Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed a bill into law that repeals legislation prohibiting above ground light rail across the San Fernando Valley.
AB 577, sponsored by Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian, D-Van Nuys, becomes effective on Jan. 1, 2015.
By repealing the Robbins bill, passed in 1991, the new law allows the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or Metro, to consider putting light rail along a 3.5 mile section of the Orange Line bus way between North Hollywood and Hazeltine Avenue in Van Nuys.
“This allows the Valley to take the first step toward a 21st Century transit system, which will lead to greater connectivity to the Red Line (subway) and other transportation lines, throughout Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley,” Nazarian said in a prepared statement.
Nazarian’s bill had the backing of the Valley Industry & Commerce Association and other business organizations in the Valley. Metro, however, has not included converting the Orange Line bus way into light rail in its long-range plans.
“VICA now calls on Metro to include the Orange Line in any transportation plan it is currently processing,” Chairman Coby King said in a prepared statement.