This week the Metro Construction Committee approved an additional $210 million for early construction work on the long planned Union Station run-through tracks project, called Link US. Metro already had allocated about $300 million for early Link US construction already underway; this ups the "pre-construction" budget to a half-billion dollars.
If you're completely unfamiliar with LinkUS, watch SBLA's short explainer video.
Since opening in 1939, Union Station has operated with inefficient stub-end tracks. Essentially trains nose into the station, then have to reverse to get out. Metro estimates that fixing this will increase Union Station capacity from 180 to 278 trains daily and reduce train dwell times from ~20 minutes to ~5 minutes - greatly benefitting riders on Metrolink, Amtrak, and future CA High-Speed Rail.
Link US is a huge undertaking which includes building a new bridge over and along the 101 Freeway. The initial phase is anticipated to cost roughly $2.3 billion.
At this week's meeting [agenda, video, Link US staff report], Metro staff noted that they were working with the city of Vernon to address issues. After Metro approved the Link US environmental studies last October, Vernon filed a lawsuit challenging the project.
Metro board chair Fernando Dutra inquired if Link US would really "be operational in five years?"
Metro staff responded heads nodding "yes."
Then Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins added "But that presumes full funding which we do not have. It's five years if we have full funding today," Wiggins clarified, noting that Metro needs to secure about $600 million to fully fund just the initial construction phase.
The additional Link US construction funds still need to be approved by the full Metro board at its meeting next Thursday.
