East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project

Under Construction

6.7-mile, 11-station street-running light rail line in the middle of Van Nuys Boulevard, from the Metro G Line in Van Nuys to San Fernando Road in Pacoima, with transfers to Metrolink at Van Nuys and at a new Pacoima Metrolink station. Major construction began in October 2026 on a $4.0 billion budget, and the line is due to open in 2031–2032. The originally planned 2.5-mile northern segment to Sylmar/San Fernando was dropped in favor of the Pacoima station.

Alignment Map

Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Alignment is approximate.

Alignment

The East San Fernando Valley line is a 6.7-mile light rail line running at street level in the middle of Van Nuys Boulevard, from the Metro G Line in Van Nuys north to San Fernando Road in Pacoima. Its 11 at-grade stations, about three-quarters of a mile apart, are Van Nuys (G Line), Victory, Vanowen, Sherman Way, Van Nuys Metrolink, Roscoe, Nordhoff, Woodman, Arleta, Laurel Canyon and San Fernando. It connects with the G Line busway at its southern end and with Metrolink and Amtrak at the Van Nuys station. A 26-acre rail maintenance facility is part of the project.

The project originally included a second phase continuing about 2.5 miles north-west along San Fernando Road, sharing the Metrolink Antelope Valley Line right-of-way, to the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink station. In late 2025 Metro instead chose to end the light rail at San Fernando Road and build a new infill Metrolink station there in Pacoima. Metro says the northern extension remains under study but is not approved or funded.

Updates

2026-10 — Major construction begins

Metro broke ground on major construction on October 19. The project costs nearly $4 billion, funded from federal, state and local sources including Measure M. Metro expects construction to finish in late 2031 and the line to open in 2032, although some reports cite an October 2031 operations target.

2026-07 — $2.43 billion design-build contract moves into construction

Skanska announced that its joint venture with Stacy Witbeck, San Fernando Transit Constructors, holds a $2.43 billion progressive design-build contract, covering preconstruction and early works, the line, 11 stations, the 26-acre maintenance facility and utility relocation. Skanska said construction began in July 2026, with completion expected in December 2031.

2026-05 — Board approves $3.999 billion budget

The Metro Board approved a life-of-project budget of $3.999 billion for the line from the G Line to San Fernando Road. It also approved an amendment to the design-build contract with San Fernando Transit Constructors, the Skanska-led contractor.

2025-12 — Northern segment dropped in favor of a Pacoima Metrolink station

A Metro committee approved a staff recommendation in November to end the line at San Fernando Road, which removed the planned 2.5-mile second phase along the Metrolink corridor to the city of San Fernando. The full board confirmed the change in December. Staff cited the crowded, complicated right-of-way, and noted that more frequent trains would mean more crossing-gate delays for drivers. A new Pacoima Metrolink infill station will be built instead.

2024-09 — $893 million federal grant secured

Metro received an $893 million Full Funding Grant Agreement from the Federal Transit Administration, the first under FTA’s Expedited Project Delivery Pilot Program, completing the project’s funding. The state had awarded $600 million from the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program in January 2023.

2022-12 — Utility relocation begins

Advance utility relocation along Van Nuys Boulevard started on December 2, 2022, ahead of the main construction contract.

2018 — Board selects light rail

Metro’s board chose at-grade light rail for the East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor. The staff recommendation at the time called for 14 stations on a 9.2-mile line from the G Line to the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink station.

References