Kids & Family

Did You Visit the Patch Booth at the Orange Line Hoedown in Chatsworth?

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Did you visit the Patch booth at the , 10046 Old Depot Plaza Rd. Saturday, where we were the opening of the .

Lots of music, food trucks, booths... and people. The cowboys were just here, and Councilman Mitch Englander, and Congressmn Brad Sherman. And lots of kids.

Did you stop by and say hello?

Find out what's happening in Northridge-Chatsworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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Find out what's happening in Northridge-Chatsworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

ORANGE LINE BUSES ARE NOW RUNNING FOR FREE

By City News Service

Buses began running north and south along the four- mile extension of the Orange Line busway today, with free rides, live music and food trucks offered to introduce the service.

The free rides were to be availbale until 7 p.m. tonight, and will also be available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Converting an old Southern Pacific rail spur into a dedicated bus lane cost $154 million, and adds new express bus stations at Sherman Way, Roscoe Boulevard and Nordhoff Street and new platforms at the Canoga and Chatsworth stations.

The line also includes three new or reconfigured park-and-ride lots, new signalized street crossings, street resurfacing improvements and a new bicycle and pedestrian path.

The extension of the express bus line into the Northwest San Fernando Valley connects to the Amtrak and Metrolink train station at Chatsworth, making it a transfer point for passengers connecting to or from downtown Los Angeles, Simi Valley and Santa Barbara.

"We're connecting the spokes of the regional transit system and the Chatsworth Station is an important spoke for the West San Fernando Valley, one of the busiest Metrolink stations on the Ventura County line," Dave Sotero of Metro said.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the outgoing chairman of Metro's board, used a ceremonial ribbon cutting Friday for the extension's opening to praise its completion ahead of the scheduled opening, calling the existing 14-mile busway from North Hollywood to Warner Center a "workhorse" that surpassed all expectations.

The Orange Line was originally expected to move about 8,000 people daily, but daily ridership in May was about 26,670.

Metro estimates the new addition will add about 9,000 additional riders in the short term and hit 45,000 daily riders by 2030.

Metro officials touted the line's completion well ahead of schedule and $61 million under the budgeted price tag for the line. The extension was scheduled to be finished in 2016, but the project was accelerated after voters approved Measure R, a half-sent sales tax increase to fund transportation, in 2008.

About $182 million that was earmarked for the project but never spent can be applied to another San Fernando Valley transportation project in the future, Metro officials said.

"The Orange Line is the most successful busway in America," county Supervisor and Metro board director Zev Yaroslavsky said. "With the opening of this new segment, the northwest San Fernando Valley will now be served by this very popular mass transit line."


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