Los Angeles is at a pivotal moment. Just as the city once transformed its image from the smog capital of the nation into a global leader in environmental sustainability, it has the opportunity to rewrite the story of gridlocked traffic through bold investment in public transit.
The proposed Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project offers a game-changing alternative to the snarled traffic between the San Fernando Valley and the Westside, one of the nation’s most congested corridors. Following the release last summer of the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Report, Metro has reviewed thousands of comments, and the board is considering a Locally Preferred Alternative that will finally provide a fast, efficient and sustainable transit alternative to the 405 – serving more than 100,000 daily riders.
This is not just about transit; it is about economic mobility and regional connectivity.
Every weekday, nearly 400,000 trips occur along the corridor, with less than 2% utilizing public transit. The result? A staggering 59 hours lost annually per commuter stuck in evening traffic between Wilshire Boulevard and Ventura Boulevard. Congestion costs Los Angeles more than $8.6 billion annually in wasted time and fuel, according to INRIX’s Global Traffic Scorecard. Individual drivers in L.A. lose an estimated $1,600 a year to congestion – money that could be reinvested into the economy through productivity, consumer spending and business activity.
Interest in constructing a rail line through the Sepulveda Corridor can be traced back to at least 1980, when a rail system map depicting it as one of 10 proposed transit corridors was included in the election pamphlet for Proposition A, a half-cent sales tax for a regional transit system that was passed by voters. More recently, in 2008 and 2016, voters passed Measure R and Measure M with 67.9% and 71.15% support, respectively. These half-cent sales taxes were tangible demonstrations of Angelenos’ continuing support for the development of regional transit.
Cost better than alternative
Although the costs of constructing this project will be great, inaction would carry a far greater cost. The broader economic benefits of efficient rail transit include job creation in both construction and operations, increased access to employment for all low-income communities, and higher property values near stations. According to the American Public Transportation Association, every $1 invested in public transportation generates approximately $5 in economic returns.
The significance of the Sepulveda project extends far beyond local commuters. Consider that in 2024, the value of cargo passing through Los Angeles International Airport and San Pedro Bay Complex, which includes the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, totaled $147 billion and $633 billion, respectively. Each year, trillions in goods are shipped to and from sites in California, the fourth-largest economy in the world, mostly by truck. Without decisive action to reduce the number of cars on the road, congested roads in Los Angeles will choke American commerce.
Cities around the world have demonstrated the economic benefits of major transit investments. In London, the addition of the Crossrail (Elizabeth Line) has been projected to add £42 billion ($53 billion) to the U.K. economy. In Tokyo, continued investment in high-speed and urban rail has supported one of the world’s most efficient economies. Closer to home, New York’s subway system generates an estimated $17 billion in annual economic benefits because of increased worker productivity, reduced travel times and higher real estate values.
Improved transit systems also attract more tourists and enhance their experience. Cities like Tokyo, Singapore and London are able to support millions of visitors annually thanks in large part to their world-class transit systems. The economic impact of tourism in L.A. is significant – visitors to the region spent more than $34.5 billion in 2023. Improving mobility through rail can increase tourist spending by making attractions more accessible, increasing average stays and boosting visitor satisfaction.
Research shows that improving transit connectivity can boost local business revenue by 5% to 20%, especially in areas adjacent to stations. With better transportation, people travel more freely – increasing foot traffic, dining, shopping and entertainment across neighborhoods.
The Sepulveda Transit Corridor is more than a transit initiative; it is a statement about the kind of city we want to be. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to tackle our most persistent mobility challenge and change L.A. from a city paralyzed by traffic to a city empowered by transit.
Stephen Cheung is president and chief executive of World Trade Center Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.
