Why Replace Successful BRT With Rail?

The Orange Line, a bus rapid transit line running through Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley, has been a success. To those calling for an expensive conversion to rail, several experts say, why bother?

1 minute read

August 20, 2017, 11:00 AM PDT

By Philip Rojc @PhilipRojc


Orange Line Bus

Oran Viriyincy / Flickr

Dating from 2005, L.A.'s Orange Line now serves more than 25,000 riders a day. Patrick Sisson writes, "In its 12 years of service, the Orange Line has carried more than 74 million passengers and proven there's an audience and ridership in the region. It's so successful that it's often crowded at rush hour, leading Metro to explore an upgrade."

Calls for a light rail replacement have encountered pushback from many experts. "The push to lay down track and replace a successful bus line begs another question: Can a bus line, even with all the right support, ever be enough?"

Juan Matute, associate director of UCLA's Lewis Center and the Institute of Transportation Studies, says the Orange Line has succeeded on many levels. "'The Orange Line has been an extremely cost effective transportation amenity,' [Matute] says. 'You could build five Orange Lines for the cost of a light rail corridor.'"

Rail advocates argue that the conversion will spur efficiency gains. It'll also cost an estimated $1.4 billion. Sisson writes, "If the bus line were treated like rail, instead of being replaced by rail, the transit authority could accomplish many of the same efficiency gains at a much lower cost."

Tuesday, August 8, 2017 in Curbed Los Angeles

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight