Construction on the Downtown Los Angeles Streetcar could begin as soon as 2018.
The environmental impact study for the Downtown Los Angeles Streetcar, as well as a preferred route, received unanimous approval from the Los Angeles City Council.
The 3.8-mile route includes stops to popular sites like historic Broadway, Grand Central Market, and Grand Park—connecting the Civic Center with the Fashion District in South Park.
Streetcars were once a dominant mode of transportation in Los Angeles; this revival of the historic transit system has been making its way to fruition since 2011. Construction is slated to begin in 2018 and be completed in 2020.
Estimated to cost $282 million, the project will receive $200 million in funding from Measure M—the sales tax approved by county voters this month—as well as funding from the previous sales tax, Measure R. The city also plans to apply for federal grants and seek public-private partnerships to manage the streetcar during construction and once it is built.
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