L.A. Metro awards Vermont Transit Corridor Planning and Environmental Study to Vermont Corridor Partners

The Los Angeles County Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) has awarded the Vermont Transit Corridor Planning and Environmental Study to the Vermont Corridor Partners (VCP), an AECOM-led joint venture with minority-owned small businesses Terry A. Hayes Associates Inc. and RAW International, Inc.

The study calls for a comprehensive bus rapid transit (BRT) and rail improvement strategy along Vermont Avenue, the second busiest transit corridor in L.A. Metro’s bus portfolio, stretching from Hollywood Boulevard to 120th St. The joint venture will play a central role in its planning, design and implementation, with an emphasis on mobility access, equity and community priorities.

“This transformation along the Vermont corridor is one of the most critical projects on L.A. Metro’s horizon,” said Matt Crane, chief executive of AECOM’s U.S. West region. “There’s great potential to improve the speed and reliability of bus service on the busiest north-south corridor in L.A. This stands as an opportunity to integrate equity from the start and develop a context-sensitive solution tailored to the community’s priorities and needs. It’s a shining example of how world-class transit can improve social and environmental outcomes for communities.”

L.A. Metro’s Vermont Transit Corridor project is comprised of several phases. In the near-term, it calls for solutions to improve existing bus service. The mid-term improvements include a 12.4-mile BRT project, along with enhanced stations, service and bus-only lanes. Long term, the project envisions rail, subject to funding availability. Once complete, the project will improve transit travel speeds, relieve crowding on current service and improve on-time performance. In addition, the improvements will increase connectivity to other L.A. Metro services, including the B and D Lines, the C Line and the E Line.

“The VCP team’s successful delivery of major transit projects across the globe, understanding of the local environment and technical expertise make us uniquely positioned to solve the city’s most complex challenges,” said Mark Southwell, chief executive of AECOM’s global transportation business. “We’re proud to continue our 40-year legacy of advancing L.A. Metro transit projects to help carry communities into the future — safely and reliably.”

The joint venture’s scope will support the project across all phases. This includes an alternatives analysis, environmental study, equity, diversity and inclusion programming and advanced design and engineering services for the BRT. In addition, it will be responsible for delivering a California Environmental Quality Act environmental clearance for both the BRT and rail alternatives. The team’s BRT and rail design teams will collaborate to address BRT design requirements for future potential rail conversion.