Health & Fitness
Orange Line Busway: Last Mile to Chatsworth
Chatsworth's last mile of the Orange Line busway extension up close with photos.
As the $215.6 million four-mile extension of the Metro Orange Line Busway construction progresses towards next year’s scheduled opening, an up close and personal visit to the Chatsworth portion is difficult to view driving a car but ideal by bicycle. So on Sunday I biked from Nordhoff Street north to the Chatsworth Train Depot with camera at my side.
At Chatsworth's southern boundary at Nordhoff Street, the concrete has been poured for the busway approaches and at one of the two station stops. The northbound station is north of the street, the southbound station is south, making both easy to remember. Nordhoff is one of three new stations, the others are at Roscoe and at Sherman Way. The two existing transit stations, Canoga and Chatsworth, will have new bus platforms constructed. Sherman Way will include a 207-space park and ride lot so passengers from Canoga Park and West Hills will have a more convenient location to park rather than driving several miles to Chatsworth.
The bridge over the Santa Susana Wash appears to be nearing completion and will accommodate separated bus and bicycle/pedestrian traffic.
Find out what's happening in Northridge-Chatsworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
North of Nordhoff Street the busway has been graded and partially paved with asphalt. The parallel bicycle and pedestrian path has also been graded but is yet unpaved. The bicycle path runs just east of Canoga Avenue to Marilla Street where the path then continues north to Lassen Street.
Just south of Lassen Street the busway will cross from the west side of the railroad tracks to the other side via an elevated bridge still under construction. Terminating its 18-mile trip from North Hollywood at the former south parking lot of the Chatsworth Train Depot, the bus will loop to the west and south to drop off and pick up passengers.
Find out what's happening in Northridge-Chatsworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The right-of-way is currently devoid of any vegetation, so the planned planting of drought tolerant and native plants will certainly help beautify the corridor.
The Metro Orange Line Extension project’s last mile in Chatsworth has its share of challenges and opportunities but these no doubt will be worth all the effort when the busway and bicycle path open for public use next year.
