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Want Better Public Transit On Vermont Avenue? LA Metro Wants To Hear From You
This rendering from 2019 shows a concept for Metro's bus rapid transit project on Vermont Avenue.
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Courtesy L.A. Metro
)
Los Angeles County’s public transit agency has big plans to improve travel on Vermont Avenue and wants community members to weigh in.
L.A. Metro’s project would create a new transit line on Vermont Avenue, stretching nearly 12.5 miles from Hollywood Boulevard to 120th Street.
Metro is exploring several options for what type of system would be built there, including Bus Rapid Transit (known as BRT), light rail and heavy rail. The goal is to connect to Metro’s B (red) Line, C (Green) Line, D (Purple) Line, and E (Expo) Line.
The End Goal
The planned route would connect dozens of neighborhoods along Vermont Avenue, including East Hollywood, Koreatown, Adams-Normandie, South L.A., Athens and Harbor Gateway North. It also includes key destinations such as Los Angeles City College, Exposition Park and USC.
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(
Courtesy L.A. Metro
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The idea is nearly a decade in the making. A Metro study published in 2013 identified Vermont Avenue as a top prospect for a rapid bus line. That approach calls for bus-only lanes, enhanced stations and prioritization at intersections to allow buses to operate more like trains — similar to the San Fernando Valley’s G (Orange) Line. Since then, the study has expanded to include rail options.
Metro officials say the project area has been identified as an “equity-focused community where nine out of 10 people identify as Black, indigenous, and people of color.”
The agency has estimated 84% of residents in the corridor do not have access to a car and 66% ride Metro five days per week.
Where To Find A Meeting
Metro is holding three in-person meetings and one virtual session over the next 15 days for residents to learn about the options and offer feedback.
- Saturday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Irmas Youth Center,
- 119911 Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90044
- 119911 Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90044
- Saturday, April 30 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at LA City College
- 855 N. Vermont AvenueLos Angeles, CA 90029
- Wednesday, May 4 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Virtual Meeting: Register at https://rebrand.ly/metrovtc
- Virtual Meeting: Register at https://rebrand.ly/metrovtc
- Saturday, May 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ward AME Church
- 1177 W. 25th StreetLos Angeles, CA 90007
What To Expect
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Metro spokesperson Patrick Chandler said the meetings “will feature free food, giveaways and interactive activities.
“Metro encourages everyone who lives, works, plays, shops, attends school and worships anywhere along the Vermont Transit Corridor to weigh-in and share their vision of the future of transit that will have an impact on this corridor for generations to come,” he said in a media release.
The project is slated to receive $425 million through Measure M, the half-cent sales tax measure L.A. County voters approved in 2016.
Metro is currently projecting that the transit line would open sometime between 2028 and 2030. But just like waiting for a Metro bus, it’s reasonable to expect delays.
To learn more about the plans for Vermont Avenue, you can visit the project page on Metro's website.
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