EL MONTE — Garvey Avenue Bus Lanes would operate during weekday rush hours under a regional transit project moving toward design and environmental review. The project would also bring signal and bus stop improvements to the corridor before the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The El Monte City Council approved a scope covering Garvey Avenue between Sastre Avenue and Santa Anita Avenue. The plan calls for side-running bus lanes, transit signal priority and bus shelter improvements.
The lanes would operate from 7 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Buses would use a designated lane during those periods, while motorists could enter it for right turns and driveway access.
Garvey Avenue Bus Lanes Preserve Parking
The Garvey Avenue Bus Lanes would use the existing roadway instead of widening the street. The proposed side-running design would preserve curbside parking along the corridor. Bicycles could also use the designated lanes during operating hours.
The San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments is leading SGV Forward with LA Metro and local cities. The agency says the project focuses on dedicated bus lanes, transit signal priority and improved transit stops.
The Garvey Avenue portion stretches through El Monte, South El Monte, Rosemead and Monterey Park. SGVCOG lists the four cities among the locations where Jump-Start improvements are being planned.
Signal And Stop Improvements Planned
Transit signal priority is another part of the proposed improvements. The technology can help buses spend less time waiting at intersections by coordinating transit vehicles with traffic signals.
Bus stops could also receive new shelters, accessibility features and real-time arrival information. SGVCOG identifies those improvements among the possible upgrades included in its Jump-Start program.
Regional planners also studied parking conditions along the route. An April 2026 project presentation reported peak observed parking occupancy of 53.8% on the El Monte segment between Sastre and Santa Anita avenues.
The regional effort grew from the San Gabriel Valley Transit Feasibility Study. That study identified six high-priority corridors for near-term transit upgrades. SGVCOG says the demonstration projects are planned for implementation by 2028.
Project Advances Toward 2028
The council action allows the project to advance toward engineering and construction agreements with LA Metro and SGVCOG. The material provided for this story did not identify a construction appropriation by El Monte.
The Garvey project is separate from Segment 5 of the broader San Gabriel Valley transit improvement program. SGVCOG says Segment 5 is advancing through separate federal and county funding.
For El Monte residents and businesses, the next phases will determine how the proposed transit improvements operate on one of the city’s major east-west streets as regional agencies work toward their 2028 implementation target.
