LA Metro Breaks Ground on $149.9M Vermont Bus Rapid Transit Project

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has broken ground on the 12.4-mile Vermont Transit Corridor Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, a major investment in one of Los Angeles County’s busiest bus routes. Metro projects that the corridor will serve 66,200 daily riders and reduce end-to-end travel times by up to 24%. The project is fully funded and includes a $149.9 million Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Small Starts grant, awarded September 1, 2026. The total project cost was not stated in the available announcement, so the grant amount should not be treated as the project’s full value.

The project scope includes dedicated bus lanes, transit signal priority, stations, safety upgrades, and related corridor improvements. Metro describes the corridor as a regional connection linking riders to the B, C, D, and E Metro Rail lines and more than 13 east-west bus routes. Destinations along or near the corridor include USC, Exposition Park, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Los Angeles City College, Kaiser Permanente Sunset, 88 local schools, and 375 faith-based institutions. Metro also notes that more than 21% of current Vermont Avenue riders rely on its GoPass program, which provides free transit to K-12 and community college students.

For contractors, the announcement signals a substantial transportation infrastructure program with potential relevance to bus-lane construction, station improvements, traffic-signal systems, streetscape and safety work, and corridor construction. Metro says riders will be able to experience time savings as bus lanes are completed, rather than waiting for the entire line to be finished. This phased delivery approach may create packages or work sequences tied to individual segments, but the announcement does not identify an open bid opportunity, solicitation schedule, procurement contact, or specific contract packages. The FTA grant is a funding source, not an indication that a particular contract is available.

Metro leaders frame the project as both a mobility investment and a community and economic development initiative. Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins said, “We approached this project with urgency and listened closely to the community, making critical adjustments as we are cutting travel times, fortifying our bus network and building a world-class transit system ready to move LA.” Metro Board Chair and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass connected the project to affordable transportation, greener development, and good-paying union jobs, while Board Member and Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell emphasized faster, more reliable service and comfortable stops. These statements establish the project’s public goals, but do not specify contract requirements or labor terms beyond the quoted reference to union jobs.

• Metro broke ground on the 12.4-mile Vermont BRT corridor, described as a major investment along Los Angeles County’s busiest bus route.
• The project is projected to serve 66,200 daily riders and reduce end-to-end travel times by up to 24%.
• The project is fully funded and includes a $149.9 million FTA Small Starts grant, awarded September 1, 2026; total project cost is not stated.
• Scope includes dedicated bus lanes, transit signal priority, stations, safety upgrades, and related corridor improvements.
• The corridor connects with Metro Rail’s B, C, D, and E Lines and more than 13 east-west bus routes.
• Metro says service benefits can begin as bus lanes are completed, suggesting phased delivery rather than a single opening at full project completion.
• Contractors can assess capabilities in BRT construction, station work, signal priority, and corridor safety improvements; no active solicitation or bid schedule is identified.
• Metro Media Relations contacts are for press inquiries, not procurement questions; vendors should monitor official Metro procurement channels for opportunities.
• Metro identifies community access, travel-time savings, safer streets, and good-paying union jobs among the project’s stated objectives.