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New Lanes Provide Faster, More Reliable Service to San Fernando Valley
As part of ongoing citywide efforts to save transit customers time and increase the reliability of bus service, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), and City of Los Angeles celebrated the opening of 5.6 miles of new bus priority lanes on Sepulveda Boulevard.
These new lanes will move 50,000 weekly bus riders through this congested corridor while improving bus speeds by 15 percent or more and increasing service frequency. This enhanced mobility moves more people and provides quick and easy access to nearly 40,000 jobs, over 88,000 residents, neighborhoods, businesses, and other key locations such as Sherman Oaks Galleria, Valley Presbyterian Hospital, and the Sepulveda G Line (Orange) Station without widening streets or adding more infrastructure.
“Angelenos deserve a Metro system that can get them where they need to go reliably, quickly and safely. Infrastructure improvements like the Sepulveda bus priority lanes help us make progress towards those goals,” said Karen Bass, L.A. City Mayor and Metro Board Chair. “These are the solutions we must continue pursuing, and I want to thank the Metro Board of Directors, Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation and all partners for working together to make the Sepulveda bus priority lane a reality.”
With these new bus priority lanes serving riders in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles will have approximately 51 miles of bus priority lanes across the city, with another 46 miles of bus lanes to be implemented over the next year. This project also provides a faster and more reliable multi-modal transit network, benefiting over 9,000 daily riders who typically ride Metro Bus Line 234 (Mission College-Sylmar Metrolink Station-Sherman Oaks via Sepulveda).
In the Sherman Oaks/Van Nuys area, the bus-only segment runs along Sepulveda Boulevard between Ventura Boulevard and Rayen Street. Also included is a 0.9-mile bus lane that runs along westbound Ventura Boulevard from Vesper Avenue to Sepulveda Boulevard.
Full-Time Bus Lanes Added
- In creating the bus lanes, the project converted the rightmost traffic lane in each direction along Sepulveda Boulevard between Magnolia Boulevard and Rayen Street into a full-time bus lane. It also converted the rightmost traffic lane on northbound Sepulveda Boulevard between Ventura Boulevard and Magnolia Boulevard into a full-time bus lane.
Conversion of Curbside Lanes
- Converts the curbside lane on westbound Ventura Boulevard between Vesper Avenue and Sepulveda Boulevard into a peak hour bus lane from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. on weekdays only and maintains virtually all curbside parking as it exists today.
- Repurposes 60 underutilized parking spaces along northbound Sepulveda Boulevard between Raymer Street and Lanark Street to serve as a full-time bus lane.
- Maintains two general traffic lanes and left turn lanes in each direction. Drivers can use the bus lanes to make right turns at intersections and driveways.
“Metro bus service along this busy corridor is nearly at pre-pandemic levels averaging 50,000 boardings a week in 2023,” said Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins. “With the addition of bus priority lanes on Sepulveda Boulevard, riders will enjoy a faster and more reliable transit service that will save them valuable time. Metro thanks the City of LA for their partnership on this project, and we look forward to installing even more of these bus priority lanes in the year ahead.”
Additional quotes:
L.A County Supervisor and Metro Board Member Lindsey P. Horvath
“Metro connects Angelenos to jobs, schools, healthcare, and popular destinations across Los Angeles County through improvements to our rail and bus lines,” said Lindsey P. Horvath, Chair of the Board of Supervisors and a Metro Board Member. “The San Fernando Valley is benefiting from new investments, including the dedicated bus lanes along Sepulveda Boulevard, providing a safer, quicker, more equitable, and more reliable service to over 9,000 daily riders.”
Metro Board Member Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker
“Metro is expanding its bus network and making it easier to get around without a car with the opening of the Sepulveda Bus Lanes. This project is another example of the successful collaborative effort of the Bus Speed Engineering Working Group, bringing together the City of LA and Metro to quickly implement priority bus lanes and supportive infrastructure. The Sepulveda Bus Lanes will provide the Valley with its first dedicated bus lane helping to speed up transit frequency, reduce congestion and increase access to key destinations along the corridor.”
L.A. City Council President and Metro Board Member Paul Krekorian
“Bus speed and reliability are crucial to building our ridership,” said Paul Krekorian, LA City Council President and Metro Board Director. “The City and Metro have the shared goal of getting people out of their cars and onto environmentally sustainable transit. Dedicated bus lanes are an efficient means of reorganizing our existing roadway infrastructure to prioritize that transit. With investments like the Sepulveda Bus Lane project, Metro will begin to realize the full benefits of their NextGen Bus Service overhaul and continue to deliver on the promises of Measures R and M to provide better, higher quality transportation for all.”
L.A. City Council Member Imelda Padilla (CD-6)
“Council District 6 is the future of transportation in the Valley. With these additional bus lanes along Sepulveda Boulevard, our daily Metro riders get more access to the Sepulveda G Line (Orange) Station, which connects us to the B Line (Red) subway and to greater Los Angeles,” stated Councilmember Imelda Padilla (CD-6). “I welcome new transit investments like these that will help relieve traffic congestion, reduce emissions, and ensure that all Valley residents and businesses have increased mobility. I look forward to working with Metro and LADOT to ensure that these new lanes are safe for bus patrons and pedestrians, as we continue to create faster and reliable alternatives to driving.”
L.A. City Council Member Nithya Raman (CD-4)
“Transit is most successful when it’s reliable and fast. We can best achieve that through separating our buses from traffic — so Angelenos who rely on the bus have a more reliable ride that values their time, and Angelenos who don’t ride the bus have a true alternative to use to opt out of traffic,” said Los Angeles Council Member Nithya Raman. “By mixing peak hour and full-time lanes, the Sepulveda Bus Priority project right-sizes our investment and is another immensely successful transit lane collaboration between our City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation and Metro. I’m proud to help welcome the first on-street transit lanes to the Valley and look forward to further investment in our bus system in the Valley.”
LADOT General Manager Laura Rubio-Cornejo
“In partnership with LA Metro, LADOT continues to deliver dedicated bus lanes across the city to advance a transportation system that serves the needs of all Angelenos,” said LADOT General Manager Laura Rubio-Cornejo. “We are thrilled to bring these improvements to the San Fernando Valley with the new Sepulveda Priority Bus Lanes that provide better service speed, accessibility, and convenience.”
About Metro
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is building the most ambitious transportation infrastructure program in the United States and is working to greatly improve mobility through its Vision 2028 Plan. Metro is the lead transportation planning and funding agency for L.A. County and carries nearly 900,000 boardings daily on a fleet of 2,200 low-emission buses and six rail lines.
Stay informed by following Metro on The Source and El Pasajero at metro.net, facebook.com/losangelesmetro, twitter.com/metrolosangeles and twitter.com/metroLAalerts and instagram.com/metrolosangeles.
About LADOT
LADOT leads transportation planning, project delivery, and operations in the City of Los Angeles. We work together and collaborate to deliver a safe, livable, and well-run transportation system in the city and region. Our vision is for all people in Los Angeles to have access to safe and affordable transportation choices that treat everyone with dignity and support vibrant, inclusive communities.
