LA Metro Greenlights $25 Billion Underground Rail Project to Ease 405 Freeway Traffic
LA Metro Board Approves Underground Rail Line for San Fernando Valley-Westside Connection
LOS ANGELES – In a significant move for regional transportation, the Los Angeles Metro Board of Directors unanimously approved an underground heavy rail line on Thursday aimed at linking the San Fernando Valley with the Westside, bypassing the notoriously congested 405 Freeway.
The nearly 13-mile rail route is projected to cost between $20 billion and $25 billion and will feature seven stations, with tunnels excavated to a depth of at least 500 feet. This depth is intended to minimize disruption and vibration for residents in surrounding areas.
The decision follows initial funding support from various sources, including UCLA and labor organizations; however, the Metro must finalize design plans, environmental assessments, and secure additional funding sources before construction begins.
The board adopted "Modified Alternative 5," which stretches from Van Nuys to the Expo/Sepulveda Station on the E Line. Important stops will include Sherman Oaks and UCLA, with the route designed to run deep underneath the Santa Monica Mountains and affluent neighborhoods such as Bel-Air and Beverly Crest.
Metro officials reiterated that the project will be completely underground, effectively eliminating surface construction issues.
“This project represents a fundamentally different strategy,” said Metro Director Katy Yaroslavsky, highlighting past efforts to widen freeways that have not succeeded. She drew a comparison between the corridor’s potential impact on Los Angeles and the historic significance of the LA Aqueduct.
Cecily Way, Metro’s senior executive officer of countywide planning, stressed the project’s broader benefits, asserting that it offers “a fast, safe, and reliable alternative” to the heavily trafficked 405 Freeway.
Initial estimates indicate that the rail project will not only cover a distance of 13 miles but also include seven planned stations. The project’s cost is anticipated to fall within the $20 billion to $25 billion range, with funding from Measure M, a voter-approved sales tax in 2016. The tunnels beneath the mountains will reach depths of 500 feet, emphasizing safety and noise reduction for nearby residents.
Metro evaluated several options before selecting the underground heavy rail system, deciding against less expensive alternatives like a monorail, citing higher capacity and ridership potential for the heavy rail option. Feedback from the community has been mixed; while UCLA students and transit advocates have shown strong support, some residents in Bel-Air have raised concerns regarding the tunneling beneath their properties.
The board’s approval allows Metro to refine design details and proceed with the final environmental impact report. Two amendments were added to the plan: one to enhance community outreach during the design phase and another to consider transit connections to the Getty Center. Metro officials cautioned that, while this decision marks a major milestone, actual construction remains years away.
