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Metro Awarded $2M to Improve Transit on Van Nuys Blvd.
Metro's 761 stops at Sherman Way on Van Nuys Blvd. (Photo by Sirinyay via Flickr)
Metro's 761 stops at Sherman Way on Van Nuys Blvd. (Photo by Sirinyay via Flickr)
Los Angeles is getting some good news when it comes to the city's 30/10 transit initiative and Measure R, thanks to the US Department of Transportation's award of $2 million to help Metro "perform an analysis of transit alternatives for the Van Nuys corridor in the San Fernando Valley and for support work for other Measure R transit projects," says Metro in a release issued today.
“We would like to thank the Federal Transit Administration for selecting our projects for the maximum possible funding of $2 million,” said L.A. County Supervisor Don Knabe, Chair of Metro. “The funding will be used for the review of transit alternatives for the Van Nuys corridor and help Metro improve its transit forecasting model, which will benefit a host 30/10 transit projects now in the pipeline." Joining Knabe in advocating for the 30/10 initiative are Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Congressman Brad Sherman, and Senator Barbara Boxer.
What is the project? Metro is going to study ways to improve mobility on Van Nuys Boulevard between Ventura and Foothill Boulevards; the ten-mile stretch is the San Fernando Valley's most densely populated corridor. "Metro currently carries approximately 27,000 weekday boardings for buses operating on Van Nuys Boulevard, including Lines 233, 761, and 902." Those lines have high ridership--some of the highest in LA County--but congestion and overcrowding detract from service quality.Although bus ridership here is among the highest in the county, service reliability suffers due to traffic congestion and overcrowding.
Said Sherman of the upcoming analysis: "We should not only study ways to improve existing service and reduce overall travel times along the corridor, we should also focus on how commuters along the Van Nuys and Sepulveda Corridors could connect with alternative forms of transportation through the Sepulveda Pass to the Westside."
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