Federal officials give OK for preliminary engineering on Westside subway
Federal officials have granted formal approval for preliminary engineering on a subway extension to Westwood.
The Federal Transit Administration also approved preliminary engineering for a 1.9-mile underground light rail line that would connect the Gold, Blue and future Expo lines, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority said Wednesday in a statement.
"Hopefully, this is a prelude for the FTA partnering with Metro to help pay for construction of these two major transit projects that will attract tens of thousands of new riders," Metro board Chairman Don Knabe said in the statement.
Funding for both projects will also come from a sales-tax increase approved by county voters in 2008.
The transit agency estimates that the subway extension to Westwood will cost $5.34 billion to construct if completed by 2022. The light rail connector line would cost about $1.4 billion.
Environmental studies are being conducted for both projects and should be completed this year, the agency said.
ALSO:
Former L.A. civil rights attorney Stephen Yagman disbarred
Sierra Madre gas station: List of credit-card fraud victims soars to 230
L.A. councilwoman calls for report on downtown football stadium proposal
--Robert J. Lopez
Photo: Subway station. Credit: Los Angeles Times.
EDITOR'S PICKS:
Please, hurry up, agencies and politicians. We desperately need the Westside extension and the Regional Connector.
Posted by: Bryan T | January 05, 2011 at 08:18 PM
Sounds promising, hope it really happens. LA really needs better rapid transit on all levels.
Posted by: Zeolit | January 05, 2011 at 10:14 PM
The FTA is DOA, courtesy of the House of Representin'. We're out of money, folks. Start walkin'.
Posted by: Steve M. | January 06, 2011 at 03:59 AM