Wikipedia

North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit Project

(Redirected from Eagle Rock Plaza station)

The North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit Project (formerly the North Hollywood to Pasadena Transit Corridor[2]) is a proposed 18-mile (29 km) bus rapid transit line in Los Angeles County, California. It is planned to operate between the North Hollywood station and Pasadena.[3][4]

 North Hollywood to Pasadena
Bus Rapid Transit Project
Overview
StatusApproved; construction underway
Termini
Stations22
Websitewww.metro.net/projects/noho-pasadena-corridor/
Service
TypeBus rapid transit
SystemLos Angeles Metro Busway
Operator Los Angeles Metro
History
Planned opening2028; 2 years' time (2028)[1]
Route map

Legend
G Line to Chatsworth
 North Hollywood
B Line‍G Line Parking
B Line to Union Station
 Vineland/Hesby
 Olive/Riverside
 Alameda/Naomi
 Olive/Verdugo
 Olive/Lake
Parking
Metrolink and Amtrak
I-5 (1961).svg I-5
 Olive/San Fernando
 Glenoaks/Alameda
 Glenoaks/Western
 Glenoaks/Grandview
 Glenoaks/Pacific
California 134.svg SR 134
 Central/Lexington
 Broadway/Brand
 Broadway/Glendale
 Broadway/Verdugo
California 2.svg SR 2
 Eagle Rock Plaza
 Colorado/Eagle Rock
 Colorado/Townsend
 Memorial Park
A Line
 Colorado/Los Robles
 Colorado/Lake
 Colorado/Hill
Handicapped/disabled access All stations are accessible
This diagram:

It will be the third line in the Los Angeles Metro Busway system, along with the G Line and the J Line.

Construction began in Pasadena in April 2026, with corridor-wide construction set for summer 2026. Construction is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027, with the line open for revenue service ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics.[5]

Service Description

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Route description

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The route will run between North Hollywood and Pasadena, serving 22 stations.

The line's western terminus is North Hollywood station, shared with the B Line and G Line. The line briefly runs east before heading south to the Vineland/Hesby station. It then heads east on State Route 134 to the Olive/Riverside and Alameda/Naomi stations in the Burbank Media District. It next heads northeast along Olive Avenue toward downtown Burbank, stopping at Olive/Verdugo, Olive/Lake and Olive/San Fernando.

East of downtown Burbank, the route heads southeast on Glenoaks Boulevard, stopping at Glenoaks/Alameda on the Burbank-Glendale border before continuing to Glenoaks/Western, Glenoaks/Grandview and Glenoaks/Pacific. It then crosses over the Verdugo Wash and State Route 134 as it heads south on Central Avenue, stopping at Central/Lexington before turning east on Broadway. The route then stops at Broadway/Brand, Broadway/Glendale and Broadway/Verdugo before heading into Eagle Rock.

Traveling east on Colorado Boulevard, the route has stations at Eagle Rock Plaza, Colorado/Eagle Rock and Colorado/Townsend. The route then heads east again on State Route 134, exiting at Fair Oaks Avenue and heading toward Memorial Park station, shared with the A Line. It finally heads east on Colorado Boulevard, stopping at Colorado/Los Robles, Colorado/Lake and Colorado/Hill, adjacent to Pasadena City College.

Schedule and frequency

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The line's proposed schedule is 4 A.M.-1 A.M. Monday-Thursday, 4 A.M.-3 A.M. Friday-Saturday, and 4 A.M.-1 A.M. Sunday.[6]

Time 4–6 A.M. 6–9 A.M. 9 A.M.-3 P.M. 3-7 P.M. 7-9 P.M. 9 P.M.-12 A.M. Owl
Weekday 20 min. 10 min. 15 min. 20 min. 20 min.
Weekend/Holiday 30 min. 15 min. 30 min. 30 min.

