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$77.6 million from the federal government is sought by Metro and two members of congress to fund preliminary engineering for the westside subway and the regional connector. Both Rep. Diane Watson and Rep. Henry Waxman have written letters in support of Metro obtaining the money, despite a coalition of 14 others who rather see the money go elsewhere. $77.6 million is a drop in the bucket compared to the total costs of these projects, but Metro sees it as a "crucial test," as Metro puts it: "Do the projects meet the [Federal Transit Administration's] requirements for funding? And does the FTA want to find a way to get L.A. County — the nation’s most populous county — into the New Starts program?" their blog asks.
