LOS ANGELES, CA – The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) today certified the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) and approval for the North Hollywood to Pasadena Transit Corridor project.
The North Hollywood to Pasadena Transit Corridor project is a $267-million, an 18-mile project that aims to build a high-quality Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line that will connect the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys, traveling east-west between the North Hollywood Metro B Line (Red)/G Line (Orange) Station and Pasadena City College in Pasadena, with stops in the Burbank Media District, downtown Burbank, Glendale, and Eagle Rock ─ improving access to jobs, education, and other important destinations.
Metro began studying various routes for this project in 2018. A Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) was released in Fall 2020 for public review and comment. Refinements were made to the project and a FEIR was made live on March 25, 2022, for public review. On April 20, 2022, the Metro Planning and Programming Committee considered the FEIR and made a recommendation to the Metro Board of Directors regarding certification of the FEIR and approval of the project.
“This is an important milestone in Metro’s efforts to improve mobility for those that need it the most,” said Metro Board Chair and Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, First District. “Our bus riders, essential workers who kept riding our system even through the worst of the pandemic, are the ones that truly need this project. This BRT will help ensure that buses are on time and get riders to their destinations faster than ever before by providing a dedicated right of way. It is the reliability and consistency our riders need and deserve.”
The BRT will help take cars off the road and serve neighborhoods that need public transit services the most while improving air quality with the use of electric zero-emission vehicles. It will provide faster and more reliable than regular bus service.
“BRT is the first of its kind for Metro,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Fifth District. “Since it will navigate its way through multiple cities and jurisdictions, the amount of coordination that it took to develop this project was extraordinary. The future of our region’s mobility will seek to replicate this level of collaboration. The BRT will maximize mobility for millions of riders for decades to come. It was worth the lift, and I commend Metro staff for their efforts.
“I am thrilled that Metro has taken this important step in providing mobility options for those who live and work in this region of Los Angeles,” said Metro Vice-Chair and City of Glendale Councilmember Ara Najarian. “Residents of Glendale, Burbank, Eagle Rock, and Pasadena will be the greatest beneficiaries of this high-quality transit line, the NoHo to Pasadena BRT. “
Metro’s goal is to help small businesses continue to thrive throughout construction and post-construction. To that end, the Metro Board of Directors unanimously approved a motion authored by Supervisor Solis today to develop recommendations in providing access to the Business Interruption Fund as part of the project; with a focus on areas that may experience significant construction impacts.
The project is funded by the Measure M sales tax measure approved by Los Angeles County voters in 2016, along with State SB 1 gas tax and vehicle fees. It is scheduled to open by 2024.
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