The $2 billion people mover, which would link
The proposed Inglewood Transit Connector project is a 1.6-mile, fully automated, elevated, fixed-guideway transit system, which would have three transit stations in Inglewood.
A Republican-led House appropriations committee cut the project's $200 million first installment of $1 billion in federal funding on July 10, a few days after Rep. Maxine Waters, D-California, who represents the area, penned a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg asking him not to sign the full funding grant agreement for the project.
Though Waters' letter came just before the appropriations committee decision, it doesn't appear to be responsible for the funding cut, as the funding for all five of the Federal Transit Administration's New Starts projects was removed.
Even though the federal half of the project's expected $2 billion cost is in jeopardy, the Inglewood Transit Connector Joint Powers Authority comprised of the city and the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority, announced on Monday, its pick for a multi-member private-partner team for the project.
Elevate Inglewood Partners has been selected to design, construct, operate and maintain the line.
"The announcement of the selection of a team to develop and operate the ITC is another key milestone in the process to make this transformative investment in our city a reality," Inglewood Mayor James Butts said in a statement.
Elevate Inglewood Partners is a consortium comprised of Plenary Americas US Holdings, Inc., the private equity provider; Tutor Perini Corp., the lead contractor; Parsons Corp., the lead designer; Woojin Industrial System Co., the automated transit system operator; and Alternate Concepts, Inc., the lead operations and maintenance contractor.
The three-stop people mover would connect the Metro K Line to Inglewood's Kia Forum, SoFi Stadium, YouTube Theater, the Intuit Dome, as well as housing and commercial destinations in the surrounding area.
The ITC Joint Powers Authority will oversee all aspects of the project after a contract has been awarded to the private partners. The private team and city are negotiating contract terms and a final document is expected to be delivered to the City Council for approval in the fall.
In her letter to Buttigieg, Waters said the money would be "better spent on programs that improve access to affordable housing," and that, "it will not provide convenient connectivity to employment or public services for local residents."
"The ITC is designed primarily to allow public transit users to connect the extra 1.6 miles from Metro's K Line to sports and entertainment venues," Waters said. "Shuttle buses could most likely accomplish this same goal at a fraction of the cost, but have not been seriously considered as an alternative."
The initial $200 million installment of $1 billion for the Inglewood Transit Connector promised from the Federal Transit Administration's New Starts program was cut during a July 10th markup in the House Appropriations Committee chaired by Rep. Tom Cole, R-Arkansas.
But despite the potential loss of its funding, there remains a glimmer of hope until Congress approves a budget. The Democrat-majority Senate appropriations committee in charge of this funding was slated to discuss it Thursday. The House version of the budget has to be reconciled with the Senate version, before a final appropriations bill is passed.
Congress has until the Oct. 1 start of the fiscal year to enact appropriation bills or pass a continuing resolution to fund the government, or a government shutdown can occur.
"We understand, this isn't the end of the process," said Karly Katona, deputy chief operating officer for the Joint Powers Authority in charge of the project. "Right now, we are just working with the [Federal Transit Administration] to execute a full funding grant agreement."
Though the project received initial approval in the New Starts program, and President Joe Biden's budget proposed in March had included the initial $200 million of the $1 billion funding, the Inglewood project has yet to secure a formal full funding grant agreement from the FTA, Katona said.
"We have been approved to enter the engineering phase of the New Starts capital investment grant process," she said. The engineering phase is the second phase, and obtaining the full funding grant agreement is the final stage in the process, according to FTA's website.
The Inglewood transit project was not alone in having its funding cut, Katona said.
The markup included $1.1 billion in cuts to all five of the New Starts projects included in the budget.
The appropriations committee also cut funding for the Second Avenue Subway project in New York City, the Bay Area Rapid Transit's Silicon Valley extension, the Miami Northeast Corridor rapid transit project and the Houston University bus rapid transit project.
The Senate Appropriation's subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development was scheduled to hold hearings related to its own mark-up this week. The funding could be restored on the Senate side, where there is a Democratic majority. The subcommittee is chaired by Rep. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii.
The project has been touted as a marquee piece for the 2028 Olympic Games, but its primary purpose is to provide first and last-mile service for the people who live in the community, Katona said.
At this point, Waters appears to be the only one representing the region opposed to the project.
Both Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass made supportive comments about the project in statements.
Hahn, who was recently named chair of the LA Metro Board, said it will help to alleviate traffic congestion, reduce emissions and increase ridership on LA Metro.
"I continue to support this vital project moving forward," said Bass, as it will "improve transportation in the region and create good paying jobs."
State Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, whose comments were also included in the release, said the project "would foster continued economic revitalization in the city's historic downtown area, create growth opportunities for transit-oriented development and support affordable housing along the project alignment in the city."
Butts made a nod to the prior support of Sen. Alex Padilla though no supportive comments were included in the release.
Waters had initially supported the project, which she noted in her letter, but has since changed her mind.
"As you may recall, I initially supported the ITC when the project was in its early planning stages," Waters said.
She requested a $20 million planning grant from the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in April 2021, but notes that the project then had an estimated cost of $1 billion, and that has since grown to $2.02 billion. The FTA has approved $1 billion for the project pending approval of the full funding grant agreement, she said.
"Based on the FTA's project profile, the estimated cost of the ITC would amount to more than $1.26 billion per mile of transit built and more than $672 million for each of the three stations," Waters said. "Furthermore, the Eno Center for Transportation estimated that the ITC project would cost $470,000 per estimated daily rider and designated the project as an outlier among projects approved under the CIG program."
She compared the cost to Metro's K Line, which also runs through her district, and cost roughly $2.5 billion, but is 8.5 miles long and includes eight stations. The cost of K line was less than $300 million per mile of transit build and $313 million for each of the eight K Line stations.
ITC has worked to ensure that the 40 businesses that would need to be relocated are treated well.
"All transit projects require property acquisitions, but eminent domain is not our goal," Katona said. "No businesses have been blindsided. We have been working with them for years to help them find relocation sites they are excited about."
"We believe the project has significant quality-of-life benefits," Katona said. "It runs through areas that have been underserved by transit for decades. It completes the first and last mile destination for transit in this part of the county."
