The Board advanced a “Locally Preferred Alternative” which would build an underground heavy-rail line between the Van Nuys Metrolink Station and the Expo/Sepulveda Station on the Westside
Los Angeles County supervisors and the Metro Board have advanced a long-planned transit link through the Sepulveda Pass, selecting a preferred rail alternative for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project after decades of study and public debate.
The Metro Board voted to move forward with a “Locally Preferred Alternative,” known as Modified Alternative 5, which would build an underground heavy-rail line between the Van Nuys Metrolink Station in the San Fernando Valley and the Metro E Line’s Expo/Sepulveda Station on the Westside. The alignment would also connect with the Metro G Line and the future East San Fernando Valley Light Rail line at Van Nuys Boulevard.
Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath, who also serves on the Metro Board, called the decision a turning point for one of the region’s most congested transportation corridors.
“This is a generational investment in the future of Los Angeles County,” Horvath said in a statement, noting that the corridor has been envisioned for more than 40 years. She said the project is intended to reduce congestion, cut pollution and improve quality of life by providing a reliable alternative to the heavily traveled Interstate 405.
Metro officials said the selected alternative emphasizes regional connectivity, long-term reliability and the ability to meet future travel demand between the San Fernando Valley and the Westside. Trains would operate in a single-bore tunnel using automated vehicles, with peak service frequencies as often as every 2.5 minutes.
According to Metro estimates, the line could serve about 120,000 daily riders and reduce travel times between the Valley and the Westside to roughly 10 minutes on the initial operating segment. Officials project rush-hour travel times through the Sepulveda Pass would be cut by more than half, easing congestion on the 405 freeway and shifting tens of thousands of daily trips from cars to transit.
An economic impact analysis led by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. estimates the project could generate nearly $40 billion in economic output and support up to 200,000 jobs over time.
The Locally Preferred Alternative, or LPA, is the option Metro determines best meets project goals based on technical analysis and public input. Selection of an LPA does not constitute final project approval but allows environmental review and design work to proceed under the California Environmental Quality Act and, eventually, federal environmental rules.
Metro staff recommended Modified Alternative 5 following review of more than 8,000 public comments submitted during the Draft Environmental Impact Report process. The alternative combines elements from previously studied options, including high-capacity rail, strong ridership projections and direct connections to multiple transit lines, while avoiding a ventilation shaft in the Santa Monica Mountains and reducing overall project length and cost.
Planned stations under the preferred alternative would include stops at the Van Nuys Metrolink Station, the G Line at Van Nuys Boulevard, Ventura Boulevard, UCLA Gateway Plaza, Wilshire Boulevard at the Metro D Line, Santa Monica Boulevard and the Expo/Sepulveda E Line station.
Metro officials said a Getty Center station was not included because of its distance from the proposed tunnel alignment and relatively low projected ridership compared with other stations studied.
The preliminary capital cost for the earlier version of Alternative 5 was estimated at $24.2 billion in 2023 dollars. Metro acknowledged that additional funding beyond Measure M sales tax revenue will be needed, potentially from federal, state, local and private sources. Project phasing and cost-reduction strategies are expected to be evaluated as design advances.
