Later this week, the Metro Board's Planning and Programming Committee will preview the proposed alignment of a new bus rapid transit line in the San Fernando Valley.

The project corridor extends approximately 20 miles, spanning between the Chatsworth Metrolink Station in the west and Metro's North Hollywood Station in the east.  The proposed alignment would connect several regional destinations in the San Fernando Valley - including Cal State Northridge - but also other transit services including local bus lines, the Orange Line, Metrolink, and the forthcoming light rail line on Van Nuys Boulevard.

After starting with seven conceptual routes for the North Valley Bus Rapid Transit line, Metro pared its options down to three in September 2018.  Of those three, an alignment along Nordhoff Street with a terminus in North Hollywood was deemed to be the most promising.

Starting from the Chatsworth Metrolink and Orange Line Station in the west, the BRT line would proceed toward Nordhoff Street either by: 

  1. traveling east on Lassen Street and turning south at De Soto; or 
  2. running south on the Orange Line right-of-way before turning east at Nordhoff

While running east-to-west from Chatsworth, the BRT Line could potentially have stops at have stops at Canoga Avenue, De Soto Avenue, Mason Avenue, Tampa Avenue, Reseda Boulevard, Lindley Avenue, Balboa Boulevard, and Woodley Avenue.  From Woodley, the route would begin veering south toward Roscoe Boulevard through possible alignments on:

  • Haskell Avenue;
  • Sepulveda Boulevard;
  • Parthenia Street;
  • Tobias Street; and 
  • Van Nuys Boulevard.

Stops within this segment of the corridor would be located at major intersections of the above streets.

Once the BRT Line reaches Roscoe Boulevard, it would proceed toward Sun Valley with stations at Woodman and Whitsett Avenue.  After that point, the alignment would once again veer south on either Laurel Canyon Boulevard or Lankershim Boulevard.  Stations could be located at:

  • Strathern Avenue;
  • Saticoy Street;
  • Sherman Way;
  • Vanowen Street;
  • Victory Boulevard;
  • Oxnard Street; and 
  • Burbank Boulevard.

The eventual terminus at North Hollywood Station would, depending on the chosen alignment, be reached via the Orange Line right-of-way, Chandler Boulevard, or Lankershim Boulevard.

The project, which has $180 million in funding through the half-cent sales tax approved through Measure M, carries an estimated price tag between $297 million and $417 million depending on the alignment chosen.  Estimated daily ridership would range between 27,461 and 28,652.

Service on the North Valley BRT Line is expected to begin by 2025; the project is one of 28 transportation improvements which Metro hopes to complete in advance of the 2028 Summer Olympic Games.

Metro is also planning a second bus rapid transit corridor connecting to North Hollywood Station.  The North Hollywood-Pasadena Line, budgeted at approximately $267 million, is scheduled to open in 2024.