Secretary Foxx announces funding for LA Purple Line Extension. Photo: courtesy of FTA.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) have announced a federal grant and loan totaling nearly $1.5 billion for the second phase of the Metro Purple Line Extension.
Metro received a construction grant agreement for $1.187 billion through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Capital Investment Grant program and a $307-million loan through the USDOT’s TIFIA program to total $1.494 billion. The project will also receive $169 million in federal funding through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program. Coupled with Metro’s $747 million local match made possible by 2008’s Measure R sales tax, $2.4 billion is now secured to continue construction of the extension.
“I’d like to personally thank the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Transit Administration for working hard to ensure this funding agreement moved forward in a deliberate and effective manner,” stated Phillip A. Washington, Metro’s CEO. “This and previous federal project funding represents years of hard work, and is the keystone to Metro’s countywide program to transform transportation in our region.”
The second phase of the Metro Purple Line Extension is a subway line running primarily under Wilshire Boulevard that will connect downtown Los Angeles and Westwood with service to the Miracle Mile, Beverly Hills and Century City.
“Metro greatly appreciates the funding provided by our transportation partners in Washington D.C.,” said John Fasana, Metro Board Chair and Duarte City Council Member. “By smartly matching federal dollars with Metro’s local sales tax proceeds, we will be able to deliver fast, frequent and high-capacity subway service as promised to L.A. County residents on an accelerated timeline.”
The first section of subway is currently being built between the subway terminus at Wilshire/Western and Wilshire/La Cienega with three new stations. The second section will add another 2.6 miles to the project with two new stations at Wilshire/Rodeo in downtown Beverly Hills and Century City.
Major construction for the second section is planned to begin in 2018. Completion of the second subway section is anticipated no later than 2026 per the FTA Full Funding Grant Agreement and Metro is aiming to possibly finish the project at an earlier date. A third and final section will extend the subway to the Westwood/VA Hospital, with construction planned to begin in 2019.
Metro is in the process of selecting a contractor to build the subway extension’s second section. The agency plans to recommend a contractor to the Metro Board later this month.
Last month, the Metro Board approved a contract for new subway vehicles to help support the line and the agency is also working on a project that will allow subway trains to turn around more quickly at Union Station, which will increase capacity on the line.