The California State Transportation Authority (CalSTA) has refused to provide state funding for a light rail line project connecting Los Angeles and San Bernardino County. This decision has angered local proponents of the project.
Suspicions of LA Bias in the CalSTA Funding Process
The proposal would have extended the Metro L Line 3.2 miles, connecting riders to the Metrolink commuter rail system. Still, it failed to win grant funding from the state, raising concerns that the state is biased towards Los Angeles projects over those in less glamorous areas.
Does CalSTA Funding Process Lack Transparency?
Critics have slammed the CalSTA funding process as a “black hole” with no clear explanation from the agency about why specific projects did not receive funding.
Proposed Rail Project Could Remove 15,000 Car Trips from Local Roads
The decision to award $407.4 million to a people mover project serving the Los Angeles Rams football stadium in Inglewood is also being questioned. Supporters of the light rail line project argue that it would have removed 15,000 car trips from local roads and generated 5,500 jobs.
The politics behind the project and its potential benefits for the community are discussed in detail, including thousands of proposed housing units planned around the future stations. However, the delay or cancellation of the project could have severe repercussions for transit-oriented development.
0 Comments