L.A. transit officials hope the state budget surplus can be used to fund regional transit project, including one highly anticipated light rail project that broke ground on Friday, December 2.

The Los Angeles County Transportation Authority (Metro) Board of Directors is hoping the state of California’s budget surplus can be used to add $1.9 billion in funding for public transit investments around the county, including in the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys, according to a paywalled article by Steve Scauzillo.
The hope is to use the state money toward two new light rail projects and the extension of a third. “The No. 1 priority project is the East San Fernando Valley (ESFV) Light Rail Transit Project,” writes Scauzillo. “Metro is asking the state for $600 million which could complete funding for the project, which is set to break ground on Friday, Dec. 2.”
“Metro’s board accepted a staff plan on Thursday to ask the state for a total of $1.9 billion spread over the three rail projects that Metro believes are the most likely to get state dollars. Grants would fully fund some projects, while moving another toward full funding,” adds Scauzillo.
The state has already indicated that public transit will get priority for the extra budget. “The state has made available about $2.83 billion for LA Metro and possibly $4 billion unsecured dollars for the entire state in the next few years that have not been earmarked. The funding pots are leftover from a big $98 billion state budget surplus.” (It should be noted that reports have cast doubt on the reality of the $98 billion surplus figure, and that the state might be faced with a deficit.)
The entire list of projects targeted by the Metro Board includes the L (formerly the Gold Line) extension from Pomona to Claremont—the first Metro project to cross into another county (San Bernardino County). The final project is the West Santa Ana Branch (WSAB) Transit Corridor Project, which would connect Downtown Los Angeles to southeast Los Angeles County.
FULL STORY: Can three big rail projects tap the state budget surplus? LA Metro thinks so.

The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.

America’s Best New Bike Lanes
PeopleForBikes highlights some of the most exciting new bike infrastructure projects completed in 2022.

Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.

L.A. County Towns Clash Over Homelessness Policies
Local governments often come to different conclusions about how to address homelessness within their respective borders, but varying approaches only exacerbate the problem.

A Mixed-Use Vision for Houston Landfill Site
A local nonprofit is urging the city to consider adding mixed-use development to the site, which city officials plan to turn into a stormwater detention facility.

Milwaukee County Makes Substantial Progress on Homelessness
In 2022, the county’s point-in-time count of unhoused people reflected just 18 individuals, the lowest in the country.
Town of Palm Beach
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
York County Government
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Fitchburg, WI
City of Culver City
Sonoma County Transportation Authority
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.