L.A. Metro advances underground heavy rail plan through Sepulveda Pass
(UI) - The Los Angeles Metro Board of Directors has selected an underground heavy rail alignment as the locally preferred alternative (LPA) for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor, advancing one of the region’s largest proposed tunneling and transit infrastructure projects into its next phase of environmental review and design refinement.
The Sepulveda Transit Corridor project is intended to provide a new grade-separated rail connection between the San Fernando Valley and the Westside, traversing the Santa Monica Mountains beneath the heavily congested Sepulveda Pass. The underground heavy rail option would connect key nodes including the Van Nuys Metrolink station, Metro’s E Line on the Westside, and multiple existing rail and bus rapid transit lines, creating a continuous north-south transit link through the corridor.
Metro evaluated multiple build alternatives as part of its Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR), which was released last summer. The agency said the selected alignment—referred to as Modified Alternative 5—was chosen based on technical analysis and public input, including more than 8,000 comments submitted during the DEIR review period. The underground option was favored for its ability to deliver high passenger capacity while minimizing surface disruption in one of Los Angeles’ most constrained transportation corridors.
With the LPA identified, Metro will move forward with additional engineering refinement, tunneling and station design development, and continued community engagement. The project will remain subject to further environmental analysis and regulatory approvals before construction can begin.
The Sepulveda Transit Corridor is a central component of Metro’s long-range capital program, which includes multiple large-scale rail extensions and underground construction projects across Los Angeles County. Metro officials have identified the corridor as a critical bottleneck in the regional transportation network, where geographic constraints limit the feasibility of surface or elevated alignments.
Project schedules, construction phasing, tunneling methods, and cost estimates will be further developed as the environmental review progresses. Metro has not yet announced a construction start date or procurement strategy for the project.
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