Sherman Oaks Homeowners Oppose Above-Ground Transit Plans

SHERMAN OAKS, CA -- The Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association has sent a letter to LA Metro indicating its members' opposition to any plan to place above-ground Sepulveda Corridor transit in the Valley.

The 11-page letter, dated Feb. 5, is in response to Metro’s revealing four options for a public transit project along the Sepulveda Corridor. The project's goal is to become an alternative to the 405 freeway route between the San Fernando Valley and L.A.’s Westside. The project's Valley portion is mostly centered in Sherman Oaks.

Metro released the four different transit concepts under consideration in January. Two are underground heavy railways to run from the Van Nuys Orange Line station to the Expo Line in West L.A. and two hybrid options including ground-level or aerial transportation in the Valley.

Metro hopes to complete the project before the 2028 Olympics.

In its letter, which is addressed to Metro's Sepulveda Transit Corridor Corridor project manager, and was posted online by the LA Daily News, the homeowners association said that it "will strongly oppose any concept that is not fully underground in Sherman Oaks."

"We are home to one of the nation’s most congested intersections – Sepulveda Boulevard at Ventura Boulevard – and want nothing at grade or aerial that worsens our congestion,” the letter reads in part.

The homeowners association indicated that Metro is expected to address its comments during the next SOHA meeting, scheduled for March 20.

Image courtesy LA Metro