LA Metro proposes $7.2B FY2020 budget

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) proposed a $7.2 billion budget for the coming fiscal year from July 1 to June 30, 2020, a $600 million increase over the current budget of $6.6 billion. 

The increase is due mostly to LA Metro expecting more revenue from its sales taxes, grants and bonds. Increased expenses are due in part to costs involving labor and benefits, debt and the planning and construction of road, transit and active transportation projects, according to LA Metro’s official blog “The Source.” 

The budget calls for service changes to make schedules and train lengths more consistent, improve on-time performance, allow more time for light-rail vehicle maintenance and match service levels with actual demand.

Other projects that would be funded in the proposed budget: 

• continuation of planning and design of new rail lines in many parts of the county.  These include a new rail station next to Los Angeles International Airport; light-rail service between Van Nuys and the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink station; the Sepulveda Transit Corridor; light rail between Artesia and downtown Los Angeles; the third section of the Purple Line between Century City and Westwood; a Green Line extension to Torrance; an extension of the Eastside Gold Line; and the Crenshaw Northern Extension. 
• continued support for the Alameda Corridor-East Construction Authority and its Phase II grade separation projects. 
• continued construction of new subway cars for the Red/Purple Line with delivery expected of two prototype cars for testing;
• midlife modernization projects for light-rail and heavy-rail vehicles to preempt vehicle service issues and to increase operational performance; and
• continued modernization of the Blue Line and rebuilding of the Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Station.