Motorists in the heart of Van Nuys could encounter some traffic delays starting Friday night and continuing through the weekend on a stretch of Van Nuys Boulevard to accommodate work tied to a new San Fernando Valley rail line.
With utility work beginning on the 6.7-mile East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Corridor Project, crews will install concrete K-rail barriers along northbound Van Nuys Boulevard between Gault Street — just south of Sherman Way — and Arminta Street just north of the Van Nuys Metrolink station.
According to Metro, the barriers will cordon off one lane and the shoulder lane on northbound Van Nuys, leaving two lanes open in each direction.
The installation work will begin at 8 p.m. Friday and continue through 6 a.m. Monday.
Metro officials said the work in the K-rail area will be conducted in two shifts — from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Motorists should anticipate delays in the area. Sidewalks will remain open, along with access to driveways, although some left turn lanes will be removed. Bus service will continue through the area, although some bus stops may be temporarily relocated.
The utility work for the project is expected to last as long as two years.
The East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Corridor is beginning with the 6.7-mile stretch from Van Nuys to Pacoima. A second 2.5-mile phase is still under study, stretching from Pacoima to the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink Station.
The line is the first rail project to be built in the San Fernando Valley since the Metro B (Red) Line was extended into Universal City and North Hollywood.