Metro's Board of Directors has approved a motion that calls for the initiation of a technical study for a bus rapid transit route serving the northern San Fernando Valley.

Currently, the Valley's lone high-capacity east-west transit corridor is the Orange Line, which runs along a historic rail right-of-way in the South Valley.  Though well patronized, the Orange Line does not adequately serve regional destinations in the North Valley, including California State University, Northridge (CSUN).

According to the motion, CSUN is an ideal candidate for improved transit service as it 1) generates more than 200,000 weekly car trips and 2) boasts more than 41,000 students, a significant portion of whom receive need-based federal assistance.

The motion - which was put forth in June 2016 - directs Metro to begin planning for a project that is being called the North San Fernando Valley Bus Rapid Transit Improvements.  The proposed transit line - which would likely run along Nordhoff Street - is budgeted at $180 million, which Metro would pay for out of the System Connectivity portion of its Transit Construction subfund.  Funding is scheduled to become available in 2019, and completion of the project is expected in 2023.