USA: The Department of Transportation announced on January 4 that it is to provide $1·6bn in federal grants and loans to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, to be used towards the $2·5bn Westside Purple Line Extension Section 2 project.
The funds will be provided over 12 years. They include a $1·2bn construction grant from the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant programme, $169m will come from the Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality programme and a loan agreement for up to $307m covered by the DOT’s Transportation Infrastructure Finance & Innovation Act programme.
The second phase of the metro extension would run for 4·2 km from Wilshire/La Cienega to Century City/Constellation, with an intermediate station at Wilshire/Rodeo. Opening is expected in 2026.
The first section of the Purple Line extension is under construction between Wilshire/Western and Wilshire/La Cienega. The third section would take the route to UCLA’s Westwood campus and the Veteran’s Administration Hospital.
