Metro is holding two open houses in March to discuss the latest work on the Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Improvements Project. The Measure M-funded project seeks to speed up the Orange Line, make the line safer, and more reliable by installing up to 35 railroad-style crossing gates at intersections and building bridges for the busway and Orange Line Bike Path over Van Nuys Blvd. and Sepulveda Blvd. Last October, Metro broke ground on the bridge at Sepulveda Station, and the open houses will include an update on construction. The new presentation is above.
In early March, Metro ran a simulation on the Orange Line on a Sunday morning to see what run times might be like with gates (LAPD officers played the role of the gates). Metro staff believes the test demonstrates that Metro is barking up the right tree and that this project will significantly improve the Orange Line’s safety and travel times and make the bus more appealing to more people.
At the same time, while improving safety and reducing travel times, the gates will increase delays for cross traffic, and San Fernando Valley residents will have to adjust as their fellow citizens in the San Gabriel Valley did when the Gold Line opened, and as Westside residents did when the Expo Line opened. Staff will be sharing new information on the traffic analysis results at the upcoming meetings, and attendees can dig in with Metro staff to see how their neighborhood will be changing.
The open houses will run for two and a half hours. Short presentations will be given at 8 a.m. in Canoga Park and at 5 p.m. in North Hollywood, and again as needed. Meeting details:
Canoga Park
Tuesday, March 26, 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Rose Goldwater Community Center
Westfield Topanga
21710 Vanowen St.
Canoga Park, CA 91303
This is on the northeast corner of Westfield Topanga, at the intersection of Vanowen and Owensmouth
North Hollywood
Wednesday, March 27, 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
North Hollywood Senior Center
5301 Tujunga Ave.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
The Senior Center is served by the Orange Line and Metro Bus 237. Parking is available at the North Hollywood Recreation Center and at the Metro Orange Line station at Tujunga and Chandler.
Categories: Projects
Just to thank you councilman Blumenfield. You are one hard working guy. We are lucky to have you.
My second comment regarding crossing gates, this could actually back up traffic if somehow buses are back to back. Unlike trains and their automatic train protection, these are buses on paved roads. They aren’t limited by a block system. If one bus is running late or early, this could easily cause multiple buses to trigger the same crossing in one activation (Ex: the first bus passes and the gates rise but immediately lowers again because another bus is detected going the same direction as the first). It would play out like the opening of the Expo’s Phase 2 but way more common. I’d say, install sensors closer to a crossing and have buses go a constant speed on the at-grade portions of the route. Otherwise use less buses on the line. That’s my take.
I still wonder how these Safetran styled crossing signals for BRT would look like in person. Maybe the basic look of a regular normal crossing guard but swap the crossbucks with the current yellow “BRT X-ING” signs…?
“In early March, Metro ran a simulation on the Orange Line on a Sunday morning to see what run times might be like with gates (LAPD officers played the role of the gates)”
I wonder if they also simulated people driving around the “gates” like they did when the Blue Line launched?
Hopefully one day tracks will be laid in that right of way to truly bring mass transit to the west valley.
Will be interesting to see how the grade separation at Van Nuys- Sepulveda will fit into the ESFV line terminating at the Orange- it actually needs to be through routed to North Hollywood , as I would suspect the Van Nuys to No Ho Station is the busiest segment. Since it appears the Subway from the valley to the westside most likely will start in downtown Van Nuys/Amtrak/Metrolink station, this should leave enough room at Van Nuys Blvd to figure out the connection of these 2 current routes. But for now you will have light rail terminating at a busway.. Just plan for the future of rail on both , please.