advertisement

---

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has granted the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) a record of decision (ROD) for the $1.37 billion Regional Connector Transit Corridor.

The action officially certifies that the project has satisfied all federal environmental guidelines and meets an important prerequisite for LACMTA to begin the project’s final design, agency officials said in a prepared statement.

The FTA’s ROD also is vital because it allows the agency to seek federal funding to help build the two-mile rail line in downtown Los Angeles, they said.

“The Regional Connector is the vital link connecting the connecting the county’s regional transportation network by uniting the Gold Line, the Blue Line and the Expo Line, allowing for future one-seat trips between the San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach and the Westside,” said LACMTA Chairman Michael Antonovich.

With the ROD in hand, the agency can request the initiation of final design and begin discussions with FTA officials to secure a full funding grant agreement.