Metro files lawsuit against Burbank amid controversy over proposed bus-only lanes

BURBANK, Calif. (KABC) -- Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has filed a lawsuit against the city of Burbank amid ongoing controversy over proposed bus-only lanes.

The plan involves converting two of the four lanes on a busy stretch of Olive Avenue.

The owner of the iconic Tallyrand restaurant says the project would have a major impact on businesses in the area.

"People make decisions about where they visit, where they put their business, where they're going to go have coffee, where they're going to buy a doughnut, get their medicine, based upon accessibility," owner Karen Ross told ABC7.

The North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit Project is a 19-mile bus route connecting North Hollywood, Burbank, Glendale, Eagle Rock, and Pasadena.

"The project delivers improvements such as dedicated bus lanes, bus signal priority, and new stations that will result in bus service between NoHo and Pasadena that rivals the speed, capacity, and comfort of the best rail lines," Metro said in a statement. "The project is expected to attract 30,000 daily riders - that's equivalent to the number of people at nearly two sold out shows at the Hollywood Bowl every day - traveling 44% faster than before."

The Burbank City Council said Metro filed the lawsuit against the city for failing to support the agency's plan.

"They refuse to negotiate with us," Burbank Vice Mayor Zizette Mullins said at Wednesday's City Council meeting. "They refuse to acknowledge that we've given them that letter since 2020."

The divided City Council has been fighting for two mixed-flow lanes instead of dedicated bus lanes.

Residents rallied outside City Hall on Wednesday, expressing concern that the project will also trigger state Senate Bill 79, which would allow for the construction of 6- or 7-story apartment buildings all along the route.

"The potential cost of infrastructure upgrades could be $400 million to $1 billion," said David Donahue, president of Vision Burbank, "and the residents and businesses would be on the hook for the majority of that."