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Inglewood Secures More Than $1 Billion For A New Transit Connector Between Sports And Entertainment Venues
People wait to cross S. Prairie Ave outside of SoFi Stadium on Jan. 30, 2022 in Inglewood. The proposed Inglewood Transit Connector will connect people from Metro’s K Line to destinations such Sofi Stadium and is designed to ease neighborhood disruptions.
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Brian Feinzimer for LAist
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The federal government has pledged more than $1 billion toward a 1.6-mile, three station, “automated people mover” that will connect people from Metro’s K Line to destinations such as the Kia Forum, Sofi Stadium, YouTube Theater and the Intuit Dome.
The Inglewood Transit Connector, slated to be completed in time for the 2028 L.A. Olympics, has been designed to carry 11,000 riders an hour. According to the city, around 400 annual events take place at the sports and entertainment destinations.
Funding is coming from the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Capital Investment Grant (CIG) program, which will foot half the bill for the project.
The city has already secured $873 million from different funding sources.
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“This is a good day for the people of Inglewood and the entire region,” Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts said in a statement. “By signaling their commitment to invest significantly in our project, the federal government is recognizing the importance of providing better transportation options for our residents and to everyone in our region who wants to work and visit our city and its outstanding sports, entertainment, and commercial facilities.”
The transit connector is designed to ease traffic congestion and neighborhood disruptions during sporting and entertainment events and encourage the use of public transit to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
However, the project’s construction will displace 41 local businesses and since it’s publicly funded, the city has said it will provide relocation funds for the affected businesses.
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