Metro Rail Bus/Rail Interface Planning
Anyone who attended the public hearing for the bus service change proposals as the Metro Red Line moved closer to its start date of service to the Valley saw this map as the first page of the hearing documents:
But have you ever wondered what the planners were thinking before that map was created?
These two maps show the original MOS-3 Metro Bus service changes that were under consideration when discussions were started in February, 1998.
Early proposals shown here which were not included in the final MOS-3 bus/rail interface were:
Line 154 was proposed to be realigned to Ventura Blvd. between Encino and Sherman Oaks. This was apparently an attempt to implement the 1997 staff proposal for this line despite the Valley transit zone application freezing implementation.
Line 163 was proposed to have an alternate route connecting Sherman Way to North Hollywood Station via Vineland Ave. on some trips. That proposal was eliminated after numerous negative comments at the November, 1999 public hearing.
Line 364 was proposed to operate limited-stop on Victory Blvd. between Warner Center Transit Center and North Hollywood Station. LADOT had considered this as a realignment of Line 413, but they ultimately rejected the concept.
Line 230 was proposed to be extended via Ventura Blvd. from Studio City to Universal City Station. It was later proposed to deviate to North Hollywood Station instead, but that also received numerous negative comments at the public hearing.
Line 418 was proposed for restructuring into Line 352, realigned to operate via the Hollywood Freeway (SR-170) between Roscoe Blvd. and North Hollywood Station (partially implemented as part of an alternate route version of Line 418 in June, 1999). After the public hearing in November, the proposal was modified to operate limited-stop service on Laurel Canyon Blvd. between Roscoe Blvd. and Chandler Blvd. (which did get implemented when the express service was cancelled in June, 2003), but was eliminated after one of the MTA directors voiced objections to it. By the time the 418 line number was dropped -- in June, 2005 -- the 352 number was no longer available for assignment and Line 418 was renumbered Line 353 instead.
LADOT Line 419 was proposed for restructuring into limited-stop/express Line 519, operating from Chatsworth to North Hollywood Station. LADOT rejected this.
Line 426 was proposed for restructuring into limited-stop Line 363. This was an apparent attempt to get approval to remove the line from the BRU "pilot project" list. The line number was finally changed in June, 2005; straightlining to operate direct via Sherman Way and Lankershim Blvd. -- as shown above -- finally was implemented in December, 2006.
Line 427 was proposed to be renumbered Line 527, and operate only between Warner Center Transit Center and Universal City Station. It was instead cancelled.
(Thanks to Carol Silver at MTA for providing the above maps.)
