L.A. Rail Accelerates

[WhoozOn1st]

"If all goes as anticipated, Metro in the next year would begin construction of a new rail line along Crenshaw Boulevard, complete the Expo Line to Culver City and continue work on an expansion of the Gold Line from Pasadena to Azusa.

"It would be the first time L.A. would have three rail projects under construction at the same time."

Rail Plans Pick Up Speed

"'You have this archetype of L.A. as the highway city of America. Really, in fact, the voters are saying we're looking to invest in a mode outside of driving. There's really serious rail investment, and that really gets after that archetype,' said Adie Tomer, a transportation expert with the Brookings Institution.

"'All of a sudden you have this really big powerful place that's not just changing mind-sets about who they are but has the potential to dramatically remake the way you get around it,' Tomer said. 'It's a huge opportunity.... It is going to definitely be felt and watched across the country.'"

 

[WhoozOn1st]

This N.Y. Times/Greenwire story covers L.A.'s proposed funding mechanism for accelerated transit construction - the 30-10 Plan - as well as an extension of its principles to the national level called "America Fast Forward."

Los Angeles Leads Full-Throttle Dash for U.S. Transit Cash

"Cities that want to expedite transit development need federal money. Obtaining funds could be tough as Congress battles over how deeply to cut spending. As well, there could be fights about how to spend the Highway Trust Fund money that comes from the gasoline tax. Some regions want highway repairs over rail.

"To buttress their lobbying, those urging rail expansions have amassed a powerful lobbying force.

"LA Metro in concert with the city of Los Angeles and the group Move LA solicited other municipalities that want to build train lines in shorter time frames. Together they formed a proposal called America Fast Forward. So far, 120 mayors, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and labor group AFL-CIO have backed the plan.

"Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) in March lobbied lawmakers on America Fast Forward while he was in Washington, D.C., for a meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

"The rail plan calls for a major increase in funding from the federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, which provides loans, loan guarantees and lines of credit. LA Metro also is advancing another funding mechanism that would have the government pay as much as 100 percent of the interest on certain bonds issued by cities."