Inglewood Transit Connector Project Lands $1B Federal Grant
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
(Inglewood Transit Connector Rendering Courtesy of the City of Inglewood)
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will invest more than $1 billion in the Inglewood Transit Connector Project, a planned 1.6-mile, three-station automated people mover between Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (LACMTA) K Line and the city of Inglewood’s housing, employment, sports and entertainment centers, the city reported Jan. 4.
The $1,009,430,998 Capital Investment Grant (CIG) represents a commitment from FTA to cover 50% of the anticipated total cost of the fully elevated Inglewood Transit Connector, which the city said is being designed to carry up to 11,000 riders per hour.
The project is slated to address a first/last mile gap between the K Line and Inglewood’s Kia Forum, Sofi Stadium, YouTube Theater, and the Intuit Dome, as well as housing and commercial destinations in the surrounding area (see map below).
The CIG award comes on the heels of a “positive rating” from the FTA, which reviewed the project’s costs, its potential for strong ridership and its strong community support, the city said.
The project had already secured $873 million in local, state and federal funds, according to the city, which has partnered with LACMTA to establish the Inglewood Transit Connector Joint Powers Authority (JPA), “a single-purpose entity that is dedicated to overseeing the design, construction, financing, operations and maintenance of the system.” (Early last year, LACMTA approved a Master Cooperative Agreement with the city.) JPA will now work to leverage those committed funds and the CIG grant “to close a narrowing gap in construction, maintenance and operating costs,” the city said.
Three prequalified teams are now preparing bids to implement the project, and a selection is expected this summer, according to the city.
“By signaling their commitment to invest significantly in our project, the federal government is recognizing the importance of providing better transportation options for our residents and to everyone in our region who wants to work and visit our city and its outstanding sports, entertainment, and commercial facilities,” Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts said Jan. 4. “We owe a debt of gratitude not only to the Biden Administration but also to U.S. Senator Alex Padilla [D-Calif.], the late Senator Dianne Feinstein, USDOT and FTA leadership, as well as Governor [Gavin] Newson, Assemblywoman Tina McKinnor and other state and local partners. I want to acknowledge the Metro [LACMTA] Board of Directors, CEO Stephanie Wiggins, Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles, the County Board of Supervisors, and my fellow mayors across the South Bay. We have collectively aligned around one goal–making sure those coming and going to Inglewood have the optimal experience through a modern transit solution that serves fans, employees, visitors and residents alike.”
“This action delivers on the promise of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support communities whose transit infrastructure has been neglected for too long and who have been impacted negatively by the construction of major freeways like the I-405 in Inglewood,” Sen. Padilla said.
