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By Transit California Staff

LA Metro Awarded an $893 Million U.S. Department of Transportation Grant to Help Fund New 6.7 Mile East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) joined federal officials in the San Fernando Valley on September 6 to celebrate the U.S. Department of Transportation's $893 million grant that will help fund construction of Metro's new East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project.

This transformational light rail line will create important new connections with a host of new and existing local and regional transit services in the San Fernando Valley, including Metrolink, Amtrak, Metro G Line, Metro B Line, and other planned Metro transit projects now in the works. The line will be built on Van Nuys Boulevard, one of the Valley's busiest corridors and will provide a new light rail alternative for the residents of Van Nuys, Panorama City, Arleta and Pacoima, many of whom are transit dependent. It is the first local stop, commuter rail service to return to Van Nuys Boulevard in more than 70 years. The last Pacific Electric "San Fernando Valley Line" urban electric railway rolled down Van Nuys Boulevard in 1952.

The grant will be delivered through a multi-year agreement known as a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) that is governed by the Federal Transit Administration's Expedited Project Delivery Pilot Program. The program seeks to accelerate new fixed guideway capital projects, among others.

"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."

Metro is now conducting advanced utility adjustment work for the $3.57 billion project. Construction of utility work and minor street improvements along Van Nuys Boulevard is expected to start later this year. The 6.7-mile project will include 11 new light rail stations and is currently forecast to open in 2031.

"I want to thank the Los Angeles County Congressional Delegation for uniting behind this project and ensuring this federal grant moved forward and for the support of the Biden-Harris Administration," said LA Mayor and Metro Board Member Karen Bass, "Through their dedication, the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail is taking another important step toward a reality that connects East San Fernando Valley communities to our growing transit network which means access to more opportunities, jobs and attractions across the region."

In the nation's first-of-its-kind, Metro has added a Cultural Competency requirement to the project contract that takes into consideration the local community's diverse cultural heritage and backgrounds. This comprehensive plan will consist of several targeted strategies to genuinely and respectfully engage with community stakeholders impacted by the project.

"This is the first Metro rail project that includes a Cultural Competency Plan outlining a comprehensive engagement strategy, including workforce training and business opportunities to support the diverse communities that reside along this important Valley corridor," said Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker, Metro Board 2nd Vice Chair. "I'm so pleased that Metro's contractor will be doing its part to ensure all residents, local businesses, community groups, and institutions are informed of and understand what is being built in their neighborhoods and what new opportunities and partnerships the rail line will offer them."

The 2.5-mile northern segment of the corridor is under further study that would extend rail service from Pacoima to the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink station.

"Growing up in Pacoima, bringing rail transit to the east side of the San Fernando Valley has been a priority of mine for decades," said United State Senator Alex Padilla. "Underserved Angelenos deserve more access to reliable, affordable transit to create opportunities for work and for a better life. This nearly $900 million federal investment that Representative Cárdenas and I pushed for will bring more customers and business to the San Fernando Valley, connect overlooked communities to the rest of LA County, and uplift hardworking families."

"This new transit line, when fully constructed, will create important new connections with LA County's growing public transportation network, ensuring the San Fernando Valley is closely linked to take advantage of all the rich transportation options our region has to offer," said Glendale City Council member and Metro Board Member Ara Najarian.

"The $893 million federal investment in the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Project will be transformational for my district," said Congressman Tony Cárdenas. "This project has been decades in the making, and it's more than just transportation - it's a commitment to uplift our community by connecting families to better jobs, schools, and essential services. By breaking down barriers to opportunity, we're ensuring that every resident has a fair shot at a brighter future."

The project will deliver tangible mobility benefits to historically underserved communities within areas of persistent poverty in the eastern portion of the San Fernando Valley. Approximately 19 percent of households in this area do not have access to their own car and depend on public transportation, compared to 8.8 percent transit dependency for LA County as a whole.

"Thanks to critical funding from the Biden-Harris Administration and Federal Transit Administration, Metro is expediting the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Project - a gamechanger to connect our communities along the Van Nuys corridor to the region," said LA County Supervisor and Metro Board Member Lindsey P. Horvath. "We welcome this $893 million grant, and the all-levels-of-government partnership required to deliver transformative transportation projects to our communities that need it most now and for generations to come."

