This morning in Washington DC, federal and Los Angeles officials joined together to announce full funding for the initial phase extending Metro's Purple Line Subway. This funding had been hinted at earlier, but today it's a done deal. Barring any kind of governmental shutdown.
Metro will receive $1.35 billion in federal grant funding, plus another $0.86 billion in federal infrastructure loans. Today's $2 billion completes the $2.8 billion budget for extending the subway 3.9 miles west underneath Wilshire Boulevard, to a terminus at Wilshire and La Cienega. Construction is anticipated to start this summer and be completed in 2023.
With the project ready to begin construction, hopefully truth-challenged editorials and confusing campaign talk of a "third way" alternative route will soon be a thing of the past. No speculation on how the funding announcement timing dovetails with Metro's planned fare increases.
Lots of additional local coverage at: Santa Monica Next, Long Beachize, KPCC, The Source, Daily News, LA Register, and the LA Times.
