Metro broke ground on the Vermont BRT line on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. The 12.4-mile bus rapid transit route runs along Vermont Avenue and ends at 120th Street in Athens, and Metro says it will open before the 2028 Summer Olympics.
It is the second major Metro groundbreaking in a week. The first was the East San Fernando Valley light rail line. For more local coverage, see our Los Angeles guide.
What the Vermont BRT line will include
The line will have 26 stations at 13 intersection locations. It will connect with Metro’s B, C, D and E rail lines, so riders can transfer to the subway and light rail. Metro also lists connections to more than 13 east-west bus routes.
Buses will use dedicated side-running lanes and get priority at traffic signals. Riders will pay before boarding and use all doors, which cuts the time a bus waits at each stop. Stations will have shade shelters, better lighting, real-time arrival displays and emergency call buttons.
Streets will change too. The plans add bus bulb-outs that shorten crossing distances, wider sidewalks and protected bike lanes. Right-of-way width on Vermont varies from 55 to 160 feet, so the design will differ block by block.
Cost, funding and expected ridership
The Federal Transit Administration awarded $149.9 million through its Small Starts program. Metro says that grant, state funds and Measure M sales tax revenue make the project fully funded. Mayor Karen Bass called the groundbreaking “a nearly $440 million investment” in transit.
Vermont is already one of the busiest bus corridors in the county. Metro counts about 38,000 weekday riders today and projects 66,200 daily riders by 2045. As a result, it expects the line to become the busiest BRT corridor in the country.
Metro also projects a trip cut of up to 24% from end to end. That is roughly 71 minutes down to 54 minutes between Sunset Boulevard and the 105 Freeway, according to reports on the event. In addition, Metro says riders will see gains as each section of bus lane finishes, not only when the full line opens.
What residents should expect next
Metro has not published a block-by-block construction schedule. Early work so far has focused on locating utilities under the street. Heavier roadway work follows, so drivers and businesses along Vermont should watch Metro’s project page for notices.
Metro expects about 4,800 construction jobs and roughly 260 permanent operations jobs. It says it worked with 38 community and faith-based groups and heard from about 26,000 residents since 2021. Some residents have asked for more attention to walking and biking in the design, according to The LA Local.
City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson said in a Metro release that “a ZIP Code shouldn’t shut someone out of opportunities.” Metro’s summary of the project and the Urbanize LA report give the same completion goal. Figures are as of Oct. 24, 2026 and may change as design continues.
Sources
- www.metro.net/projects/vermont-corridor
- www.metro-magazine.com/news/la-metro-breaks-ground-on-vermont-brt-project
- la.urbanize.city/post/metro-breaks-ground-vermont-bus-rapid-transit-line
- thelalocal.org/business-development/officials-break-ground-on-the-vermont-transit-corridor-project-heres-what-you-should-know