Politics & Government

Obama's Budget Includes $100 Mil for Westside Subway Construction

The money would help extend the subway out to La Cienega. Long-terms plans would lay rail through to Westwood.

President Barack Obama's proposed budget includes $100 million for a Los Angeles-area rail projects that would extend a subway into the Westside, Mayor Eric Garcetti said today.

Metro's Purple Line Westside Subway Extension and the Downtown Regional Connector would each get $100 million in federal funds under the proposed 2014- 2015 budget.

"This funding represents the White House's recognition that our transit program will spend money wisely, create thousands of jobs, and make a real difference for L.A. commuters," Garcetti said.

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Garcetti also called for immediate passage on a multi-year federal surface transportation bill, saying "now, it's time for Congress to act."

The Regional Connector, which links up the Blue, Gold and Expo lines for smoother travel across the county, recently secured $670 million as the result of a full funding grant agreement with the Federal Transit Administration.

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The connector is slated for completion in 2020.

The Westside Subway Extension project, which is expected to receive about $1.25 billion in federal grants later this year, would extend the Purple Line 3.9 miles west down Wilshire, from its current Western Avenue terminus to La Cienega Boulevard.

The extension project is estimated to create 25,000 jobs, officials said.

Eventually, the Purple Line is expected to connect to Westwood

--City News Service


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