CA: LA Metro holding two meetings about East San Fernando Valley light-rail project

As LA Metro prepares to ramp up construction of the San Fernando Valley’s first modern light-rail line, residents and business owners will have two opportunities to learn more about the ambitious project and ask questions.

Two meetings will focus on the 9.2-mile East San Fernando Valley Light Rail project, which would extend north from Van Nuys Boulevard and the G Line (Orange) station to the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink Station, and would add 14 light rail stations.

The project is separated into two parts. The first phase would stretch 6.7 miles down the middle of busy Van Nuys Boulevard to San Fernando Road, while a second phase would travel 2.5 miles alongside the Metrolink heavy rail line into San Fernando.

The second, northerly segment is still under study. So the meetings will give details on the first segment that will  connect the communities of Van Nuys, Panorama City, Arleta and Pacoima. Phase one includes 11 new stations and a maintenance and storage facility, with stations at the Metro G Line and the Van Nuys Metrolink/Amtrak Station.

The $3.57-billion project project is scheduled to open in 2031.

It will be the first commuter rail service on Van Nuys Boulevard in more than 70 years, after the last Pacific Electric “San Fernando Valley” railway went down the boulevard in 1952.

The first meeting takes place virtually via Zoom, on Thursday, Nov. 7, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Click here for the meeting link. The link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/93513180180

The webinar ID is: 935 1318 0180. Or you may call in at 301-715-8592.

A second meeting will take place in-person on Tuesday, Nov. 12, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Alicia Broadous-Duncan Multipurpose Senior Center, 11300 Glenoaks Blvd., Pacoima, 91331. Free parking is available on site, Metro reported.

While the meetings are helpful, the president of the Pacoima Neighborhood Council would like LA Metro to send a representative to talk about the project at its monthly neighborhood council meetings.

“I want to have someone from LA Metro to come to our board meetings and give an update every month,” said Mikayeel Khan, president of the neighborhood council. “Because we have a lot of stakeholders who attend.”

He said many folks from the neighborhood, whom he called hard-working people who hold down two jobs, attend the Pacoima Neighborhood Council meetings. Many do not own a car and rely on public transportation. But the council has not heard from LA Metro in person for several months, Khan said.

At the two upcoming general meetings, LA Metro’s project team will give updates on construction activities, outreach, real estate acquisitions, job and vendor opportunities, small business programs, and programs to help businesses that will have to move to make way for the line.

There will be a question and answer segment during the meetings, said Dave Sotero, LA Metro spokesperson.

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