Measure R Mixes Things Up, Sorta…
by Tony Chavira
Steve Hyman on the LA Times "L.A. Now" Blog posted a rundown of the newly-published recommendations for changes to Metro's Long Range Transportation Plan (watch out, it's a super-sized PDF). Now we've got formal dates of completion for just about all of their projects and a budget for how much cash will go into each operation. Here are a few notable ones:
Subway to La Cienega: Scheduled to finish in 2019 on a budget of $2.3 billion
The Same Subway to Westwood: Scheduled to finish in 2032 on a budget of $1.4 billion
Expo Line light rail phase II, Culver City to Santa Monica: Scheduled to finish in 2015 on a budget of $1.6 billion
Gold Line light rail Foothill extension: Scheduled to finish in 2017 on a budget of $905 million
Crenshaw Boulevard light rail or bus rapid transit: Scheduled to finish in 2029 on a budget of $443 million
Green Line to LAX: Scheduled to finish somewhere between 2016 and 2018 on a budget of $300 million
Westside to San Fernando Valley transit project (Yellow Line) along the 405 Freeway: Scheduled to finish in 2038 on a budget of $2.4 billion
Regional Connector downtown light rail: Scheduled to finish in 2018 on a budget of $1.2 billion
There's a more thorough list on LA Visions, if you want to see the progress of all projects. Doesn't everything seem to have been pushed a LOT further back? I'd only complain because politicians love to give the public unrealistic expectations for dates of completion (like the way that Villaraigosa keeps acting like the Subway will be done right away), but I guess I should know better.
Anyway, these recommendations are based on the rate at which money will probably come into the budget for these projects from existing state and local taxes, measure R taxes, and anything from the proposed federal stimulus. Some master economist could step into government and find an extra $100 billion dollars for transit and the schedules will all be pushed forward. On the other hand, we could go further in debt and none of these projects will be done in any of our lifetimes.
At least we have a plan, I guess. Check out the changes on a map; click the image for a larger version:
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