A 19-mile all-electric bus line will end at Pasadena City College, where crews are building a full-service station on the Colorado Boulevard campus.
The North Hollywood–Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit line will run on dedicated bus lanes through Burbank, Glendale and Eagle Rock before reaching PCC, according to Colorado Boulevard.
Los Angeles Metro expects the line to carry about 35,000 riders a day and cut end-to-end travel time from roughly two hours to approximately 70 minutes, the Pasadena Star-News reported.
The PCC station will include drop-off and pickup areas and charging infrastructure for the zero-emission fleet. It is scheduled for completion in fall 2026. Revenue service on the full line is set for February 2028, ahead of the Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
PCC President José A. Gómez said the station fits the college's sustainability goals. "The fact that the line has a terminus at our campus is not only convenient for our students, faculty and staff; it also represents our commitment to a sustainable future," Gómez said.
The college serves 40,000 students plus faculty and staff. In 2023, PCC's Board of Trustees approved a resolution recognizing the effects of climate change and setting goals for fleet electrification and expanded electric-vehicle charging.
Mayor Victor Gordo called the project a step toward a carbon-free Pasadena. Steve Gibson, PCC Board president, tied the line to the city's recovery from the Eaton wildfire, saying transportation is a critical part of rebuilding.
Burbank lawsuit clouds full-line timeline
Construction in Pasadena is already underway on Arroyo Seco Parkway, Colorado Boulevard, Lake Avenue and Hill Street. But a legal fight between LA Metro and Burbank has complicated the broader schedule.
Burbank has objected to converting mixed-use lanes on Olive Avenue to bus-only lanes, arguing traffic will spill into neighborhoods. The city also demanded a supplemental Environmental Impact Report to study potential housing development near BRT stops under Senate Bill 79.
LA Metro sued Burbank in May 2026. A Los Angeles Superior Court judge denied Metro's request for a preliminary injunction on July 17, and a follow-up hearing was set for Aug. 19. As of Aug. 22, the Burbank Leader reported the lawsuit remains unresolved, though Metro still plans to begin Burbank construction in fall 2026.
LA Metro told the court it needed to start Burbank construction by July 27 to finish the full 19-mile corridor by February 2028. That deadline has passed.
Voter-funded, Olympics-linked
L.A. County voters authorized the project through Measure M in 2016, approving a half-cent sales tax with more than 71% support. The ballot measure dedicated $267 million to the BRT line. About 700,000 vehicles travel the corridor daily, making it one of the county's most heavily used routes without premium transit service, according to Metro.
The line is one of Metro's "Twenty-eight by '28" projects planned for completion before the Olympics. Metro separately faces a $2 billion federal funding gap for its broader Olympic transit plan, the Star-News reported Aug. 28.
The City of Pasadena's Department of Transportation hosted a community meeting on the Pasadena segment on Feb. 4. No upcoming public meeting has been announced. Residents can contact Metro's project team at [email protected] or 213-418-3228.
