Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Howard L. Berman and U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer wrote U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today in support of an MTA grant application for a $22 million project to construct a new entrance to the North Hollywood station.

This will allow Orange Line passengers to transfer directly to Red Line trains without having to cross Lankershim Blvd.  The grant is expected to be awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) this summer. It would eliminate the hazardous pedestrian crossing across Lankershim Blvd. that Orange Line passengers must make to transfer Red Line service at North Hollywood Station. 

"This project is about creating jobs and putting people back to work, while increasing safety for the many Valley transit riders using the North Hollywood station,” said U.S. Rep. Howard Berman. “This is a priority for tens of thousands of MTA riders, and this critical safety improvement is a fight that must be taken to Washington, DC.”

If approved by the DOT, work could begin as early as this fall -- and is estimated to create 400 construction-related jobs throughout the duration of the project.  Construction would not affect Orange Line or Red Line service. 

The letter appears here.

Background

An average of 24,000 passengers a day crosses Lankershim Blvd. transferring between Orange and Red Line services.  These numbers are expected to increase to an estimated 30,000 to 32,000 when the new Orange Line extension to Canoga Park is opened this summer.  The DOT grant program, known as TIGER IV, will fund 80% of the total project cost, with the remainder to be provided by MTA.  Congressman Berman helped bring subway service to the Valley by working to secure federal funding for the Red Line extension to North Hollywood.  Congressman Berman also strongly backed the creation of the Orange Line and addressed concerns about pedestrian safety within the route’s immediate vicinity.