JKA 25 Years: 2011

In 2011 JKA, working as a subconsultant to KOA (now Lochner), contributed the urban design and architecture components for a new Metro rapid transit line along Van Nuys Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley. JKA contributed transit-oriented design and visualization for a range of alternatives including light rail, tram, bus rapid transit, and curbside rapid bus. The JKA scope of work included prototypical designs for station stops, bikeways, and streets along the seven-mile corridor. These feasibility designs were the first steps towards the approval and now construction of the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project, anticipated to open in 2031. This exciting, visionary, and important project was super fun to work on, though the over two decade schedule reminds one of the lessons learned outlined in Ezra Klein's and Derek Thompson's 2025 book, Abundance.