows all potential metro stations and the alternatives for which they apply: Alternative 5's concept for the Westside-LAX phase of the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project would extend the Purple Line subway south down Centinela Ave along the same route as the other proposed Centinela Ave concepts (Alt 2). This concept would provide a one-seat ride from SkyLink to Downtown Los Angeles but would require passengers from the San Fernando Valley to transfer at Westwood/UCLA station to travel further south. The second phase of the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project is not due to break ground until 2048. == Advocacy ==

Transit advocates have proposed combining the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project and the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project into a single study to connect Sylmar, Van Nuys, the G Line, Sherman Oaks, UCLA, and the future Westwood/UCLA D Line station. Metro studies declined the LRT merge option and stated HRT would provide faster times and more occupancy on trains. Future extension phases south to the E Line, LAX, South Bay, or beyond are also being advocated and proposed. Metro proposed a Centinela Avenue route to LAX or thru Sepulveda Boulevard. No studies have been allocated funds. Phase 1 of the project is part of Metro's Twenty-eight by '28 initiative, which aims to complete its list of expansions in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics. Metro is looking into a public/private partnership to accelerate the opening. == References ==