Metro held a groundbreaking on Oct. 19, 2026, for the main construction of the East San Fernando Valley light rail line along Van Nuys Boulevard. Metro says the East San Fernando Valley light rail line is scheduled to open in early 2032, so drivers, riders and businesses along the corridor will see construction for about five years.
What the East San Fernando Valley light rail line includes
According to the Metro project page, the line will run about 6.7 miles with 11 stations down the middle of Van Nuys Boulevard, from the G Line station in Van Nuys north to San Fernando Road. Planned stops include Van Nuys G Line, Victory, Sherman Way, Van Nuys Metrolink, Arleta and San Fernando.
Streetsblog Los Angeles, which covered the event, reported a cost of roughly $4 billion and said Metro expects to finish construction in late 2031. As of Oct. 22, 2026, Metro lists a 2026-2032 construction window on its project page. Metro is also studying a 2.5-mile northern extension toward the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink Station, but that extension is not part of the current work.
What construction will look like on Van Nuys Boulevard
Utility relocation began in late 2022, and the contractor is now moving into civil construction. Metro says that work covers the guideway, a maintenance and storage facility, power substations, stations and train systems. The agency expects phased traffic changes and K-rail barriers along the street.
Metro and LADWP are also placing power lines underground along the corridor. So people who walk, bike, ride buses or drive on Van Nuys Boulevard should expect lane shifts and detours that change as work moves from block to block. Businesses along the route can check the project site for updates, and Metro runs a community leadership council for the corridor.
Why the project matters for the Valley
Metro says the line improves access to jobs, schools and health care and cuts emissions. It would connect with the G Line busway at Van Nuys and with Metrolink, giving Valley riders a new north-south rail option along Van Nuys Boulevard.
The Metro board approved the project budget and scope in May 2026, according to Streetsblog. Full funding was announced in September 2024. For other transit and road work across the region, see our Los Angeles and California guide.
What happens next: construction will intensify over the coming months, according to Streetsblog. Opening is planned for 2032, and the date could shift if construction takes longer than expected.