Pasadena Rapid Bus to Hollywood Could Be Metro’s First Measure M Project

Los Angeles City and County officials with Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek and Vice Mayor Gene Masuda joined in late February of 2016 to celebrate the launch of the “NoHo to Pasadena Express” pilot bus service. Now, a year and election later, the 501 Express could be one of the first projects paid for by Measure M, Metro’s half-cent sales tax increase approved by Los Angeles County voters last November.

A rapid bus line between Pasadena and North Hollywood could be one of the first projects paid for by Measure M, Metro’s half-cent sales tax increase approved by Los Angeles County voters last November.

The plan calls for building bus-only lanes for much of the route, which could have additional stops and an even faster commute than the Metro 501 express bus already running between the two cities, closing the loop between the Gold Line in Pasadena and the Red and Orange Lines in North Hollywood.

The ride on the Metro 501 bus now takes about 45 minutes, with stops in Burbank and Glendale.

According to KPCC, construction could cost between about $120 million and $450 million. The project could break ground in 2020.

With the new rapid bus line, Metro hopes to convert about 700,000 daily car trips – mostly single-occupant trips – between Pasadena and North Hollywood into transit that will hit major commercial centers in the four centers covered by the route, while avoiding much of the traffic by using bus-only lanes, the KPCC report said.

In a technical study released this month, Metro is proposing two options for the rapid bus route – one serving more potential riders and destinations by routing on about 18 miles of surface streets, and the other a bit faster, covering about 16 miles, but more limited by traveling mostly on the 134 freeway.

Metro will present recommendations on the plan to the board later this year and then begin the environmental review process, the report said.