Metro NoHo-Pasadena Corridor Bus Rapid Transit Project

Additional Public Outreach and New Project Alignment Options Presented

In May 2021, the Metro Board approved the project alignment but directed its staff to continue working with the City of Burbank to address its concerns with the project. As part of the City of Burbank’s comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report, the Burbank City Council requested two changes to the project operating in Burbank: 
 
1)  convert the bus-only lane on Olive Avenue to mixed-flow (buses operate with regular cars) to preserve parking and prevent street widening, and;
2) reconfigure the Olive Avenue overpass to construct a BRT station directly above the Metrolink Station to provide a seamless connection to the trains below
 
In response to the City's request, in October 2021 Metro presented an additional project alternative to provide bus lanes on Olive Avenue.  The two options Metro is now considering include:
 
Option 1:  Curb Running Bus Lane with Street Parking Removed
Reconfigure Olive to provide 2 vehicle lanes each direction, center turn lane, and one bus lane each direction. Street parking removal and 1-2 feet of widening each side would be required

Option 2: Side Running Bus Lane with Travel Lane Removed
Reconfigure Olive to provide 1 vehicle lane each direction, center turn lane, and one bus lane each direction.  Street parking on Olive would remain, and no widening would be required.
 
Next Steps
The next step in the project is for Metro to prepare a Final Environmental Impact Report, which is a document required by the California Environmental Quality Act.  The purpose of the FEIR is for Metro to formally respond to all the comments received during the Draft Environmental Impact Report public comment period, which occurred in late 2020.  Once this document is released, the public is provided with a 10-day public comment period to provide additional comments on the project.  After the FEIR public comment period, the Metro Board of Directors will be asked to approve the FEIR and approve the project to move forward to design and construction.

Metro expects to return to the Board of Directors in late 2021 or early 2022 to seek approval of the Final Environmental Impact Report and to make a final approval on the project alignment during a public meeting where the public can provide comments.  Metro indicates this will likely occur in late January 2022 during the regular Metro Board of Directors meeting. In addition, the Burbank City Council will be asked to approve a FEIR comment letter and to take a formal position on the project in January 2021.

Should the project be approved, construction would begin in 2023 and the project would open in 2024.

Draft Environmental Impact Report and Metro Board Approval

Metro completed a Draft Environmental Impact Report for the project in late 2020, and is now responding to all the comments received during the public comment period.  In addition, in Spring 2021 the Metro Board of Directors voted to approve the project's alignment and proceed with preparation of a Final Environmental Impact Report, while directing staff to work with the City of Burbank and the other corridor cities to address comments received.  Metro continues to receive comments about the project, and Metro's project contact information is listed below:

Email: [email protected]
 Phone: (213) 418-3228
 Mail: 
Scott Hartwell (Project Manager)
Metro
One Gateway Plaza
Mail Stop 99-2-6
Los Angeles, CA 90012