Construction and operation of the project is anticipated to create more than 18,000 direct and indirect jobs, including those now covered by new local hire rules under the federal infrastructure bill. Metro plans to implement a Project Labor Agreement/Construction Careers Policy local hire program to ensure that residents can secure good paying jobs to build the project. Once the new rail line is completed, riders along the new rail line will be connected to 150,000 jobs.

"The San Fernando Valley deserves a major transportation investment like this, and has needed it for decades. I'm happy to say it's finally becoming a reality," said LA City Council President and Metro Board Member Paul Krekorian.

"I'm thrilled to announce the $893 million Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) for the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project," Councilmember Imelda Padilla said. "This investment is a game-changer for our working-class neighborhoods, providing reliable public transit that will improve access to jobs, healthcare, and education. Public transit offers independence for our seniors, safe rides for our youth, and dependable commutes for essential workers. The project will create over 18,000 jobs and support local businesses, delivering long-term economic benefits to the East Valley. As the representative for District 6, I'm committed to working with Metro to ensure this project fosters a more equitable and sustainable future. My deepest thanks to Senator Alex Padilla, Congressman Tony Cárdenas, and FTA Administrator Veronica Vanterpool for their leadership."

This commuter rail line will bring service back to the Valley after more than 70 years, once again connecting one of the Valley's busiest and most transit-dependent corridors.

"This $893 million grant will enable us to finally bring light rail back to the Valley, and we thank the Biden-Harris Administration and the LA County Congressional Delegation for making this critical investment in our region's future," said Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins. "Thirty-five percent of households in the East San Fernando Valley depend on Metro for their transportation, and the East San Fernando Valley Line will give them faster and more efficient service than ever before. Now that this funding is in place, we look forward to breaking ground on this line in the coming months."

For additional project information, visit metro.net/projects/east-sfv/.

SF Muni: International Review of Van Ness BRT Ranks it Among Top in the World

In early September, the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) announced the SF Muni Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project earned "Silver" certification. This is just one of just three projects in the United States to receive this award for offering a "world class customer experience," and the only project in California to achieve this honor.

How Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Service Works

"Bus Rapid Transit" service, or BRT for short, is a globally proven solution to improve transit service and address traffic congestion. ITDP maintains the "BRT Standard." It's a framework for understanding BRT and an evaluation tool. This way, transit agencies around the world share a common definition of BRT. The standard also ensures that BRT corridors consistently deliver a world-class passenger experience and positive environmental effects. The Van Ness BRT's Silver Certification is based on an exhaustive review grounded in the ITDP's BRT Standard scorecard.

SF Muni launched Bus Rapid Transit service along Van Ness Avenue in April 2022 by introducing:

• Dedicated, center-running transit lanes. This means buses don't get slowed down by parking or turning vehicles.
• Transit signal priority. This gives buses the green light as they approach an intersection.
• Low-floor vehicles and all-door boarding. These tactics made it quicker and easier for passengers to load and unload at each stop. Service is more reliable as a result.

Safety improvements like pedestrian bulbs, pedestrian countdown signals and left-turn restrictions also make walking on Van Ness a more enjoyable experience. As Bus Rapid Transit has become a familiar concept for cities and the public, over 153 BRT corridors have opened in 91 cities in 24 countries in the past decade.

How the Van Ness BRT is Improving Trips

Muni has been carrying out a study of the Van Ness BRT corridor, and it's expected to be released mid-October. Early results confirm:

• Bus travel is now 36% faster.
• Injury traffic collisions are down by 54%.
• Transit is 45% more reliable.

As a city, San Francisco will continue to be a global leader in sustainable and efficient transportation with this recognition from ITDP.

Metropolitan Transportation Commission: September is Transit Month

There's no better time to hop on public transit than during September, Transit Month in the Bay Area! Public transit benefits everyone, even people who don't regularly ride transit. Transit Month celebrates all the buses, trains, ferries and people that keep the Bay Area moving. Transit helps lower greenhouse gas emissions and makes the Bay Area a better place to live.

During Transit Month, residents and visitors alike looked forward to a region-wide ride contest and prizes, a San Francisco Ride-Along and Rally with San Francisco's Mayor and Board of Supervisors, the Rider First Awards Ceremony, and many more exciting, transit-themed regional activities.

