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Orange Line Conversion to Light Rail: It Can Happen

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People mostly like the Orange Line busway in the Valley, but you always hear the complaint that it shoulda/woulda/coulda been a train. The Source's Dave Sotero says that all the bridges being built for the Orange Line extension to Chatsworth (opening next year) can in fact withhold the weight of light rail train cars: "Orange Line Extension bridges have been designed and constructed to be capable of handling the weight of a light rail vehicle for any potential conversion of the line to light rail in the future. The existing Orange Line bridges, including the bridge in the Sepulveda Recreation Area were also engineered to handle the weight of light rail cars." Don't get too excited: there's no money for the conversion and there's legislation banning light rail, as opposed to a subway, in this part of the Valley. Image of Lassen Street bus bridge via The Source [The Source]