Station list

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The following table lists the stations of the line, from west to east:

Stations Date Opening City/Neighborhood Major connections and notes[7][8]
North Hollywood 2028 Los Angeles
(North Hollywood)		 LA Metro: B Line‍G Line
Bicycle facilities Bicycle: Metro Bike Share, Chandler Boulevard Bike Path (east), G Line Bikeway (west)
Parking Park and ride: 1,085 spaces
Major attractions: Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, El Portal Theater
Vineland/Hesby Major attractions: NoHo Arts District
Olive/Riverside Burbank Major attractions: Disney XD, New York Film Academy, Warner Bros. Studios
Alameda/Naomi Major attractions: The Burbank Studios, Fremantle, iHeartMedia, KCET, Legendary Entertainment, Providence High School, Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, The Walt Disney Studios
Olive/Verdugo Major attractions: John Burroughs High School
Olive/Lake Amtrak Amtrak: Pacific Surfliner
Metrolink (California) Metrolink: Antelope Valley Ventura County

Parking Park and ride: 458 spaces
Bicycle facilities Bicycle: Burbank Channel Bikeway
Major attractions: Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Olive/San Fernando Major attractions: Burbank City Hall, Burbank Courthouse, Burbank High School, Burbank Town Center
Glenoaks/Alameda Burbank (south)
Glendale (north)
Glenoaks/Western Glendale
Glenoaks/Grandview Major attractions: DreamWorks Animation, Grand Central Creative Campus, KABC-TV
Glenoaks/Pacific Major attractions: Casa Adobe de San Rafael, Herbert Hoover High School
Central/Lexington Major attractions: Consulate General of Armenia in Los Angeles, Consulate General of the Dominican Republic in Los Angeles
Broadway/Brand Major attractions: Alex Theatre, Americana at Brand, Armenian American Museum, Glendale Galleria, Martial Arts History Museum, Museum of Neon Art
Broadway/Glendale Major attractions: Glendale City Hall, Glendale Courthouse
Broadway/Verdugo Major attractions: Glendale High School
Eagle Rock Plaza Los Angeles
(Eagle Rock)		 Major attractions: Eagle Rock Plaza
Colorado/Eagle Rock Major attractions: Center for the Arts Eagle Rock, Vidiots
Colorado/Townsend
Memorial Park Pasadena LA Metro: A Line
Major attractions: Old Pasadena
Colorado/Los Robles Major attractions: Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena City Hall, The Paseo, USC Pacific Asia Museum
Colorado/Lake Major attractions: Pasadena Playhouse
Colorado/Hill Major attractions: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena City College

History

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Planning

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Early concepts

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Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announcing the launch of Metro route 501 in 2016.

The North Hollywood–Pasadena corridor was identified by Metro as a potential bus rapid transit route in its 2013 Los Angeles County Bus Rapid Transit and Street Design Improvement Study, which noted that the "corridor also has strong support from the affected cities of Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank, and the Burbank Bob Hope Airport." The report called for a detailed corridor study for the route, which was anticipated to require approximately 18 to 24 months to complete. Metro also suggested that the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) consider modifying their existing peak‐hour Commuter Express route 549 — which operates between Encino and Pasadena, mostly along State Route 134 — to a more frequent, all-day service while the detailed corridor study is conducted.[9]

In March 2016, Metro launched its own express route, between North Hollywood station and Del Mar station in Pasadena: route 501, marketed as "NoHo-Pasadena Express."[10] Metro boardmember and Glendale councilmember Ara Najarian suggested that if the line proved successful, "it could provide the justification we need to consider even greater transit investments in this corridor."[11]

Studies and funding

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On the November 2016 ballot, Metro proposed a $120 billion plan to expand upon 2008 Los Angeles County Measure R, adding new transit projects and expediting others previously approved under Measure R. Measure M, named the "Los Angeles County Traffic Improvement Plan," would make Measure R permanent and add an additional half-cent sales tax. The referendum included dedicated funding for a North Hollywood–Pasadena bus rapid transit project,[12][13] with funding for a conversion to rail available beginning in 2067.[14] Measure M passed with 70.15% of the vote, clearing the two-thirds majority required.[15] At the time, Metro noted that "[t]he project could be converted to a rail service at a later date if ridership demand outgrows the bus rapid service capacity."[16]

