L.A. Metro issues go-ahead to two private firms developing transit concepts for Sepulveda Corridor

Notices to Proceed have been issued by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) to two private sector teams to officially begin pre-development work on Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project concepts for a new, high-capacity transit line that will connect the San Fernando Valley with the Westside and eventually LAX. 

Pre-Development Agreement (PDA) contracts have now been signed and will allow Sepulveda Transit Corridor Partners – Bechtel to further develop its proposed heavy rail transit concept and L.A. SkyRail Express to continue developing its proposed monorail concept. 

“With our partner teams now able to begin refining their concepts, Metro can begin preparing for the environmental phase — the first step in delivering a project that will address our notorious traffic problems in the Sepulveda Pass, 405 and neighboring communities,” said L.A. Metro Board Chair and Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Hilda L. Solis. “This project will offer a tremendous alternative to driving in the region and will bring new transit opportunities to a car-centric region that places transit riders at the forefront.” 

L.A. Metro is scheduled to begin its environmental review process for the project this fall. Alternatives for the project, including concepts from PDA partner teams, will be refined as part of this process and will include extensive public feedback and technical analysis. 

If the L.A. Metro Board selects a PDA concept as the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA), the selected private sector team may have an opportunity to submit a proposal to build and potentially help finance the project. L.A. Metro notes it retains the right to pursue a different project and delivery path if required, giving the agency the most flexibility to build a project that meets its requirements. 

L.A. Metro’s Notices to Proceed follow the board’s approval earlier this year of a $69.9-million contract to Sepulveda Transit Corridor Partners – Bechtel and a $63.6-million contract to L.A. SkyRail Express.  

“With all the agreements now in place, we are confident we will succeed in supporting a process that will benefit future transit riders in this crucial corridor,” said L.A. Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins. “We will be customer-focused and committed to public transparency and inclusion during every step of this process.” 

PDAs enable early contractor involvement in L.A. Metro’s transit project and increase the likelihood that the project can be built via a public-private partnership that allows for innovations in design, engineering, construction approach, financing and operations.  

The PDAs will bring the expertise and creativity of the private sector to the table early when critical design and engineering decisions can have the greatest impact on the project’s ultimate success. The idea of using a PDA on the Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project was a critical component of several unsolicited proposals submitted to L.A. Metro’s Office of Extraordinary Innovation in 2016. 

The Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project is funded in part by Measure M, the transportation sales tax approved by 71 percent of Los Angeles County voters in 2016. The total project will receive $9.5 billion in funding from Measure M and other local, state and federal sources.