Car Hits Bus on Transitway Test Run, Raising Concerns for Safety
Two days before the Orange Line’s opening, a car ran a red light Thursday and crashed into a bus making a test run on the San Fernando Valley transitway, authorities said.
No one was injured, but the accident stoked fears that more crashes could occur along the Orange Line, an express bus-only corridor that intersects with 36 streets.
The collision occurred about 3:40 p.m. at Vesper Avenue in Van Nuys.
The driver of the car did not have a valid license and his vehicle was impounded, said Marc Littman, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. There was minor damage to the bus. “It just underscores the need for drivers to pay attention,” Littman said.
But critics and some nearby residents say the busway is dangerous because of its unusual intersections, some of which resemble rail crossings. Though the MTA and the city have added traffic lights and warning signs along the corridor, some motorists say the intersections are still confusing.
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