The City of Burbank says litigation with Metro over the North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit project is ongoing as the city opposes dedicated bus lanes on Olive Avenue, citing traffic concerns and housing density rules triggered by state law SB 79.
# Burbank and Metro Continue Legal Fight Over Bus Rapid Transit on Olive Avenue
Burbank, CA (September 8, 2026) -- The long-running dispute between the City of Burbank and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority over a regional bus rapid transit project is still very much in play, the city said this week.
In a statement released on September 3, the city confirmed that litigation between Burbank and Metro regarding the North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project is ongoing. The conflict centers on the City Council's direction opposing dedicated bus lanes on Olive Avenue, the backbone of the planned 19-mile corridor that would link the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys.
Metro's BRT project is a $400 million, 19-mile line intended to connect North Hollywood, Burbank, Glendale, Eagle Rock, and Pasadena. The route is designed with dedicated bus lanes, signal priority, and enhanced stations to deliver "rail-like" speeds and is expected to carry roughly 30,000 daily riders.
In Burbank, the bus would run east along State Route 134, northeast on Olive Avenue toward downtown, and southeast on Glenoaks Boulevard toward the Glendale border. Metro plans to break ground in the coming months so the line is operational in time for the 2028 Olympic Games.
Metro has said the project is expected to cut travel times by 44 percent compared with current service.
The heart of the battle is what happens on Olive Avenue. Metro wants to build side-running dedicated bus lanes, which would effectively convert two of the four lanes on the busy arterial into bus-only space.
Burbank has pushed back for years. City officials argue that removing a lane currently used by cars would leave only one driving lane in each direction on Olive Avenue, worsening congestion and pushing spillover traffic onto smaller, neighboring residential streets. During the project's environmental review, the City Council requested mixed-flow traffic on one segment of Olive Avenue between Buena Vista and Lake Streets for these reasons.
Metro's complaint, filed in May in L.A. County Superior Court, alleges that the city is illegally withholding construction permits and has breached a 2024 cooperative agreement. Metro argues that because the project's stations already qualified as transit stops before a recent state housing law took effect, the law is not "new information" requiring a second environmental report. The agency has asked the court to compel the city to issue permits.
Metro said in the lawsuit that it has spent nearly $44 million on design and pre-construction and cited $61,250 in lost fare revenue for each workday the project runs late.
The fight has taken on a second, more politically charged dimension because of state Senate Bill 79, a law that took effect July 1, 2026. The law allows higher-density housing near certain transit stops.
Burbank officials say the BRT could trigger the law because five of the six planned stops in the city would be served by full-time dedicated bus lanes. Under the statute's so-called "supercharged" building rules, qualifying sites could allow developers to build up to about 85 feet high, roughly eight stories, overriding local height limits.
At a special City Council meeting, Assistant Community Development Director David Kriske said SB 79 does not apply to every bus stop. He said the law's higher-density rules are triggered only if a station is served by "full-time dedicated bus lanes."
Nearly 100 residents attended a special council meeting to weigh in. Some argued that higher-density development would disrupt the character of their neighborhoods. "Dropping six-story, zero-lot-line buildings into our neighborhoods destroys the city's visual harmony," one resident said. "To stop SB 79 density mandates, we must fight Metro's dedicated bus lanes."
Others who support the dedicated lanes said the city is ignoring a regional housing crisis. "The BRT and resulting effects of SB 79 are going to benefit so many more individuals than the folks that are here," another resident said. "Please don't punish this project because of poor planning."
Business owners along the corridor raised their own concerns. Karen Ross, owner of the long-time Tallyrand restaurant on Olive Avenue, told ABC7 that the project could have a major impact on local businesses because accessibility drives where people choose to shop and dine.
City leaders are not in agreement on how to handle the dispute. Vice Mayor Zizette Mullins said she is willing to escalate the fight. "I am willing to fight for this city," she said. "I heard these people loud and clear. I want to sue them back."
Mayor Tamala Takahashi and Councilmember Nikki Perez said losing the lawsuit would mean losing local control over both the transit project and the housing density triggered by SB 79. They floated a compromise in which the BRT would use a dedicated lane only during peak commute hours, such as 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with the lanes open to regular traffic the rest of the day.
Councilmember Konstantine Anthony, who supports the dedicated lanes, argued that "the only solution out of congestion is mass transit" and warned the city was "kicking the can down the road." Councilmember Christopher Rizzotti said he wanted community input on a peak-hour approach.
City Attorney Joseph McDougall said the peak-hour option was no longer feasible once the lawsuit was filed. "This case will proceed on course and it will be tried in the courts, and the community doesn't have a vote in the court," McDougall said. "The judge makes a decision based on the arguments, the weight of the evidence, and the law."
The city's statement this week confirmed the litigation is moving forward as an interim agreement in the case allows Metro to proceed with certain elements of the project while the court dispute plays out. No trial date has been publicly confirmed, and the city said it will not comment further on pending litigation.
For residents and businesses along Olive Avenue, the outcome will determine not only how the bus runs through the city but also how much higher-density housing is allowed near the planned stations in the years to come.
This article was generated with AI assistance.