On Wednesday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) and other leaders in the Los Angeles area celebrated nearly $900 million in new transportation infrastructure funding in LA Metro ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Officials said LA Metro received $709.9 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Fiscal year 2024 transportation spending law, which will go toward the D Line (Purple) Subway Extension Project and the East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project. The region will also receive $160 million in new federal grant funding for street and transit infrastructure, officials said, including $139 million to improve transportation access during the games.
“These investments are going to help transform Los Angeles,” Mayor Karen Bass said. “I want to thank Senator Padilla for continuing to deliver crucial resources, especially as we prepare to host the World Cup and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Together, we will continue to push to make Metro safer and more accessible for all.”
Recently, leaders in the region announced the completion of tunnel mining operations on all three sections of the Metro Purple Line Extension Project, as well as the opening of 5.6 miles of new bus priority lanes on Sepulveda Boulevard.
“As Los Angeles prepares to host the Olympic Games, we have a responsibility not just to make the Games run smoothly, but to make investments that will benefit communities long after the Olympics are over,” Padilla said. “For too long, highways and inadequate transportation infrastructure have cut communities across California off from quality educational, healthcare, and job opportunities. That’s why I’m glad to announce that over $139 million from this new funding will specifically help reconnect our communities.”