LOS ANGELES – The Omnibus spending recently passed by Congress last week includes over $250 million in federal transportation funds for Los Angeles County rail projects. The funds will go toward two major subway projects currently being constructed by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro): the Regional Connector, section 1 of the Westside Purple Line Extension (from Wilshire/Western to La Cienega Boulevard) and section 2 of the Westside Purple Line Extension (from La Cienega Boulevard to Century City).

In 2014, both the Regional Connector and section 1 of the Westside Purple Line Extension secured Federal Full Funding Grant Agreements (FFGA) from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The Regional Connector FFGA is valued at $670 million and was accompanied by a $160 million low-interest federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan. The Westside Purple Line Extension (section 1) FFGA is valued at over $1.2 billion and was accompanied by an $856 million low-interest federal loan.

Section 2 of the Westside Purple Line Extension is expected to secure a $1.2 billion Federal Full Funding Grant Agreement in 2016.