USA: Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced $2·1bn in federal grant and loan agreements for the Los Angeles metro Purple Line extension Section 1 on May 21.
$1·25bn is coming from the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant programme and $856m through the Transportation Infrastructure Finance & Innovation Act. Other federal funds are contributing $12·2m to the $2·8bn project, as are local revenues from Measure R, a 0·5% sales tax approved by voters in 2008.
The 15·2 km Purple Line extension will add seven stations in three phases. The first phase would extend the line 6·3 km west along Wilshire Boulevard from Wilshire/Western to La Cienega Boulevard, adding three underground stations. Subsequent phases would extend the route 4·2 km to Century City and 4·7 km to Westwood. The first phase will also add 34 cars to the Purple Line fleet.
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority estimates that ridership on Section 1 would be 20 000 passengers per day once it opens in 2024.
- A feature on the role of the FTA in funding urban rail projects is included in the June 2014 issue of Metro Report International.
