Statement by Ara Najarian, Board Chairman
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Re: Federal support for 30/10, Subway Extension

Los Angeles County received a double dose of good news today from Washington, which I find very encouraging. Senator Barbara Boxer announced that the Obama Administration is accelerating consideration of the subway extension project to Westwood by having the Federal Transit Administration weigh our bid for federal funding for the entire 9 mile segment rather than break it up in three phases. That’s significant because it means when federal funding is secured we can build the entire project at once, which would greatly accelerate the completion schedule and help reduce costs because we beat inflation.

And, second, Senator Boxer released a letter from U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in which he pledged to consider the 30/10 initiative in the next transportation reauthorization bill. 30/10 is an initiative championed by Mayor Villaraigosa and supported by Metro that would leverage local Measure R transportation dollars with advance federal funding to build a dozen major transportation projects within the next decade to create jobs, ease pollution and save energy. The timing of this announcement adds to the momentum we’re experiencing here as new construction projects break ground and we advance multiple transit corridor studies throughout Los Angeles County.

What’s happening: Boxer Announces Federal Support Building for 30/10 and Subway to the Sea