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Yesterday, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA MTA) board directed authority officials to prepare a report outlining transit projects and road improvements that could be completed if county voters approved a new transportation sales tax.

Due in June, the report also would propose options for accelerating the schedules of new rail and bus projects already in the planning stages and provide a list of short-term transportation improvements that could help ease traffic congestion.

Board members will review the projects in early summer and determine whether to request the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors place a new half-cent sales tax on the November ballot to help fund county transportation projects.

The board also will review LA MTA’s long-range transportation plan, which addresses mobility improvements through 2030. While the draft plan identifies funds for transit operations and dozens of new transit and highway projects, there’s still a significant shortfall, according to LA MTA. Funds have not yet been identified for several “Tier 1”  projects, such as the Westside subway extension, Foothill Metro Gold Line extension and a downtown regional connector.