Metro Proposes Permanent Tax To Pay For Dozens Of New Transit Projects Across L.A.

Metro's widely publicized plan to "fix" the agonizing amount of time it takes us Angelenos to travel around our fair city by building lots of mass-transit projects paid for by a 1/2 cent sales tax increase has changed in an important way. Instead of the proposed sales-tax terminating after 40, 45, or even 50 years as Metro has previously suggested, the newest iteration of the measure for November's ballot stipulates the tax will continue, as the language says, "until voters decide to end it," according to Streetsblog Los Angeles.

Modifying the tax from a 50-year one into an everlasting one gives Metro more flexibility to build more projects more quickly. The newest iteration of Metro's plan includes earlier dates for several projects—like the LAX People Mover and the northern extension of the Crenshaw line through West Hollywood, to Hollywood/Highland—made possible by the promise of sustained, long-term funding.

The indefinite sales-tax increase would also let Metro add a pair of projects to the already lengthy list of infrastructure to be. As the L.A. Times reports, the newest version of the approximately $120 billion plan would include a second extension of the Gold Line through East L.A. County, as well as a High-Desert corridor.

Immediately below is a list of projects that would be sped up with the 'no-sunset' tax option, with comparable dates to the option where there is a 'sunset.' If you want to see a full comprehensive list of the major transit projects Metro's plan accounts for, take a peek at Attachment F (Page 55) of the full plan.

Metro's plan will be up for public vote this November. Two-thirds of Los Angeles county voters will need to vote 'yes' on the proposed transit ballot measure for the measure to become policy. It's no secret that traffic is terrible in L.A., and the proposed measure would, if passed, give city and county governments resources to begin offering residents a real chance to get around L.A. without a car.

Projects the plan includes funding for include the Westside Subway Extension, a train through the Sepulveda Pass, a train on Van Nuys Boulevard, a train to Artesia from Union Station, a train that connects Hollywood directly to LAX, multiple bus rapid transit corridors around the city, a chunk of money for pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, and, of course, money for road improvement.

Or, like, we could just leave the 10 freeway as it is right now. That'll work, right?