Metro moved a step closer to extending the Orange Line today when it released a Locally Preferred Alternative for an extension from Canoga Park to Chatsworth. As Metro notes in its press release, the Metro Board still needs to approve the staff's recommendation and then go into the final environmental review before the project can be funded and built.
You can read Metro's full release after the jump:
L.A.METRO SELECTS BUSWAY ON EXISTING RAILROADRIGHT-OF-WAY AS LOCALLY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE FORPOSSIBLE EXTENSION OF METRO ORANGE LINE TO CHATSWORTH
TheLos Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) todayreleased a Locally Preferred Alternative for the Canoga TransportationCorridor Project, a possible northern extension of the successful MetroOrange Line service
Agencystaff will recommend to the Metro Board that it select a busway alternativeon a Metro-owned former railroad right-of-way for the potential four-mileservice extension from the current busway terminus in Canoga Park toChatsworth
TheLocally Preferred Alternative is the result a one-year environmentalreview process that evaluated potential impacts for transit servicealong several possible corridors, including Metro’s own existing railroadright-of-way, Canoga Avenue, De Soto Avenue, and Topanga Canyon Boulevard.The Canoga Busway alternative was chosen because of its cost-effectivenesscompared to other on-street dedicated bus lane alternatives, minimalenvironmental impacts, improved safety and quicker transit travel times.
Metrostaff’s recommended Locally Preferred Alternative includes a gradeseparation over Metrolink/Union Pacific tracks and Lassen Street thatenables the busway to directly enter the Chatsworth Metrolink Station
Theprojected cost of this recommended alternative is $191 million in December2007 dollars
TheMetro Board of Directors will consider staff’s recommendation at itsJune 26 Board meeting at Metro’s headquarters building in downtownLos Angeles. If the Board approves the recommended alternative,the project would then move into its Final EIR and preliminary engineeringphase.
Toobtain a copy of the LPA report or to view a project map, visit www.metro.net/canoga.
Image: Metro
