Click above for a larger chart.
With Ramp Jam likely to trigger a downgrade in the already bad traffic in the Sepulveda Pass corridor, I thought this would be a good day to look ahead — specifically to the day when the Sepulveda Pass Transit Corridor project is built to help better connect the San Fernando Valley to the Westside.
As many of you likely know, the project is one of the transit projects set to receive funding from the Measure R sales tax increase approved by county voters in 2008. At the time, the project was a concept yet to be defined. However, a systems study is underway by Metro planning staff to determine some concepts for the project. The study below (pdf here) lists the interim findings.
There are six over-arching concepts offered (shown on the chart above), including bus rapid transit, rail transit and managed and/or toll lanes that could be used by buses and/or rail. Among the concepts: building a tunnel that could be used by both private vehicles and transit. Interesting!
Perhaps most intriguing and heartening, I think, is that the study area is a big, big area — all the way from the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink station in the northern San Fernando Valley to Los Angeles International Airport.
Funding will obviously be a challenge, as Measure R is scheduled to provide $1 billion for a project that could potentially cost a lot more than that. Even with the (usual) funding challenges, I’m pleased to see that everything is on the table — as it should be in such an important corridor.
Please give the report a read. There are maps for each of the overall concepts. This is still the earliest stage of project development that precedes the traditional alternatives analysis and environmental impact studies that will follow.
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I agree with almost everything that has been said. HRT is ideal as this is the most congested corridor in the country and it carries 350,000 cars each day. However, as the MTA is a political puppet and the best solution is not always politically possible, then go with LRT. At least then the people of the valley will have an option to not use their cars if only to get Westwood and Century City. That alone would be a huge benefit.
There is only one answer to the obvious conclusion (rail): NO ON MEASURE R!. If the MTA wants our money, then make them use it rationally. Rational means making the most time consuming commute in the country #1 on the list and setting aside enough money to build a solution (rail).
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Concept 4 sounds incredibly expensive for very little benefit. Concept 6 sounds incredibly expensive with the only benefit going to a private corporation. Concept 3 sounds fairly expensive for relatively little benefit, and will be dropped for seismic reasons anyway. I can’t tell how good Concept 1 and Concept 2 are, but if they really do manage to get a well-managed bus lane, they could be effective, and they have good price tags. They also sound like they could be implemented by 2020 rather than 2039. But it seems pretty surprising to me that out of 6 options, only Concept 5 is a serious attempt to make a project comparable to the Expo or Crenshaw lines. I don’t see a clear reason why no heavy rail option is being considered, except with the possibility of a corporate giveaway in Concept 6 (which doesn’t appear to make enough of the relevant connections).
Wow this project is years overdue and I hope metro builds the transit coridoor as light rail line from the sylmar metrolink station to at least the expo line but preferably all the way to LAX. Yes tunneling would be expensive under the hill or santa monica mountains but would be worth it in the time saved for commuters. Many people from the sfv and santa clarita, ventura county and possibly even some of the antelope valley commuters would take the train to work in the westside, hit the beach or take a flight out of LAX. I believe a BRT line running down the 405 carpool lanes or 405 fwy shoulders wouldn’t transport as many people, is subject to slower traffic conditions and it would also run over capacity in a short time. Plus a light rail line could really help rejuvenate van nuys blvd.
“Buses should compliment high capacity trunk lines (rail lines) but NOT replace them.”
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Connor that is perfectly expressed.