LA seeking federal funding for Westside Subway Extension

In a move that places Los Angeles County in contention to receive its fair share of future federal rail funding, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors voted to pursue long-term funding agreements through the US. Department of Transportation to build the Westside Subway Extension and Regional Connector projects.

The two projects are
expected to score highly in the rankings necessary to secure Full Funding Grant
Agreements under current federal New Starts requirements. The Federal Transit
Administration administers the New Starts program for major capital transit
investments nationwide. Projects eligible for future funding through this
program must compete with other projects nationwide to be selected to enter
into these types of contractual agreements.

Both the Westside Subway
Extension and Regional Connector projects are slated to provide critically
needed transit linkages for existing transit riders traveling to, from and
through some of the most densely populated and commercially significant areas
of Los Angeles County. They are both included in the Measure R half-cent sales
tax expenditure plan and the agency’s draft Long Range Transportation Plan that
is scheduled for future Board consideration.

"These two projects will
not only result in significantly greater connectivity in the Metro subway and
light rail systems, but also will result in a dramatic increase in overall
system ridership and user benefits," said Ara Najarian, Glendale City Council
Member and MTA Board Chair. "In short, they are our best chance to secure
future federal funds, and in so doing, will free up precious local monies for
other regionally significant transportation projects."

The Board’s decision to
select the two local rail projects and advance those projects in the New Starts
Program could establish reliable, multi-year funding as early as the federal
Fiscal Year 2012. Over the past six years, for example, the agency has received
an average of $80 million per year in federal rail funding through the New
Starts program.

Without this federal
match, the agency would be forced to utilize local funds to build heavy and
light rail projects, which would make completion of the promised Measure R
program of county transportation projects difficult to accomplish.

The Westside Subway
Extension is estimated to cost $4.2 billion in today’s dollars for completion
of the Measure R segment from the current terminus of the Metro Purple Line at
Wilshire/Western Station to Westwood. Measure R funds would be used to match
federal funds. The project is currently in its Draft Environmental Impact
Study/Environmental Impact Report phase, and the MTA Board is expected to make
a decision on a preferred alignment later next year.

Ridership has been
projected at 49,000 new station boardings for the Wilshire alternative to
Westwood. An additional 27,000 boardings are estimated to be generated
throughout the Metro system as a result of the subway extension. The project
would connect key job centers such as Century City and Westwood with the
growing Metro Rail system.

The $1.3-billion Regional
Connector project would receive $160 million in escalated Measure R funds. Also
in its Draft EIS/EIR phase, the MTA Board is expected to make a decision on a
preferred alignment late next year. The project would connect the existing
Metro Gold and Blue Line light rail lines through Downtown Los Angeles.

In addition to joining
these two lines, the project also would enable trains to run directly between
the Gold Line Eastside Extension, expected to open in 2009, and the Expo Line,
which will connect Downtown L.A. to Culver City in the 2010-2011 timeframe.

The Regional Connector
anticipates generating 16,000 new system-wide boardings and additional
ridership on the connecting light rail lines through the county. The line would
connect major downtown activity centers, provide a one-seat regional ride and
reduce transit travel times by 12-20 minutes.