Transit lovers joined in on a month full of fun activities - review the full calendar of events on the Transit Month website. Riders were invited to participate in contests for Transit Month - logging their trips to earn badges and for a chance to win prizes. (Riders logged almost 17,000 transit trips during the Ride Contest in 2023!)

September was also Rail Safety Month and an important opportunity to recognize and support all the workers who make the system safe and reliable.

San Francisco Bay Ferry Awarded $11 Million Federal Grant for Electric Vessel Procurement

San Francisco Bay Ferry announced it was awarded an $11 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to support the agency's plans to procure the nation's first high-speed battery electric ferries.

The award advances Phase 1 of SF Bay Ferry's Rapid Electric Emission-Free Ferry (REEF) Program, a transformative suite of projects to transition the agency's fleet to zero-emission propulsion technology. The FTA grant will support the procurement of a class of three 150-passenger battery-electric vessels serving Treasure Island, Mission Bay, Downtown San Francisco and additional emerging communities on the San Francisco waterfront.

"San Francisco's waterfront is thriving, and this award will make sure that they are connected and accessible using state-of-the-art, zero-emission, congestion-reducing ferries," said Jim Wunderman, Chair of SF Bay Ferry's Board of Directors. "This is happening thanks to bold investments from the Biden-Harris Administration and strong support from the Bay Area Congressional delegation and ferry supporters including House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Senator Alex Padilla."

WETA has now secured roughly $136 million in funding from local, state and federal agencies to implement its REEF Program. This includes state and federal funding for system planning, new battery-electric vessels and shoreside infrastructure. Future phases of the REEF Program include two new 400-passenger battery-electric vessels, conversion of four diesel 400-passenger ferries to zero-emission technology, terminal electrification across the system and expansion and electrification of the agency's Central Bay Operations and Maintenance Facility in Alameda.

In August, SF Bay Ferry unveiled designs of the vessels that will operate on the Emerging Waterfront Neighborhoods Network. The agency expects to award procurement contracts on those ferries this fall. Delivery of the first vessel is expected in 2026.

Monterey-Salinas Transit: Coastal Commission Approves SURF! Busway Permit

In Monterey, the California Coastal Commission approved Monterey-Salinas Transit's application for a coastal development permit required to build the SURF! Busway and Bus Rapid Transit Project.

"We did it! For us, SURF! is more than a busway. It's a reflection of who we are, considering the thousands of community members who contributed to its design and steadfast supporters who stood with us today," said Carl Sedoryk, General Manager and CEO at MST. "Today's win was years in the making and it belongs to all of us. I thank the community we serve and the Commission for working with us to make this visionary project a reality. We are eager to get shovels in the ground and start building more connected communities and opportunities, grounded in creating a more sustainable way of life in Monterey County."

SURF! is a five-mile, two-lane busway proposed along the abandoned rail corridor parallel to Highway 1 that will integrate with existing Line 20 Salinas-Monterey service. It was designed with input from over 4,500 Monterey County residents collected over four and a half years. A large and diverse number of elected officials, community leaders, and individuals wrote to the Commission and testified in support of SURF! including the following:

Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.-19) and Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.-18), Members of Congress: "The IIJA [Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act] authorizes $3 billion per year in annual appropriations for priority projects, one of which includes the SURF! Project. The federal investment prioritizes projects, like SURF!, that tackle the climate crisis, advance environmental justice, and invest in communities that have too often been left behind."

State Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz): "…The transit improvements included in the SURF! Project are expected to reduce passenger vehicle trips along the Highway 1 corridor by over 500,000 trips per year, leading to a net decrease of more than 1,200 metric tons of greenhouse gases. Also, the project advances environmental justice by providing a low-cost transportation option to the coast, as well as new and improved bicycle and pedestrian facilities that allow more equitable access to parks and recreational areas."

State Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay): "This project will be a vital step towards addressing environmental and transportation challenges facing Monterey County and improving the quality of life and ease of access for residents and visitors."

Wendy Root Askew, Supervisor, Monterey County: The MST SURF! Busway and Bus Rapid Transit Project is a generational investment in high quality public transit that will improve access for all residents. It will increase equitable access to our coast and is a critical step in planning for future rail service. It will help us address our jobs-housing imbalance by providing high quality transit that reduces commute times. It will ensure zero-emission buses are traversing our coast, making it climate-friendly. It will improve our collective quality of life.

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