The North Hollywood to Pasadena BRT Corridor Technical Study, completed in March 2017, explored the feasibility and performance of implementing bus rapid transit, including dedicated bus lanes, enhanced stations, all-door boarding, and transit signal priority. It also identified two initial BRT concepts ("Primary Street" and "Primary Freeway"), including multiple route options.[17]

In January 2018, Metro incorporated the project into the "Twenty-eight by '28" plan to complete 28 major road, transit and bicycle projects before the 2028 Summer Olympics and 2028 Summer Paralympics.[18] That April, the project received state transit capital grant funds from California State Transportation Agency's (CalSTA) Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP), funded by the Road Repair and Accountability Act (California Senate Bill 1).[19] The North Hollywood to Pasadena BRT Corridor Planning and Environmental Study was initiated in August 2018 to further study the project, and included extensive public outreach efforts.[20]

By 2019, the planning process had become contentious, with anti-BRT activists in Eagle Rock seeking to route the line along State Route 134 instead of Colorado Boulevard.[21]

Environmental review process

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In November 2020, Metro released the project's Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR).[22] Metro noted that charging infrastructure for battery electric busses would be available at the North Hollywood Station and Pasadena City College termini, as well as at its Division 9 bus depot in El Monte, where busses would be stored. The construction of the proposed project was expected to last approximately 24 to 30 months.[23]

In response to the DEIR, a pro-BRT activist group named Eagle Rock Forward created a proposal, entitled "Beautiful Boulevard," to improve walkability along the Eagle Rock segment of the planned route.[24]

In April 2022, Metro approved the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the line.[25] Key revisions from the DEIR include the relocation of a proposed station on the Olive Avenue bridge in Burbank.[26] A July 2022 lawsuit alleged that the meeting where the FEIR was approved allegedly violated California's Brown Act.[27] The lawsuit failed in December 2023.[28]

In August 2022, the United States Department of Transportation awarded a $104 million grant to Metro for the purchase and deployment of 160 battery electric buses as well as for the procurement and installation of enroute and depot charging stations, including at Division 9.[29]

In December 2024, the Metro Board of Directors approved moving into the construction phase of the project.[30] Metro awarded the contract for the pre-construction services phase to Myers-Shimmick, a joint venture between Myers & Sons Construction and Shimmick Construction Company.[31]

Construction

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At a May 2025 presentation to the Glendale City Council, Metro stated that construction on the line would begin as soon as June 2025.[32] In September 2025, Metro began locating and identifying underground utilities along the route.[33][34][35]

Despite NIMBY opposition to the Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act (California Senate Bill 79), which preempts local government control of land zoning within one half-mile of certain public transportation stations, Metro is moving forward with the project, and will "closely coordinate with the cities of Los Angeles, Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena" as it finalizes the design "in accordance with the Metro Board approved project."[36][37]

Construction began in Pasadena in April 2026,[38] with corridor-wide construction set for summer 2026. Construction is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027, with the line open for revenue service ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics.[39][40]

In May 2026, Metro filed a petition for a writ of mandate, asking the court to order City of Burbank to permit planned bus lanes on Olive Avenue. Metro argues that, under the California Environmental Quality Act and an agreement between Metro and the City, the City does not have the authority to refuse construction permits.[41][42]

A ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony took place on May 27, 2026 at Glendale City Hall's Perkins Plaza, with numerous Metro, County, municipal and labor representatives in attendance.[43] At the event, Metro boardmember Ara Najarian spoke against opponents of the line, noting that "This is what the voters of LA County asked for and Metro respects those votes, those wishes and desires and financial sacrifices that the people of LA County demanded. Metro will not shirk or ignore that responsibility"[44]

Operations

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Maintenance

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The line will operate out of Metro's Division 9 bus depot in El Monte.[45]

Fleet

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As of February 2026, Metro is testing a 40-foot Ebusco 3.0 electric bus for possible use on the line.[46]

