Council Tips Its Hand on Transit Priorities

Sketch of the future Broadway after a streetcar arrives via Bringing Broadway Back.

In addition to discussing Measure R, tomorrow's L.A. City Council Transportation Committee also features a couple of motions that spell out the top priorities for the city's transportation planning in the 2010 Fiscal Year.

The three motions would move just over sixteen and a half million dollars from the city's general transportation funds to advance the Green Line Extension direct to LAX, the downtown Streetcar project for Broadway and pedestrian safety improvements for the Foshay Learning Center after the Expo Line is completed.

None of the new funds will result in project construction in the next fiscal year, but they could help insure that all of these projects move forward and could be part of changing the transit culture in Los Angeles.  In the case of the Green Line Extension and the streetcar, the funds will be used for needed environmental and planning documents.  For the pedestrian improvements around the Foshay Learning Center, the funds will pay for land acquisition needed to build a pedestrian bridge required by court orders. build a pedestrian tunnel and for other pedestrian improvements.

While it's not a surprise that these projects are moving forward, after all they've been talked to death at City Council hearings; it's always good news to see the city moving forward on transit funds.  If there's any major changes to these motions, we'll be sure to let you know.