L.A. Metro line extension in the running to receive much needed funding for completion

Officials are trying to land money to fill a funding gap for the Gold Line, recently renamed L Line, extension.

There have been a lot of hands trying to reach for California’s $97 billion state surplus, and some will be slapped away.

Officials are trying to land some of the bonus money to help build a 3.2-mile extension of a light rail line, called the L line, into San Bernardino County. The extension would originate in Los Angeles County. Currently, there is a nearly $750 million funding gap for the project, and there has been a scramble trying to get the needed money. State legislators tried to get some earmarked in the state budget, but that attempt failed. The extension will have to go up against other rail projects in a battle for remaining dollars.

The state has marked $1.8 billion for southern California transit projects, which the L Line would certainly qualify for, but no decision has been made on where the money will go. A minimum of $900 million of the $1.8 billion will go to projects that have received Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program funding in the past but need more cash to get them across the finish line. The L Line falls into that category, too.

Officials have identified four projects which are the favorites: the L Line project, the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project, the West Santa Ana Branch light rail project, and the Inglewood People Mover project.

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