All Aboard? Westside Subway Closer to Funding Boost From Feds

Map via Metro

The Westside subway extension, which would bring Metro's Purple Line from its current Wilshire/Western terminus to Westwood, got what some are hailing as a "major step" closer to some big federal funding. California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer made a joint announcement today, urging the U.S. Department of Transportation to okay a $641 million federal loan for the project.

Here is what each of the senators had to say today about the possibility of major funding for the "Subway to the Sea."

Senator Boxer:

“I am so pleased that the Westside Subway Extension project is advancing and attracting national attention as a model of how we finance and build transit projects nationwide. As Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I am working on a new transportation bill that will help communities like Los Angeles to leverage local, state and federal investments in transportation projects that will create jobs and ease traffic congestion.”

Senator Feinstein:

“Los Angeles is the largest city in our country without a comprehensive subway system. That needs to change. I urged the Department of Transportation to make this loan to LA MTA in order to begin construction on the Westside extension and to establish a world-class transit system in a city that desperately needs one.”

L.A.'s Westside Subway extension project is one of only eight nationwide invited to move into the final approval phase for the loan. As part of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's 30/10 Plan to speed up transit improvements in the city, the loan, if approved, would be repaid via Measure R funds. Metro projects the subway project will add 40,000 jobs to the region.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@laist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Lindsay William-Ross in News on July 6, 2011 1:30 PM

Comments [rss]

Stacey Kenyon

To clarify, the above- or below-ground Expo connector I mentioned would be near 4th Street in Santa Monica...

Stacey Kenyon

What's the spaghetti-shaped mess between Century City and Westwood? Come on, guys, it doesn't have to be that difficult. Clean it up and take it out to the "sea" along Wilshire. Put a connector to the Expo line (either below ground or by express bus) and put a spur to the Expo line at Westwood. Future development could be along Lincoln for connection to the green line.
See how that works? Connecting the dots!

CarltonGlub

It's a variety of routing options Metro is studying, with a final decision to come this fall.

Donna Wilson

How about green line to westwood?

khagler

Well, it's good to know that the US government has paid off its entire $55 trillion debt and now has such a large budget surplus that it can afford to loan LA $641 million. What I'd like to know, though, is how long exactly is it likely to take to replay $641 million with a half cent sales tax?

Jakub Kudlacz

Well measure R will bring projected $40 Billion dollars over next 30 years. That is about $1.3 Billion a year. Since California will keep growing over next 30 years, actual income from measure R on yearly basis will actually increase each year. So we will see something like this: 1st year $500 Million, 30th year $2.3 Billion and now that amazon is required to collect sales tax it will be bit more.

Jason Davidson

It's so sad that the largest city in the country doesn't have a larger subway system or a better train / bus system. Let's step it up LA!