Officials Take a Sneak Peek at the Orange Line

County and city leaders will gather today for a ribbon cutting and media preview of the four-mile Orange Line busway extension from Canoga to Chatsworth set to open to the public Saturday.

Metro is offering along the Orange Line extension from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The extension of the successful dedicated bus lane into the Northwest San Fernando Valley will provide a key transfer point and connection for Metrolink and Amtrak riders traveling into the rest of the Valley and into central Los Angeles.

"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 Metrlolink stations on the Ventura County line," Metro spokesman Dave Sotero said.

The $180 million extension from Canoga Park to Chatsworth includes three new stations at Sherman Way, Roscoe Boulevard and Nordhoff Street and new platforms at the Canoga and Chatsworth stations.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa praised the extension of the Orange Line 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 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 pricetag 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.

Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter