AECOM has announced that the Los Angeles County Transportation Authority (LA Metro) has awarded the Vermont Transit Corridor Planning and Environmental Study to Vermont Corridor Partners (VCP), a joint venture led by AECOM with minority-owned small businesses Terry A. Hayes Associates Inc. (TAHA) and RAW International, Inc. (RAW).
The Vermont Corridor Partners (VCP) JV will play a pivotal role in the planning, design, and implementation of the project, prioritizing mobility access, equity, and community needs.
This contract builds upon the successful partnership history between AECOM, TAHA, and RAW, encompassing a track record of accomplishments on various Metro projects like:
LA Metro's Vermont Transit Corridor - About the Project
LA Metro’s plans encompass enhanced transit services along Vermont Avenue to deliver quicker travel times and more dependable transportation. The Vermont Transit Corridor project, spanning from Hollywood Boulevard to 120th Street (see figure below), aims to bolster connections within the regional network and facilitate greater access to opportunities.
Between 2017 and 2019, Metro finalized two studies: the Vermont Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Technical Study and the Vermont Transit Corridor – Rail Conversion/Feasibility Study, which aimed to explore and evaluate BRT and rail alternatives specifically tailored for the corridor.
LA Metro divided the project in multiple phases:
Project Phases / Plans | Description |
Short Term Plans | Solutions to enhance existing bus service. |
Medium term Plans | Implementation of a 12.4-mile Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, featuring enhanced stations, service enhancements, and dedicated bus lanes, expected between 2028 and 2030. |
Long term Plans | Potential future conversion to rail-based systems based on ridership demand (and funding availability) |
Upon completion, this project promises to enhance transit speeds, alleviate overcrowding on current services, and enhance on-time performance. Furthermore, these improvements will foster better connectivity with other LA Metro services, such as the B and D Lines, the C Line, and the E Line.
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LA Metro's Vermont Transit Corridor - AECOM's scope
The joint venture’s responsibilities encompass comprehensive support across all project phases but with an enhanced focus on the BRT solution. The scope includes:
- Conducting an alternatives analysis (AA),
- Environmental studies, equity, diversity, and inclusion (ED&I) Programming
- Providing advanced design and engineering services for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.
The VCP JV will also support LA Metro in obtaining California Environmental Quality Act environmental clearance for the BRT and rail alternatives.
The VCP JV will also have rail specialists working alongside the BRT Team to ensure BRT design requirements enable a potential future rail conversion in line with LA’s Metro long-term plan.
AECOM leadership comments on Vermont Transit Corridor
“This transformation along the Vermont corridor is one of the most critical projects on LA Metro’s horizon,” said Matt Crane, chief executive of AECOM’s U.S. West region.
He continued: “There’s great potential to improve the speed and reliability of bus service on the busiest north-south corridor in LA. In addition, this is an important opportunity to integrate equity from the start and develop a context-sensitive solution tailored to the community’s priorities and needs. It’s a shining example of how world-class transit can improve social and environmental outcomes for communities.”
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