Vermont Transit Corridor


The Vermont Transit Line is a proposed 12.5 mile bus rapid transit or heavy rail subway line in the Metro Busway network in Los Angeles, California. It is planned to operate on a north to south route on Vermont Avenue between the Red Line's Vermont/Sunset station and the Green Line's Vermont/Athens station on the Metro Rail system. The project feasibility study was released in February 2019 with a proposed completion date of 2028 for BRT and 2067 for rail. It is part of Metro's Twenty-eight by '28 initiative. Funded by Measure M. The route will have signal priority at traffic lights and will have a dedicated right of way. Metro reports the cost is $425 million.

History

This corridor is currently the second busiest bus corridor in ridership with 45,000 boarding per work day. Metro estimates this BRT will have 75,000 weekday boarding's once completed. For that reason, a LRT and HRT are also being developed. Metro is looking for ways to accelerate the option. Per metro, HRT or any rail option has no scheduled funds until after 2067.

Initial Alternative Analysis

Two alternative analyses were developed. A BRT option and a conversion to rail.
Metro currently plans to construct BRT with various stations along its route, per metro each bus station one mile apart. Metro will study two options for bus rapid transit.
These feasibility options were sent to formal environmental review status. Metro plans to commence the Draft Environmental Impact Report with the options by 2019. Metro planned budget for BRT is $425 Million.
For rail, concepts have been published in the feasibility study. Metro also contents there are no monies assigned for rail. Thse concepts were published.
Destinations along the route include Exposition Park and its museums Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, the Natural History Museum and the California Science Center. Also, local sports stadiums, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the Banc of California Stadium. USC is along the route. It would also connect with Expo Line at Expo/Vermont station.
The following table shows potential BRT metro stations, per feasibility study from North to South. Also listed are potential LRT and HRT stations.
BRT Station OptionsAlt 1 BRTAlt 2 LRTAlt 3 HRTConnecting
rail services		Community
Vermont/Sunset station ×-×
Red Line
Little Armenia, East Hollywood
Vermont/Santa Monica station ×-×
Red Line
Thai Town
Vermont/Beverly station ×-×
Red Line
Wilshire Center
Vermont/3rd St. station×--Koreatown
Wilshire/Vermont station ×××
Red Line
Purple Line
Koreatown
Vermont/Pico station×××Pico Union
Expo/Vermont station ×××
E Line
Expo Park, USC
Vermont/Vernon station×--
Vermont/Slauson station×××SoLA
Vermont/Florence station××-
Vermont/Manchester station×××Vermont Vista
Vermont/Century station××-
Vermont/Athens station ××-
Green Line
Athens
Vermont/120th St. station-××Harbor Gateway, Los Angeles Southwest College