LOS ANGELES, CA – Metro Board Chair and Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, representing the First District, released the following statement on the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announcing pre-award authorization for Metro to incur costs for the project development stage of the West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor Project:
“I am pleased and thankful to the Biden Administration for advancing Metro’s West Santa Ana Branch project in the Federal Transit Administration’s New Starts pipeline into the project development phase. This is a critical step towards addressing disparities in communities across Downtown and Southeast Los Angeles, whom I had the honor of representing on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for 7 years. Many of these communities suffer from severe pollution burden and lack sustainable mobility options. Once the West Santa Ana Branch comes to fruition, Southeast Los Angeles residents will finally have direct and quick access to Downtown Los Angeles and the rest of the County, opening up access to more jobs, schools, and housing. As the Chair of Metro’s Board of Directors, I remain committed to advancing this regionally-significant project and all other projects like this that support the Administration’s Justice40 initiative.”
Funding from the FTA is a key step toward making the project potentially eligible for federal funding. Last month, the Metro Board of Directors unanimously approved Los Angeles Union Station as the end point for the project and the Slauson/A Line route to Pioneer as the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA).
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The West Santa Ana Branch will stretch from Artesia to Downtown Los Angeles through a 19-mile corridor that connects the cities of Cerritos, Bellflower, Paramount, South Gate, Downey, Cudahy, Bell, Huntington Park, Vernon and unincorporated Florence-Firestone. Moving this project forward will provide residents of these areas a healthier, more sustainable and economic alternative to driving.