A new round of funding awards from California's Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program yields big returns for projects in Southern California.

Metro announced yesterday that it has been awarded $231 million for the initial segment of the Southeast Gateway Line, which would stretch 14.5 miles from the Slauson A Line Station to the Pioneer boulevard in the City of Artesia. In addition to terminus stations at Slauson and Artesia, plans call for seven other stations on an alignment which crosses through Florence-Firestone, bell, Bellflower, Cerritos, Cudahy, Downey, Huntington Park, Paramount, South Gate, and Vernon. A new infill station to connect with the C Line in the I-105 Freeway is also planned.

“This is exactly what we were hoping for and what this project needs,” said Metro Board Chair and LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn . “I appreciate Governor Newsom and his team for answering our call and recognizing the importance of the Southeast Gateway Line to the future of the region and I thank the entire Metro Board for prioritizing this project.” 

Hahn also announced that a groundbreaking for advanced utility relocation for the Southeast Gateway Line is set to occur later this month.

While the Southeast Gateway Line received the largest award of any project in this cycle of TIRCP funding, much more will be needed to complete the project. While more than $2 billion in funding has already been identified, the initial segment is expected to cost more than $5 billion. To complete a second phase, stretch from Slauson to Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles, at least an additional $2 billion would need to be identified.

Metrolink system mapMetrolink

Besides the Southeast Gateway Line, other notable projects in and around Los Angeles County have also been awarded funding.

The Orange County Transportation Authority has received $125 million to mitigate coastal erosion along a troubled section of the LOSSAN Rail Corridor which carries Metrolink and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains. Likewise, North County Transit District and the San Diego Association of Governments has received $38.5 million to invest in the LOSSAN corridor, with the money set to go toward shoring up coastal bluffs and replace 0.6 miles of single track with double track at the San Luis Rey River, creating a more than 10-mile stretch of continuous double track.

The Riverside County Transportation Commission is set to receive $40.5 million for the creation of a new Metrolink station in Mead Valley, which would be served by the 91/Perris Valley Line. At the same time, Metrolink has secured $44.8 million to build two new service and inspection tracks to enable more round trips on the Inland Empire-Orange County and San Bernardino Lines.

Finally, Irvine, Santa Monica, Foothill Transit, and UCLA have received more than $80 million in combined funding for the purchase of electric or hydrogen fuel cell buses, and various service expansions.

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