Proposed developments

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Conversion to rail

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Metro light rail
Metro light rail
Metro heavy rail
Metro heavy rail

In 2016, Metro noted that "[t]he project could be converted to a rail service at a later date if ridership demand outgrows the bus rapid service capacity."[47] Measure M, a referendum passed later that year, allows funding for rail conversion of the line beginning in 2067.[48]

In 2021, California State Assembly member Chris Holden secured $1 million for California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) for a study of an L Line extension to the Hollywood Burbank Airport.[49][50]

In 2024, Metro released a report on possible light rail or heavy rail conversion of the line. A feasibility study has been requested to study the following routes:[51]

  1. New Rail Alternative: The route would travel east from North Hollywood station at-grade along Chandler Boulevard — with an optional Hollywood Burbank Airport connection — then possibly interlining with Metrolink and travelling along the Verdugo Wash, before being routed along the median of State Route 134 to Pasadena, where it would end in an underground connection with the Metro A Line.
  2. BRT Conversion Alternative: The route would mostly travel at-grade along the BRT route, likely tunneling below downtown Burbank and downtown Glendale.

References

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  1. ↑ "North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit". Los Angeles Metro. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  2. ↑ "NoHo To Pasadena Transit Corridor Fact Sheet". Los Angeles Metro. Fall 2020. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  3. ↑ Chen, Anna (July 24, 2019). "NoHo to Pasadena BRT Project community open house to be held on Aug. 7". The Source. Los Angeles Metro.
  4. ↑ Hymon, Steve (June 28, 2019). "Scoping meetings for NoHo to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit project begin July 9". The Source. Los Angeles Metro.
  5. ↑ "North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit: BRIEF PROJECT UPDATE: MARCH 2026" (PDF). Retrieved March 2, 2026.
  6. ↑ "02.25.26 Community Meeting - NoHo to Pas BRT Presentation" (PDF). Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Metro B Line (Red)". www.metro.net. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Metro Parking Lots by Line". www.metro.net. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Los Angeles County Bus Rapid Transit and Street Design Improvement Study" (PDF). Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  10. ↑ Bartholomew, Dana (April 14, 2016). "Transit leaders make push to keep NoHo-Pasadena Express bus on track". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  11. ↑ Debbie L. Sklar (February 29, 2016). "NoHo-Pasadena Express or Line 501 starts service Tuesday". MyNewsLA. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  12. ↑ "North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit". Los Angeles Metro. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  13. ↑ Nelson, Laura J. (March 18, 2016). "MTA shows what taxpayers will get if they OK a $120-billion sales tax increase". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
  14. ↑ Eddie Rivera (August 11, 2016). "Metro Studies New Rapid 'Smart' Bus Corridor from Pasadena to North Hollywood". Pasadena Now. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
  15. ↑ "LA County Election Results". www.lavote.net. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
  16. ↑ Steve Hymon (November 8, 2016). "Measure M project descriptions". Metro. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  17. ↑ "North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Project Final EIR Executive Summary". Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  18. ↑ Steve Hymon (January 25, 2018). "Twenty-Eight by '28 Plan approved; Metro Board meeting roundup". Metro. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  19. ↑ Joe Linton (April 27, 2018). "Which Southern California Projects Will Get CA Transpo Funding Announced Yesterday". Streetsblog Los Angeles. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  20. ↑ "North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Project Final EIR Executive Summary". Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  21. ↑ Joe Linton (July 15, 2019). "At Packed Eagle Rock Meeting, Public Comment Split While BRT Foes Harrassed [sic] BRT Supporters". Streetsblog Los Angeles. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  22. ↑ Joe Linton (November 12, 2020). "Metro North Hollywood-to-Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit Meetings Tonight and Saturday". Streetsblog Los Angeles. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  23. ↑ "North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Project Draft Environmental Impact Report". Retrieved March 24, 2026.
