California Construction News staff writer
Los Angeles has broken ground on a nearly $414-million bus rapid transit project that will establish 12.4 miles of dedicated bus lanes between South Los Angeles and Los Feliz, with construction expected to create thousands of jobs.
The Vermont Transit Corridor Bus Rapid Transit Project will extend from Sunset Boulevard to 120th Street, improving service along Los Angeles County’s busiest bus route, which carries more than 38,000 passengers on weekdays and approximately 11 million riders annually.
The project includes 26 enhanced stations, dedicated bus lanes, upgraded shelters, improved lighting, accessible boarding areas and safer pedestrian crossings. The new service is expected to reduce travel times by up to 17 minutes.
The improvements are intended to provide faster, more reliable transit connections to employment, education, health-care facilities and other destinations along the corridor.
Construction is expected to generate approximately 4,800 union jobs. Once operational, the corridor is projected to support about 260 permanent operations and maintenance jobs annually.
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is working to have the service operating in time for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Construction will improve transit infrastructure along Vermont Avenue, where passengers have faced crowded buses and congested streets. Planned improvements include protected bike lanes, shaded shelters and safer crossings for pedestrians.
The Vermont corridor project is part of a broader effort to expand and improve public transit across Los Angeles. The city broke ground on the 6.7-mile East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project earlier in the week, adding another major transit construction project ahead of the 2028 Games.
