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Rail News Home Passenger Rail

5/27/2011



Rail News: Passenger Rail

LACMTA adopts $4 billion budget for FY2012, approves underground station plan


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Yesterday, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (LACMTA) board adopted a $4 billion budget for fiscal-year 2012, a 6.3 percent increase compared with FY2011’s budget.

The FY2012 budget, which takes effect July 1, will maintain fares at current levels and lower the cost of Metro day passes from $6 to $5, starting Aug. 1, LACMTA officials said in prepared statement.

The new budget also calls for trimming “unproductive” bus lines or other duplicated services operated by LACMTA. In addition, the budget includes funding for testing trains in the first phase of the Expo light-rail line that will run from downtown Los Angeles to Culver City, Calif. An opening date for that service is expected to be announced soon, officials said.

About 60 percent of the FY2012 budget will be spent on enhancing rail and bus services, including deferred maintenance issues. LACMTA also plans to purchase hundreds of new light-rail vehicles and buses.

Also yesterday, the board approved plans to build an underground station in Leimert Park Village as part of the Crenshaw/LAX light-rail line. The plan is contingent on securing $131 million in funding through a variety of sources. The board agreed the project must stay within a budget of $1.7 billion. In a separate vote, the board agreed not to build a line underground through Park Mesa Heights.