Metro approves contracts for pre-development work on Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project

Courtesy of Metro Los Angeles

The board of directors of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has approved contracts with two private sector teams for pre-development work on the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project using a first-of-its-kind public-private model.

The mega-project is planned to connect the San Fernando Valley with the Westside and eventually LAX via a high-speed, high-capacity transit line, connecting two busy destinations for residents and workers. The primary travel option for most people currently is driving the I-405 freeway through the Sepulveda Pass, a choke point that is one of the nation’s most congested roadways.

Sepulveda Transit Corridor Partners – Bechtel was awarded a $69.9-million contract to further develop its proposed heavy rail transit solution concept. More than 60 percent of the partner team’s proposed heavy rail concept would travel underground, with the remainder of the line traveling primarily in an aerial section. A Valley-to-Westside trip would take just under 20 minutes according to the team’s proposal. The team’s estimated costs for constructing this proposed solution is $10.8 billion.

LA SkyRail Express was awarded a $63.6-million contract to further develop its proposed monorail concept that would be an aerial alignment primarily within the I-405 right-of-way between the Valley and Westside. Proposed travel times via monorail are estimated at 24 minutes. The LA SkyRail Express team’s baseline proposal cost for building the monorail concept is $6.1 billion.

Now, Metro plans to begin the environmental review process this fall, where concept designs for these and other alternatives will be advanced and/or refined through extensive, ongoing public feedback and technical investigation and analysis.

Metro retains the ability to continue the partnership through final design with one of the private sector teams if its transit concept is consistent with the project’s locally preferred alternative, or LPA, that will be selected by the Metro board. Metro also retains the right to pursue a different project and delivery path, if necessary.

One of the private sector teams may have an opportunity, after the LPA is selected, to submit a proposal to build and potentially help finance the project, potentially accelerating construction and improving project performance.

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