MTA Is Told to Halt Work on Valley Bus Corridor

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority could suspend construction of a $330-million busway in the San Fernando Valley as early as today, following an emergency court order Monday.

The order, issued late in the afternoon by the state appellate court in Los Angeles, bars the MTA from “carrying out the busway project” until the court issues a formal ruling on a challenge to the project.

Busway opponents, many of whom live near the 14-mile designated bus corridor between North Hollywood and Woodland Hills, hailed the ruling.

“It means the busway has been temporarily stopped,” said their attorney, John Henning. “They shouldn’t be building the busway right now, whatever they do.”

MTA officials said they were confused by the order and that agency lawyers would go to court this morning to seek clarification.

“According to our legal counsel, [the order] is confusing.... If it means stopping all construction, we’ll have to look into what to do,” said Rick Thorpe, who oversees construction for the MTA.

The busway, now more than 30% complete, had been scheduled to open in August 2005.

In 2002, the residents’ group, Citizens Organized for Smart Transit, sued the MTA, alleging that its environmental impact report for the busway was flawed.

A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge threw out the lawsuit.

Last week, the state appellate court reversed that decision, holding that the agency failed to adequately consider a network of rapid bus lines as an alternative to the busway project.

In response, MTA officials said they would appeal that ruling to the state Supreme Court while continuing construction.