  24. ↑ Joe Linton (February 19, 2021). "Community-Led 'Beautiful Boulevard' Plan Puts Bus Rapid Transit into a Walkable Downtown Eagle Rock". Streetsblog Los Angeles. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  25. ↑ Linton, Joe (April 28, 2022). "Metro Board Approves Bus Rapid Transit through North Hollywood, Burbank, Glendale, Eagle Rock, and Pasadena". Streetsblog Los Angeles. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  26. ↑ "North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Project Final EIR, Attachment A" (PDF). Retrieved April 10, 2026.
  27. ↑ "numble on Twitter: "LA Metro has been sued for violating the Brown Act at its April 2022 board meeting which approved the Final EIR for the North Hollywood to Pasadena BRT. The lawsuit says the decision to approve the Final EIR should be voided and that the Board needs to re-do the approval. / Twitter". Archived from the original on September 11, 2022. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  28. ↑ "Eagle Rock bus line lawsuit fails and other news of note". The Eastsider LA. January 2, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  29. ↑ Rick Jager (August 16, 2022). "USDOT Awards $104 Million Federal Grant to L.A. Metro for Zero Emission Electric Buses and Infrastructure". Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  30. ↑ Joe Linton (December 5, 2024). "Metro Approval Sets Stage for Construction of NoHo-Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit Line". Streetsblog Los Angeles. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  31. ↑ Joe Linton (December 5, 2024). "Metro Approval Sets Stage for Construction of NoHo-Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit Line". Streetsblog Los Angeles. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
  32. ↑ Tristan Longwell (May 12, 2025). "Metro's 'Premier' Bus Line to Break Ground in June". Glendale News-Press. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
  33. ↑ "Metro to Begin Utility Exploration Construction for the BRT Project". MyBurbank. August 29, 2026. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  34. ↑ Gavin J. Quinton (August 30, 2025). "Metro Prepares Olive Avenue for Bus Rapid Transit Construction". Burbank Leader. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
  35. ↑ "Road work begins on dedicated bus lane in Eagle Rock and more news and notes". The Eastsider LA. October 6, 2025. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  36. ↑ Ben Christopher (October 22, 2025). "Why California's historic housing law gave activists a new reason to battle the bus". CalMatters. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  37. ↑ Tristan Longwell (March 13, 2026). "Glendale Braces for Impacts of State Housing Bill". Glendale News-Press. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
  38. ↑ "Nine Weeks of Bus Lane Construction Starts Today — Here's What Pasadena Drivers Need to Know". Pasadena Now. April 13, 2026. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
  39. ↑ "North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit: BRIEF PROJECT UPDATE: MARCH 2026" (PDF). Retrieved March 2, 2026.
  40. ↑ Steven Sharp (April 15, 2026). "Work getting underway for NoHo-Pasadena BRT Line". Urbanize LA. Retrieved March 15, 2026.
  41. ↑ Joe Linton (May 21, 2026). "Thursday's Headlines". Streetsblog Los Angeles. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
  42. ↑ Kavish Harjai (May 21, 2026). "LA Metro is suing Burbank over construction permits for a regional transit project". LAist. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
  43. ↑ Tristan Longwell (June 5, 2026). "Metro's Bus Rapid Transit Breaks Ground". Glendale News-Press. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  44. ↑ Julie Butcher (June 4, 2026). "Groundbreaking for BRT". Crescenta Valley Weekly. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  45. ↑ "North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Project Draft Environmental Impact Report". Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  46. ↑ "Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) Program Update – February 2026" (PDF). Metro Board. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  47. ↑ Steve Hymon (November 8, 2016). "Measure M project descriptions". Metro. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  48. ↑ Eddie Rivera (August 11, 2016). "Metro Studies New Rapid 'Smart' Bus Corridor from Pasadena to North Hollywood". Pasadena Now. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
  49. ↑ "Holden Legislation to Provide Funds for Pasadena Central and Altadena Libraries, Playhouse, Gold Line-to-Airport Extension Study". Pasadena Now. June 29, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  50. ↑ "SB-129 Budget Act of 2021". July 13, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
  51. ↑ "North Hollywood-Burbank-Pasadena Rail Transit Feasability Study". February 8, 2025. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
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